Sir John Leslie, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir John Leslie, 2nd Baronet (7 August 1857 – 25 January 1944) was an Anglo-Irish
baronet
.
Member of Parliament
for Monaghan
from 1871 to 1880 and was created a baronet
in 1876, and his mother was the daughter of Colonel George Lionel Dawson-Damer
.
On 2 October 1884 in New York
, with disapproval from both families, Leslie married Leonie Blanche Jerome, daughter of Leonard Jerome
and Clarissa Hall. Leonie's sister was Jennie, wife of Lord Randolph Churchill
and mother of Winston Churchill
. Leslie and his wife had four sons:
, with whom he served as a lieutenant
at the Battle of Tel el Kebir in 1882, distinguishing himself under fire. He was also an honorary colonel of the 5th Battalian, Royal Irish Fusiliers
.
He served as High Sheriff of Monaghan
in 1905 and was also a Justice of the Peace
and Deputy Lieutenant
for the county
.
The Leslies were opposed to the Home Rule
movement. Leslie led the Monaghan Militia in the 1890s and he allowed the Ulster Volunteer Force drill at the demesne
in 1914. The Leslie family were one of the largest land-owning families in the late 19th century. Their holdings comprised 70,000 acres (280 km²) in counties Cavan
, Donegal
, Down
, Fermanagh
, Meath
and Tyrone
.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
.
Family
Leslie was the only son of Sir John Leslie, 1st Baronet, and Lady Constance Wilhelmina Frances Dawson-Damer. His father was the ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Monaghan
Monaghan (UK Parliament constituency)
Monaghan is a former parliamentary constituency in Ireland, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Members of Parliament:-References:...
from 1871 to 1880 and was created a baronet
Leslie Baronets
There have been four Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Leslie, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, one in the Baronetage of Ireland, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
in 1876, and his mother was the daughter of Colonel George Lionel Dawson-Damer
George Dawson-Damer
Colonel the Hon. George Lionel Dawson-Damer was a British Conservative Party politician.-Background:Dawson-Damer was a younger son of John Dawson, 1st Earl of Portarlington, and Lady Caroline, daughter of Prime Minister John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute.-Political career:Dawson-Damer was returned to...
.
On 2 October 1884 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, with disapproval from both families, Leslie married Leonie Blanche Jerome, daughter of Leonard Jerome
Leonard Jerome
Leonard Walter Jerome was a Brooklyn, New York, financier and grandfather of Winston Churchill.- Early life :...
and Clarissa Hall. Leonie's sister was Jennie, wife of Lord Randolph Churchill
Lord Randolph Churchill
Lord Randolph Henry Spencer-Churchill MP was a British statesman. He was the third son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough and his wife Lady Frances Anne Emily Vane , daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry...
and mother of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
. Leslie and his wife had four sons:
- Sir John Randolph Leslie, 3rd BaronetShane LeslieSir John Randolph Leslie, 3rd Baronet, generally known as Shane Leslie , was an Irish-born diplomat and writer. He was a first cousin of the British war time Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill...
(1885-1971), generally known as Shane Leslie - Captain Norman Jerome Beauchamp Leslie (1886–1914)
- Seymour William Leslie (1889–1979)
- Lionel Alistair David Leslie (1900–1987)
Career and later life
Leslie was commissioned into the Grenadier GuardsGrenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
, with whom he served as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
at the Battle of Tel el Kebir in 1882, distinguishing himself under fire. He was also an honorary colonel of the 5th Battalian, Royal Irish Fusiliers
Royal Irish Fusiliers
The Royal Irish Fusiliers was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th Regiment of Foot and the 89th Regiment of Foot in 1881. The regiment's first title in 1881 was Princess Victoria's , changed in 1920 to The Royal Irish Fusiliers...
.
He served as High Sheriff of Monaghan
High Sheriff of Monaghan
The High Sheriff of Monaghan was the British monarch's representative in County Monaghan, a territory known as his bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, he held his office over the duration of a year. He had judicial, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court...
in 1905 and was also a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for the county
County Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
The Leslies were opposed to the Home Rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
movement. Leslie led the Monaghan Militia in the 1890s and he allowed the Ulster Volunteer Force drill at the demesne
Demesne
In the feudal system the demesne was all the land, not necessarily all contiguous to the manor house, which was retained by a lord of the manor for his own use and support, under his own management, as distinguished from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants...
in 1914. The Leslie family were one of the largest land-owning families in the late 19th century. Their holdings comprised 70,000 acres (280 km²) in counties Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
and Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
.