Thomas Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield
Encyclopedia
Thomas William Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield PC (20 October 1795 - 18 March 1854), known as The Viscount Anson from 1818 to 1831, was a British
Whig politician. He served under Lord Grey
and Lord Melbourne
as Master of the Buckhounds
between 1830 and 1834 and under Melbourne Postmaster General
between 1835 and 1841. His gambling and lavish entertaining got him heavily into debt and he was forced to sell of the entire contents of his Shugborough Hall
estate.
, and his wife Anne Margaret, daughter of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester
. Major-General the Hon. George Anson was his younger brother. He was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford
.
for Great Yarmouth
in June 1818, but had to resign the seat already the following month on the death of his father and his succession to viscountcy of Anson. Anson later served under Lord Grey
and Lord Melbourne
as Master of the Buckhounds
from 1830 to 1834 and under Melbourne as Postmaster General
from 1835 to 1841. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1830 and in 1831 he was created Earl of Lichfield, of Lichfield in the County of Stafford, in William IV's
coronation honours.
seat. He also purchased the estate at nearby Ranton, Staffordshire
, where he built Abbey House and developed the estate into a great sporting centre. However, his extravagant lifestyle and gamling put him and the family into debts of £600,000 and led to Anson's financial collapse in 1842. The entire contents of Shugborough Hall were sold off to pay for the debts. Abbey House at Ranton burned down in 1942. The ivy-covered ruins can still be seen.
was a clergyman and served as Bishop of Qu'Apelle
in Canada
. Lord Lichfield died in March 1854, aged 58, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas
. Lady Lichfield died in August 1879.
Whig politician. He served under Lord Grey
and Lord Melbourne
as Master of the Buckhounds
between 1830 and 1834 and under Melbourne Postmaster General
between 1835 and 1841. His gambling and lavish entertaining got him heavily into debt and he was forced to sell of the entire contents of his Shugborough Hall
estate.
, and his wife Anne Margaret, daughter of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester
. Major-General the Hon. George Anson was his younger brother. He was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford
.
for Great Yarmouth
in June 1818, but had to resign the seat already the following month on the death of his father and his succession to viscountcy of Anson. Anson later served under Lord Grey
and Lord Melbourne
as Master of the Buckhounds
from 1830 to 1834 and under Melbourne as Postmaster General
from 1835 to 1841. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1830 and in 1831 he was created Earl of Lichfield, of Lichfield in the County of Stafford, in William IV's
coronation honours.
seat. He also purchased the estate at nearby Ranton, Staffordshire
, where he built Abbey House and developed the estate into a great sporting centre. However, his extravagant lifestyle and gamling put him and the family into debts of £600,000 and led to Anson's financial collapse in 1842. The entire contents of Shugborough Hall were sold off to pay for the debts. Abbey House at Ranton burned down in 1942. The ivy-covered ruins can still be seen.
was a clergyman and served as Bishop of Qu'Apelle
in Canada
. Lord Lichfield died in March 1854, aged 58, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas
. Lady Lichfield died in August 1879.
Whig politician. He served under Lord Grey
and Lord Melbourne
as Master of the Buckhounds
between 1830 and 1834 and under Melbourne Postmaster General
between 1835 and 1841. His gambling and lavish entertaining got him heavily into debt and he was forced to sell of the entire contents of his Shugborough Hall
estate.
, and his wife Anne Margaret, daughter of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester
. Major-General the Hon. George Anson was his younger brother. He was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford
.
for Great Yarmouth
in June 1818, but had to resign the seat already the following month on the death of his father and his succession to viscountcy of Anson. Anson later served under Lord Grey
and Lord Melbourne
as Master of the Buckhounds
from 1830 to 1834 and under Melbourne as Postmaster General
from 1835 to 1841. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1830 and in 1831 he was created Earl of Lichfield, of Lichfield in the County of Stafford, in William IV's
coronation honours.
seat. He also purchased the estate at nearby Ranton, Staffordshire
, where he built Abbey House and developed the estate into a great sporting centre. However, his extravagant lifestyle and gamling put him and the family into debts of £600,000 and led to Anson's financial collapse in 1842. The entire contents of Shugborough Hall were sold off to pay for the debts. Abbey House at Ranton burned down in 1942. The ivy-covered ruins can still be seen.
was a clergyman and served as Bishop of Qu'Apelle
in Canada
. Lord Lichfield died in March 1854, aged 58, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas
. Lady Lichfield died in August 1879.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Whig politician. He served under Lord Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
and Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
between 1830 and 1834 and under Melbourne Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
between 1835 and 1841. His gambling and lavish entertaining got him heavily into debt and he was forced to sell of the entire contents of his Shugborough Hall
Shugborough Hall
Shugborough is a country estate in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, England, 4 miles from Stafford on the edge of Cannock Chase. It comprises a country house, kitchen garden, and model farm...
estate.
