William Parsons, 7th Earl of Rosse
Encyclopedia
William Clere Leonard Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl of Rosse (known as Brendan; born on 21 October 1936) is an Irish peer
. He was the eldest son of Laurence Michael Harvey Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse
and Anne Messel, mother of Lord Snowdon by an earlier marriage. He was educated at Eton College
, Aiglon College
, Grenoble University and Christ Church, Oxford
. He was an officer in the Irish Guards
from 1955-57 and worked for the United Nations
from 1963-80. He succeeded his father in 1979. He lives at Birr Castle
, Co Offaly.
During the period 1979-2007, Lord and Lady Rosse facilitated many decades of research by A.P.W. Malcomson, former director of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
, and latterly sponsored by the Irish Manuscripts Commission
, to enable the production, for the first time, of a comprehensive Calendar of the Rosse Papers in 2008. The archive is held in the Muniment Room of Birr
Castle. The Calendar is of inestimable value for researchers delving into the history of the Parsons family, including English settlement of the Irish midlands in the seventeenth century, the Williamite wars, early Irish nationalism, the British navy in the eighteenth century, and nineteenth century science and astronomy, and the fate of the landed gentry in the early twentieth century.
John Davey Cooke-Hurle, on 15 October 1966. They have three children:
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
. He was the eldest son of Laurence Michael Harvey Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse
Lawrence Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse
Lawrence Michael Harvey Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse was an Irish peer. He was the son of William Edward Parsons, 5th Earl of Rosse, whom he succeeded in 1918, and Frances Lois Lister-Kaye...
and Anne Messel, mother of Lord Snowdon by an earlier marriage. He was educated at Eton College
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"....
, Aiglon College
Aiglon College
Aiglon College is a private English-style boarding school in Switzerland, registered as a not-for-profit charitable institution, with an international student intake . The school gathers funds from full fee-paying students, from donations and via registered charitable trusts in different countries...
, Grenoble University 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...
. He was an officer in the Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
from 1955-57 and worked for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
from 1963-80. He succeeded his father in 1979. He lives at Birr Castle
Birr Castle
Birr Castle is a large castle in the town of Birr in County Offaly, Ireland. It is the home of the seventh Earl of Rosse, and as such the residential areas of the castle are not open to the public, though the grounds and gardens of the demesne are publicly accessible.-Ireland's Historic Science...
, Co Offaly.
During the period 1979-2007, Lord and Lady Rosse facilitated many decades of research by A.P.W. Malcomson, former director of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland is situated in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a division within the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ....
, and latterly sponsored by the Irish Manuscripts Commission
Irish Manuscripts Commission
The Irish Manuscripts Commission was established in 1928 by the newly founded Irish Free State with the intention of furthering the study of Ireland's manuscript collections and archives...
, to enable the production, for the first time, of a comprehensive Calendar of the Rosse Papers in 2008. The archive is held in the Muniment Room of Birr
Birr
Birr is a town in County Offaly, Ireland. Once called Parsonstown, after the Parsons family who were local landowners and hereditary Earls of Rosse. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe....
Castle. The Calendar is of inestimable value for researchers delving into the history of the Parsons family, including English settlement of the Irish midlands in the seventeenth century, the Williamite wars, early Irish nationalism, the British navy in the eighteenth century, and nineteenth century science and astronomy, and the fate of the landed gentry in the early twentieth century.
Marriage and children
He married Alison Margaret Cooke-Hurle, daughter of MajorMajor
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
John Davey Cooke-Hurle, on 15 October 1966. They have three children:
- Lawrence Patrick Parsons, Lord Oxmantown (b. 31 March 1969)
- Lady Alicia Parsons (b. 1971) m. Nathaniel Clements 2007
- Hon. Michael Parsons (b. 9 November 1981)