William Willoughby Cole, 3rd Earl of Enniskillen
Encyclopedia
William Willoughby Cole, 3rd Earl of Enniskillen FRS (25 January 1807 – 21 November 1886), known by his courtesy title
of Viscount Cole from 1807 to 1840, was a British
palaeontologist and Conservative
Member of Parliament
.
Cole was the son of John Willoughby Cole, 2nd Earl of Enniskillen, and Lady Charlotte Paget. He was educated at Harrow
and Christ Church, Oxford
. In his youth he began to devote his leisure to the study and collection of fossil
fishes, with his friend Sir Philip Grey Egerton
, and he amassed a fine collection at Florence Court
, his home in Enniskillen
. This included many specimens that were described and figured by Agassiz
and Egerton. This collection was subsequently acquired by the British Museum
.
He was also involved in politics and represented Fermanagh
in the House of Commons between 1831 and 1840, when he succeeded his father, to become the third Earl, and entered the House of Lords
as Baron Grinstead. In Dublin, he was a member of the Kildare Street Club
.
Lord Enniskillen married, firstly, Jane Casamaijor, daughter of James Casamaijor, in 1844, by whom he had seven children:
After her death in 1855 he married, secondly, the Hon. Mary Emma Brodrick, daughter of Charles Brodrick, 6th Viscount Midleton, in 1865. He died in November 1886, aged 79, and was succeeded in his titles by his second but eldest surviving son from his first marriage, Lowry. The Countess of Enniskillen died in 1896.
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Viscount Cole from 1807 to 1840, was a British
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...
palaeontologist and Conservative
Conservative 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,...
.
Cole was the son of John Willoughby Cole, 2nd Earl of Enniskillen, and Lady Charlotte Paget. He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
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...
. In his youth he began to devote his leisure to the study and collection of fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
fishes, with his friend Sir Philip Grey Egerton
Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton
Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton, 10th Baronet FRS was an English palaeontologist and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1830 and 1881....
, and he amassed a fine collection at Florence Court
Florence Court
Florence Court is a large 18th century house and estate located 8 miles south-west of Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is set in the foothills of Cuilcagh Mountain. The nearby village is distinguished by the one-word name Florencecourt. It is owned and managed by the National...
, his home in Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
. This included many specimens that were described and figured by Agassiz
Louis Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was a Swiss paleontologist, glaciologist, geologist and a prominent innovator in the study of the Earth's natural history. He grew up in Switzerland and became a professor of natural history at University of Neuchâtel...
and Egerton. This collection was subsequently acquired by the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
He was also involved in politics and represented Fermanagh
Fermanagh (UK Parliament constituency)
Fermanagh was a UK Parliament constituency in Northern Ireland, returning two Members of Parliament.-Boundaries:This constituency comprised the whole of County Fermanagh, except for the Borough of Enniskillen.-Members of Parliament:-References:...
in the House of Commons between 1831 and 1840, when he succeeded his father, to become the third Earl, and entered the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as Baron Grinstead. In Dublin, he was a member of the Kildare Street Club
Kildare Street Club
The Kildare Street Club was a gentlemen's club in Dublin, Ireland, at the heart of the Anglo-Irish Protestant Ascendancy.The Club remained in Kildare Street between 1782 and 1977, when it merged with the Dublin University Club...
.
Lord Enniskillen married, firstly, Jane Casamaijor, daughter of James Casamaijor, in 1844, by whom he had seven children:
- John Willoughby Michael Cole, Viscount Cole (16 December 1844 – 15 April 1850)
- Lowry Egerton Cole, 4th Earl of Enniskillen (1845–1924)
- Lady Charlotte June Cole (10 May 1847 – 3 September 1933), married James Hugh Smith-Barry and had issue
- Lady Florence Mary Cole (5 August 1849 – 23 March 1924), married John Crichton, 4th Earl ErneJohn Crichton, 4th Earl ErneJohn Henry Crichton, 4th Earl Erne KP, PC , known as Viscount Crichton from 1842 to 1885, was an Anglo-Irish peer and Conservative politician....
and had issue - Hon. Arthur Edward Casamaijor Cole (9 March 1851 – 17 August 1908), married and had issue
- Lady Alice Elizabeth Cole (4 February 1853 – 25 August 1931), married Evelyn AshleyEvelyn AshleyEvelyn Melbourne Ashley PC , was British barrister and Liberal politician. He was private secretary to Lord Palmerston and later published a biography of him...
and had issue - Lady Jane Evelyn Cole (21 April 1855 – 19 March 1941)
After her death in 1855 he married, secondly, the Hon. Mary Emma Brodrick, daughter of Charles Brodrick, 6th Viscount Midleton, in 1865. He died in November 1886, aged 79, and was succeeded in his titles by his second but eldest surviving son from his first marriage, Lowry. The Countess of Enniskillen died in 1896.