Background and education
Anson was the eldest son of Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount AnsonThomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson
Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson was a British politician and peer.Anson was the son of George Adams, who later changed the family name to Anson in 1773, after inheriting Shugborough Hall from his maternal uncle, Lord Anson...
, and his wife Anne Margaret, daughter of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester
Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (seventh creation)
Thomas William Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester , known as Coke of Norfolk, was a British politician and agricultural reformer. Born to Wenman Coke, Member of Parliament for Derby and his wife Elizabeth, Coke was educated at several schools, including Eton College, before undertaking a Grand Tour of...
. Major-General the Hon. George Anson was his younger brother. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Political career
Anson was elected to the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in June 1818, but had to resign the seat already the following month on the death of his father and his succession to viscountcy of Anson. Anson later served under Lord Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
and Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
from 1830 to 1834 and under Melbourne as Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
from 1835 to 1841. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1830 and in 1831 he was created Earl of Lichfield, of Lichfield in the County of Stafford, in William IV's
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
coronation honours.
Gambling
Anson was also known for his excessive gambling and lavish entertaining at his Shugborough HallShugborough Hall
Shugborough is a country estate in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, England, 4 miles from Stafford on the edge of Cannock Chase. It comprises a country house, kitchen garden, and model farm...
seat. He also purchased the estate at nearby Ranton, Staffordshire
Ranton, Staffordshire
Ranton is a small village in Staffordshire, situated west of Stafford, east of Woodseaves and northeast of Gnosall.-All Saints church, Ranton:All Saints church, Ranton, is a small ancient structure, dating from the 13th century....
, where he built Abbey House and developed the estate into a great sporting centre. However, his extravagant lifestyle and gamling put him and the family into debts of £600,000 and led to Anson's financial collapse in 1842. The entire contents of Shugborough Hall were sold off to pay for the debts. Abbey House at Ranton burned down in 1942. The ivy-covered ruins can still be seen.
Family
Lord Lichfield married Louisa Catherine, daughter of Nathaniel Philips, in 1819. They had four sons and four daughters. His second son the Hon. Augustus Anson was a soldier and his fourth son the Right Reverend the Hon. Adelbert John Robert AnsonAdelbert John Robert Anson
The Rt Rev Adelbert John Robert Anson, DD, MA was an Anglican Bishop in late 19th century western Canada..A controversial figure in his diocese, at least among native Canadian farmers and townspeople, he encouraged the small English community to stand fast and remain aloof against the surrounding...
was a clergyman and served as Bishop of Qu'Apelle
Anglican Diocese of Qu'Appelle
The Diocese of Qu’Appelle in the Anglican Church of Canada lies in the southern third of the civil province of Saskatchewan and contains within its geographical boundaries some 50% of the province's population of one million.-History:...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Lord Lichfield died in March 1854, aged 58, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas
Thomas Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield
Thomas George Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield , known as Viscount Anson from 1831 to 1854, was a British politician....
. Lady Lichfield died in August 1879.
External links
Thomas William Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield PC (20 October 1795 - 18 March 1854), known as The Viscount Anson from 1818 to 1831, was a BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Whig politician. He served under Lord Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
and Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
between 1830 and 1834 and under Melbourne Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
between 1835 and 1841. His gambling and lavish entertaining got him heavily into debt and he was forced to sell of the entire contents of his Shugborough Hall
Shugborough Hall
Shugborough is a country estate in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, England, 4 miles from Stafford on the edge of Cannock Chase. It comprises a country house, kitchen garden, and model farm...
estate.
Background and education
Anson was the eldest son of Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount AnsonThomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson
Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson was a British politician and peer.Anson was the son of George Adams, who later changed the family name to Anson in 1773, after inheriting Shugborough Hall from his maternal uncle, Lord Anson...
, and his wife Anne Margaret, daughter of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester
Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (seventh creation)
Thomas William Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester , known as Coke of Norfolk, was a British politician and agricultural reformer. Born to Wenman Coke, Member of Parliament for Derby and his wife Elizabeth, Coke was educated at several schools, including Eton College, before undertaking a Grand Tour of...
. Major-General the Hon. George Anson was his younger brother. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Political career
Anson was elected to the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in June 1818, but had to resign the seat already the following month on the death of his father and his succession to viscountcy of Anson. Anson later served under Lord Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
and Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
from 1830 to 1834 and under Melbourne as Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
from 1835 to 1841. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1830 and in 1831 he was created Earl of Lichfield, of Lichfield in the County of Stafford, in William IV's
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
coronation honours.
Gambling
Anson was also known for his excessive gambling and lavish entertaining at his Shugborough HallShugborough Hall
Shugborough is a country estate in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, England, 4 miles from Stafford on the edge of Cannock Chase. It comprises a country house, kitchen garden, and model farm...
seat. He also purchased the estate at nearby Ranton, Staffordshire
Ranton, Staffordshire
Ranton is a small village in Staffordshire, situated west of Stafford, east of Woodseaves and northeast of Gnosall.-All Saints church, Ranton:All Saints church, Ranton, is a small ancient structure, dating from the 13th century....
