William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington
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William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington GCH
, PC, PC (Ire)
(20 May 1763 – 22 February 1845), known as The Lord Maryborough between 1821 and 1842, was a British
politician and an elder brother of the Duke of Wellington
.
and Hon. Annie Hill, daughter of Arthur Hill-Trevor, 1st Viscount Dungannon. He was the brother of Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley
, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
and Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley
. Due to the debts of his father the family was forced into financial stringency which was partially alleviated when his godfather and distant cousin, William Pole, left Wesley his estates in 1781; in recognition of which he changed his name to Wesley-Pole. In 1789 his name was Anglicised to Wellesley-Pole. He was educated at Eton
(1774–1776) before entering the Royal Navy
, where he served between 1777 and 1783; most notably aboard HMS Lion
(launched 1777) at the Battle of Grenada
(1779)
for Trim
from 1783 to 1790 and of the British House of Commons
for East Looe
from 1790 to 1795 and Queen's County
from 1801 to 1821. He served as Secretary of the Admiralty under the Duke of Portland
between 1807 and 1809 and as Chief Secretary for Ireland
under Spencer Perceval
between 1809 and 1812 and was also a Lord of the Irish Treasury between 1809 and 1811 and Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer between 1811 and 1812. Mornington was sworn of both the British Privy Council and the Irish Privy Council
in 1809. He served in Lord Liverpool's
government from 1814 to 1823 as Master of the Mint
. In 1821 he was elevated to the Peerage of the United Kingdom
as Baron Maryborough, of Maryborough in the Queen's County (now Portlaoise, Co. Laois). From 1823 to 1830 he was Master of the Buckhounds
and from 1834 to 1835 Postmaster-General
. On the death of his elder brother, the Marquess Wellesley
, in 1842 he succeeded to the earldom of Mornington
.
and the 3rd Earl of Essex
in 1784. They had three daughters and one son, the last of whom inherited his titles on his death in 1845. His daughter Emily Harriet married FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan
in 1814.
Another daughter, Mary Charlotte Anne Wellesley married Right Hon. Sir Charles Bagot
, Bart., G.C.B., on 22 July 1806. The couple had three sons and five daughters. The family accompanied their parents to Canada on the appointment of Sir Charles Bagot as Governor-General of British North America, on 12 January 1842. As the wife of a Governor-General in Canada, Lady Bagot assumed the title of `Her Excellency`, in Montreal in August, 1842. After her husband's death at Kingston, Ontario
on 18 May 1843, she accompanied the remains to England. She died in London on 2 February 1845.
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
, PC, PC (Ire)
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
(20 May 1763 – 22 February 1845), known as The Lord Maryborough between 1821 and 1842, was a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
politician and an elder brother of the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
.
Background and education
Born William Wesley, at Dangan Castle, Mornington was the second son of Garret Wesley, 1st Earl of MorningtonGarret Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington
Garret Colley Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington was an Anglo-Irish politician and composer, best known today for fathering several distinguished British military commanders and politicians.-Life:...
and Hon. Annie Hill, daughter of Arthur Hill-Trevor, 1st Viscount Dungannon. He was the brother of Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley
Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley
Richard Colley Wesley, later Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, KG, PC, PC , styled Viscount Wellesley from birth until 1781, was an Anglo-Irish politician and colonial administrator....
, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
and Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley GCB was the youngest brother of the Duke of Wellington, and became a notable diplomat in his own right.-Life:...
. Due to the debts of his father the family was forced into financial stringency which was partially alleviated when his godfather and distant cousin, William Pole, left Wesley his estates in 1781; in recognition of which he changed his name to Wesley-Pole. In 1789 his name was Anglicised to Wellesley-Pole. 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"....
(1774–1776) before entering the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, where he served between 1777 and 1783; most notably aboard HMS Lion
HMS Lion
Eighteen ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Lion, after the lion, an animal traditionally associated with courage, and also used in several heraldric motifs representing England, Scotland and the British Monarchy...
(launched 1777) at the Battle of Grenada
Battle of Grenada
The Battle of Grenada took place on 6 July 1779 during the American War of Independence in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy.-Origins:...
