William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton
Encyclopedia
William Philip Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton
(18 September 1772 – 20 November 1838), also known as Lord Dashalong, was a sportsman, gambler and a friend of the Prince Regent
.
and Isabella Stanhope, daughter of the Earl of Harrington
. In 1792, he married the Hon Maria Craven, daughter of William Craven, 6th Baron Craven
. He had issue of 4 sons and 6 daughters. He succeeded to the title in 1795 and it passed in turn on his death in 1838 to his eldest son Charles William Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton.
Charles Greville wrote of him: "He was absolutely devoid of religious belief or opinions, but he left to all others the unquestioned liberty of rendering that homage to religion from which he gave himself a plenary dispensation. His general conduct was stained with no gross immorality, and as he was placed far above the necessity of committing dishonourable actions, his mind was habitually imbued with principles of integrity. They sat, however, lightly and easily upon him as regarded the conduct of others, not so much from indifference as from indulgence in those particular cases where a rigid and severe application of high principle would have interfered with his own convenience or enjoyment."
for Droitwich, Worcs between 1816 and 1831. Sefton opposed the surveyance of the world's first railway line, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway line, in 1824 and did his utmost to prevent it. Ultimately, he was not successful in preventing the railway's construction in 1830. On 20 June 1831, he was created Baron Sefton of Croxteth in the Peerage of the United Kingdom which allowed him to sit in the House of Lords. He also accepted the Stewardship of the manor of East Hundred, county Berkshire.
He was the third man to be appointed Master of The Quorn (1800–1805). In 1836, he founded the Waterloo Cup
for coursing at Altcar, an event which was very popular in its heyday and attracted large crowds. The last Waterloo Cup took place in 2005. Over the years, Aintree
had been the site of private races between the Molyneux family and their friends, including the Stanley's. Lord Sefton leased land at Aintree to the Waterloo Hotel to help establish what is now Aintree Racecourse
, home of the Grand National
Steeplechase, of which he was one of the principal sponsors and a committee member.
In London, he acquired the nickname 'Lord Dashalong' because of his fondness for racing through the streets in a carriage with four horses; along with Lord Worcester
, Lord Barrymore, Sir John Lade, Colonel Berkeley and Charles Buxton, Lord Sefton was a founding member of the Four-in-Hand (also known as Four-Horse) Club.
He was a member of White's
club in London. His wife, Lady Molyneux, was a Patronesses of Almack's
club, of which his mother had been a Foundress.
His ancestral seat was Croxteth Hall, Lancs. He also resided at Stoke Farm, Berks and at 21 Arlington Street, London.
Earl of Sefton
The title Earl of Sefton was created in the Peerage of Ireland in1771 for the 8th Viscount Molyneux. The Earls of Sefton held the subsidiary titles Viscount Molyneux, of Maryborough in the Queen's County , in the Peerage of Ireland, and Baron Sefton, of Croxteth in the County Palatine of Lancaster...
(18 September 1772 – 20 November 1838), also known as Lord Dashalong, was a sportsman, gambler and a friend of the Prince Regent
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
.
Personal life
Born in 1772, Lord Sefton was the only son of Charles Molyneux, 1st Earl of SeftonCharles Molyneux, 1st Earl of Sefton
Charles William Molyneux, 1st Earl of Sefton was a Member of the British Parliament and a member of the peerage of Ireland.He was born on 11 October 1748, the son of Thomas and Mary Molyneux...
and Isabella Stanhope, daughter of the Earl of Harrington
Earl of Harrington
Earl of Harrington is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1742 for the former Secretary of State and then Lord President of the Council, William Stanhope, 1st Baron Harrington. He had already been created Baron Harrington, of Harrington in the County of Northampton, in 1730,...
. In 1792, he married the Hon Maria Craven, daughter of William Craven, 6th Baron Craven
William Craven, 6th Baron Craven
William Craven, 6th Baron Craven was an English nobleman.He was the son of Rev John Craven of Staunton Lacy in Shropshire and succeeded his uncle, William Craven, as Baron Craven in 1769...
. He had issue of 4 sons and 6 daughters. He succeeded to the title in 1795 and it passed in turn on his death in 1838 to his eldest son Charles William Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton.
Charles Greville wrote of him: "He was absolutely devoid of religious belief or opinions, but he left to all others the unquestioned liberty of rendering that homage to religion from which he gave himself a plenary dispensation. His general conduct was stained with no gross immorality, and as he was placed far above the necessity of committing dishonourable actions, his mind was habitually imbued with principles of integrity. They sat, however, lightly and easily upon him as regarded the conduct of others, not so much from indifference as from indulgence in those particular cases where a rigid and severe application of high principle would have interfered with his own convenience or enjoyment."
Political career
Educated at Eton College, Berks and at the University of Oxford, despite an unsuccessful attempt to be MP for Liverpool in 1818, he sat as MPMember 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 Droitwich, Worcs between 1816 and 1831. Sefton opposed the surveyance of the world's first railway line, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway line, in 1824 and did his utmost to prevent it. Ultimately, he was not successful in preventing the railway's construction in 1830. On 20 June 1831, he was created Baron Sefton of Croxteth in the Peerage of the United Kingdom which allowed him to sit in the House of Lords. He also accepted the Stewardship of the manor of East Hundred, county Berkshire.
Sporting Life
Sefton was an enthusiastic gambler and sportsman whose main sporting success was in the founding and governance of sports events.He was the third man to be appointed Master of The Quorn (1800–1805). In 1836, he founded the Waterloo Cup
Waterloo Cup
The Waterloo Cup was a coursing event. The three day event was run annually at Great Altcar in Lancashire, England from 1836 to 2005 and it used to attract tens of thousands of spectators to watch and gamble on the coursing matches...
for coursing at Altcar, an event which was very popular in its heyday and attracted large crowds. The last Waterloo Cup took place in 2005. Over the years, Aintree
Aintree
Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....
had been the site of private races between the Molyneux family and their friends, including the Stanley's. Lord Sefton leased land at Aintree to the Waterloo Hotel to help establish what is now Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England.It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in the 1960s....
, home of the Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
Steeplechase, of which he was one of the principal sponsors and a committee member.
In London, he acquired the nickname 'Lord Dashalong' because of his fondness for racing through the streets in a carriage with four horses; along with Lord Worcester
Henry Somerset, 7th Duke of Beaufort
Major Henry Somerset, 7th Duke of Beaufort KG , styled Earl of Glamorgan until 1803 and Marquess of Worcester between 1803 and 1835, was a British peer, soldier and politician.-Background:...
, Lord Barrymore, Sir John Lade, Colonel Berkeley and Charles Buxton, Lord Sefton was a founding member of the Four-in-Hand (also known as Four-Horse) Club.
He was a member of White's
White's
White's is a London gentlemen's club, established at 4 Chesterfield Street in 1693 by Italian immigrant Francesco Bianco . Originally it was established to sell hot chocolate, a rare and expensive commodity at the time...
club in London. His wife, Lady Molyneux, was a Patronesses of Almack's
Almack's
Almack's Assembly Rooms was a social club in London from 1765 to 1871 and one of the first to admit both men and women. It was one of a limited number of upper class mixed-sex public social venues in the British capital in an era when the most important venues for the hectic social season were the...
club, of which his mother had been a Foundress.
His ancestral seat was Croxteth Hall, Lancs. He also resided at Stoke Farm, Berks and at 21 Arlington Street, London.
External links
- 'Prinny's set'
- Biography of William Philip Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton. A Web of English Heritage. By Dr Marjorie Bloy.