, where he built Abbey House and developed the estate into a great sporting centre. However, his extravagant lifestyle and gamling put him and the family into debts of £600,000 and led to Anson's financial collapse in 1842. The entire contents of Shugborough Hall were sold off to pay for the debts. Abbey House at Ranton burned down in 1942. The ivy-covered ruins can still be seen.
Family
Lord Lichfield married Louisa Catherine, daughter of Nathaniel Philips, in 1819. They had four sons and four daughters. His second son the Hon. Augustus Anson was a soldier and his fourth son the Right Reverend the Hon. Adelbert John Robert AnsonAdelbert John Robert Anson
The Rt Rev Adelbert John Robert Anson, DD, MA was an Anglican Bishop in late 19th century western Canada..A controversial figure in his diocese, at least among native Canadian farmers and townspeople, he encouraged the small English community to stand fast and remain aloof against the surrounding...
was a clergyman and served as Bishop of Qu'Apelle
Anglican Diocese of Qu'Appelle
The Diocese of Qu’Appelle in the Anglican Church of Canada lies in the southern third of the civil province of Saskatchewan and contains within its geographical boundaries some 50% of the province's population of one million.-History:...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Lord Lichfield died in March 1854, aged 58, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas
Thomas Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield
Thomas George Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield , known as Viscount Anson from 1831 to 1854, was a British politician....
. Lady Lichfield died in August 1879.
External links
Thomas William Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield PC (20 October 1795 - 18 March 1854), known as The Viscount Anson from 1818 to 1831, was a BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Whig politician. He served under Lord Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
and Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
between 1830 and 1834 and under Melbourne Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
between 1835 and 1841. His gambling and lavish entertaining got him heavily into debt and he was forced to sell of the entire contents of his Shugborough Hall
Shugborough Hall
Shugborough is a country estate in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, England, 4 miles from Stafford on the edge of Cannock Chase. It comprises a country house, kitchen garden, and model farm...
estate.
Background and education
Anson was the eldest son of Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount AnsonThomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson
Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson was a British politician and peer.Anson was the son of George Adams, who later changed the family name to Anson in 1773, after inheriting Shugborough Hall from his maternal uncle, Lord Anson...
, and his wife Anne Margaret, daughter of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester
Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (seventh creation)
Thomas William Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester , known as Coke of Norfolk, was a British politician and agricultural reformer. Born to Wenman Coke, Member of Parliament for Derby and his wife Elizabeth, Coke was educated at several schools, including Eton College, before undertaking a Grand Tour of...
. Major-General the Hon. George Anson was his younger brother. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Political career
Anson was elected to the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in June 1818, but had to resign the seat already the following month on the death of his father and his succession to viscountcy of Anson. Anson later served under Lord Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
and Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
from 1830 to 1834 and under Melbourne as Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
from 1835 to 1841. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1830 and in 1831 he was created Earl of Lichfield, of Lichfield in the County of Stafford, in William IV's
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
coronation honours.
Gambling
Anson was also known for his excessive gambling and lavish entertaining at his Shugborough HallShugborough Hall
Shugborough is a country estate in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, England, 4 miles from Stafford on the edge of Cannock Chase. It comprises a country house, kitchen garden, and model farm...
seat. He also purchased the estate at nearby Ranton, Staffordshire
Ranton, Staffordshire
Ranton is a small village in Staffordshire, situated west of Stafford, east of Woodseaves and northeast of Gnosall.-All Saints church, Ranton:All Saints church, Ranton, is a small ancient structure, dating from the 13th century....
, where he built Abbey House and developed the estate into a great sporting centre. However, his extravagant lifestyle and gamling put him and the family into debts of £600,000 and led to Anson's financial collapse in 1842. The entire contents of Shugborough Hall were sold off to pay for the debts. Abbey House at Ranton burned down in 1942. The ivy-covered ruins can still be seen.
Family
Lord Lichfield married Louisa Catherine, daughter of Nathaniel Philips, in 1819. They had four sons and four daughters. His second son the Hon. Augustus Anson was a soldier and his fourth son the Right Reverend the Hon. Adelbert John Robert AnsonAdelbert John Robert Anson
The Rt Rev Adelbert John Robert Anson, DD, MA was an Anglican Bishop in late 19th century western Canada..A controversial figure in his diocese, at least among native Canadian farmers and townspeople, he encouraged the small English community to stand fast and remain aloof against the surrounding...
was a clergyman and served as Bishop of Qu'Apelle
Anglican Diocese of Qu'Appelle
The Diocese of Qu’Appelle in the Anglican Church of Canada lies in the southern third of the civil province of Saskatchewan and contains within its geographical boundaries some 50% of the province's population of one million.-History:...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Lord Lichfield died in March 1854, aged 58, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas
Thomas Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield
Thomas George Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield , known as Viscount Anson from 1831 to 1854, was a British politician....
. Lady Lichfield died in August 1879.