(1779)
Political career
A Tory, Mornington was a Member of the Irish ParliamentIrish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
for Trim
Trim (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Trim was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.-1692–1801:...
from 1783 to 1790 and of the British House of Commons
British 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 East Looe
East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
East Looe was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of England from 1571 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1797 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until its abolition in 1832. It elected two Members of Parliament ...
from 1790 to 1795 and Queen's County
Queen's County (UK Parliament constituency)
Queen's County was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning two Members of Parliament 1801–1885 and one in 1918–1922.-Boundaries:This constituency comprised the whole of Queen's County now known as County Laois, except for the Parliamentary borough of Portarlington 1801–1885.- MPs...
from 1801 to 1821. He served as Secretary of the Admiralty under the Duke of Portland
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, KG, PC was a British Whig and Tory statesman, Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Prime Minister. He was known before 1762 by the courtesy title Marquess of Titchfield. He held a title of every degree of British nobility—Duke,...
between 1807 and 1809 and as Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
under Spencer Perceval
Spencer Perceval
Spencer Perceval, KC was a British statesman and First Lord of the Treasury, making him de facto Prime Minister. He is the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated...
between 1809 and 1812 and was also a Lord of the Irish Treasury between 1809 and 1811 and Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer between 1811 and 1812. Mornington was sworn of both the British Privy Council and the Irish Privy Council
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
in 1809. He served in Lord Liverpool's
Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool
Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool KG PC was a British politician and the longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since the Union with Ireland in 1801. He was 42 years old when he became premier in 1812 which made him younger than all of his successors to date...
government from 1814 to 1823 as Master of the Mint
Master of the Mint
Master of the Mint was an important office in the governments of Scotland and England, and later Great Britain, between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Master was the highest officer in the Royal Mint. Until 1699, appointment was usually for life. Its holder occasionally sat in the cabinet...
. In 1821 he was elevated to the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
as Baron Maryborough, of Maryborough in the Queen's County (now Portlaoise, Co. Laois). From 1823 to 1830 he was 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...
and from 1834 to 1835 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...
. On the death of his elder brother, the Marquess Wellesley
Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley
Richard Colley Wesley, later Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, KG, PC, PC , styled Viscount Wellesley from birth until 1781, was an Anglo-Irish politician and colonial administrator....
, in 1842 he succeeded to the earldom of Mornington
Earl of Mornington
Earl of Mornington is a title in the Peerage of Ireland, since 1863 a subsidiary title of the dukedom of Wellington. It was created in 1760 for the Anglo-Irish politician and composer Garret Wellesley, 2nd Baron Mornington. He was made Viscount Wellesley, of Dangan Castle in the County of Meath, at...
.
Family
Lord Mornington married Katherine Elizabeth Forbes, daughter of Admiral John Forbes and granddaughter of the 3rd Earl of GranardGeorge Forbes, 3rd Earl of Granard
George Forbes, 3rd Earl of Granard PC was an Anglo-Irish naval commander and diplomat.-Life:He was the son of Arthur Forbes, 2nd Earl of Granard, by his wife Mary, daughter of Sir George Rawdon, 1st Baronet, of Moira, county Down, was born in Ireland 21 October 1685, and was for a time at the...
and the 3rd Earl of Essex
William Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex
William Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex, KG, PC was the son of the 2nd Earl of Essex.Capell was one of the founding governors of the charity, the Foundling Hospital, created in October 1739 to care for abandoned children....
in 1784. They had three daughters and one son, the last of whom inherited his titles on his death in 1845. His daughter Emily Harriet married FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan
FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan
Field Marshal FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, GCB, PC , known before 1852 as Lord FitzRoy Somerset, was a British soldier.-Early life:...
in 1814.
Another daughter, Mary Charlotte Anne Wellesley married Right Hon. Sir Charles Bagot
Charles Bagot
Sir Charles Bagot, GCB was an English diplomat and colonial administrator who served as Governor General of the Province of Canada 1841-1843)....
, Bart., G.C.B., on 22 July 1806. The couple had three sons and five daughters. The family accompanied their parents to Canada on the appointment of Sir Charles Bagot as Governor-General of British North America, on 12 January 1842. As the wife of a Governor-General in Canada, Lady Bagot assumed the title of `Her Excellency`, in Montreal in August, 1842. After her husband's death at Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
on 18 May 1843, she accompanied the remains to England. She died in London on 2 February 1845.