Viscount de Vesci

Arms of Viscount de Vesci of Abbeyleix, being a differenced version of his ancestral arms of Vesey: Or, on a cross sable a patriarchal cross of the field

Viscount de Vesci, of Abbeyleix in the Queen's County, now called County Laois (pronounced "leash"), is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for Thomas Vesey, 2nd Baron Knapton and 3rd Baronet.

History

The title Baron Knapton was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1750 for the first Viscount's father, John Vesey, 2nd Baronet, who had earlier represented Newtownards in the Irish House of Commons. The baronetcy, of Abbeyleix in the Queen's County, was created in the Baronetage of Ireland on 28 September 1698 for the first Baron's father, Reverend Thomas Vesey, Bishop of Killaloe (1713–1714) and Bishop of Ossory (1714–1730).

The family title of Vesci is pronounced "Vessee" and the family surname of Vesey is pronounced "Veezey".

The family seat was Abbeyleix House, near Abbeyleix, County Laois.

Vesey baronets, of Abbeyleix (1698)

• Sir Thomas Vesey, 1st Baronet (died 1730)
• Sir John Denny Vesey, 2nd Baronet (died 1761) (created Baron Knapton in 1750)

Baron Knapton (1750)

• John Denny Vesey, 1st Baron Knapton (died 1761)
• Thomas Vesey, 2nd Baron Knapton (1735–1804) (created Viscount de Vesci in 1776)

Viscount de Vesci (1776)

• Thomas Vesey, 1st Viscount de Vesci (1735–1804)
• John Vesey, 2nd Viscount de Vesci (1771–1855)
• Thomas Vesey, 3rd Viscount de Vesci (1803–1875)
• John Robert William Vesey, 4th Viscount de Vesci (1844–1903) (created Baron de Vesci [UK] in 1884)
• Yvo Richard Vesey, 5th Viscount de Vesci (1881–1958)
• John Eustace Vesey, 6th Viscount de Vesci (1919–1983)
• Thomas Eustace Vesey, 7th Viscount de Vesci (born 1955)

The heir apparent is the present holder's second son, Hon. Oliver Ivo Vesey (born 1991). ^{[a] [1]}

Holders

The first viscount was Thomas Vesey, 2nd Baron Knapton.

The second Viscount was the son of the first viscount and a Member of the Irish House of Commons for Maryborough. He sat in the House of Lords as an Irish representative peer from 1839 to 1855, and served as Lord Lieutenant of Queen's County between 1831 and 1855.

The third viscount represented Queen's County in the House of Commons as a Conservative and was an Irish representative peer from 1857 to 1875.

The fourth Viscount served as Lord Lieutenant of Queen's County from 1883 to 1903.^{[ citation needed ]} In 1884, the fourth Viscount was created Baron de Vesci, of Abbey Leix in the Queen's County, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which gave him an automatic seat in the House of Lords. However, this title became extinct on his death while he was succeeded in the Irish titles by his nephew, the fifth Viscount.

The fifth viscount succeeded to the title in 1903. ^[2] In 1905, he was a lieutenant in the Irish Guards. ^[2] He was an Irish representative peer from 1909 to 1958. On his death, the titles passed to his nephew, the sixth viscount.

The seventh viscount was Thomas Vesey, the son of the sixth viscount. He succeeded his father to the title in 1983.^{[ citation needed ]} The 7th viscount was the son of Susan Anne Armstrong-Jones, sister of Antony Armstrong-Jones, the Earl of Snowdon. ^{[3] [4]}

Male-line family tree

Male-line family tree, Vesey baronets, Barons Knapton and Viscounts de Vesci.

Sir Thomas Vesey 1st Baronet died 1730 Baron Knapton John Vesey 1st Baron Knapton 2nd Baronet died 1761 Viscount de Vesci Thomas Vesey 1st Viscount de Vesci 2nd Baron Knapton 1735–1804 John Vesey 2nd Viscount de Vesci 1771–1855 Thomas Vesey 3rd Viscount de Vesci 1803–1875 Baron de Vesci (UK) John Vesey 4th Viscount de Vesci 1844–1903 Capt. Hon. Eustace Vesey 1851–1886 Barony de Vesci extinct Eustace Vesey 1878–1882 Yvo Vesey 5th Viscount de Vesci 1881–1958 Lt Col. Hon. [b] Osbert Vesey 1884–1957 Col. Hon. [b] Thomas Vesey 1885–1946 John Vesey 6th Viscount de Vesci 1919–1983 Thomas Vesey 7th Viscount de Vesci born 1955 Hon. Oliver Vesey born 1991

Notes and references

Notes

1. The eldest son, Damian Brian John Vesey, is not in the line of succession, because he was born before his parents married. ^{[1] [ unreliable source? ]}
2. The 5th Viscount's brothers were allowed by a warrant of precedence from the King to use the style of Honourable , because their father would have held the peerage but for his predeceasing the previous holder. ^[5]

References

1. Oliver Ivo Vesey profile, cracroftspeerage.co.uk; accessed 9 September 2014.
2. "Bachelor Peers" . The Sketch. London. 29 March 1905. pp. 353–354. Retrieved 25 December 2025– via newspapers.com.
3. "Brian de Beffney" . Daily Telegraph (Obituary). London. 14 February 1989. p. 23. Retrieved 25 December 2025– via newspapers.com.
4. "Reporters Recalled" . The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 7 January 1961. p. 4 – via newspapers.com.
5. "No. 27685". The London Gazette . 14 June 1904. pp. 3787–3788.

Links

• Hesilrige, Arthur G. M. (1921). Debrett's Peerage and Titles of courtesy. London: Dean & Son. p. 290. John Debrett
• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.^{[ page needed ]}
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages ^{[ self-published source ][ better source needed ]}
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by John Robert William Vesey, 4th Viscount de Vesci