Earl of Malmesbury

Last updated

Earldom of Malmesbury
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Malmesbury COA.svg
Arms: Azure a Chevron Erminois between three Hedgehogs Or on a Chief Argent the Eagle of Prussia displayed Sable beaked legged and langued Gules on the breast the Cypher F.R. and over it the Electoral Cap grasping in the dexter claw a Sceptre and in the sinister a Mound all Or and on each wing a Trefoil slipped of the last
Creation date29 December 1800
CreationFirst
Created by George III
Peerage Peerage of Great Britain
First holder James Harris, 1st Baron Malmesbury
Present holderJames Carleton Harris
Heir apparentJames Hugh Carleton Harris, Viscount FitzHarris
Subsidiary titlesViscount FitzHarris
Baron Malmesbury
StatusExtant
Seat(s) Greywell Hill House
Former seat(s) Heron Court

Earl of Malmesbury is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1800 for the diplomat James Harris, 1st Baron Malmesbury. [1] The son of the grammarian and politician James Harris, he served as Ambassador to Spain, Prussia, Russia and France and also represented Christchurch in the House of Commons. Harris had been created Baron Malmesbury, of Malmesbury in the County of Wiltshire, in 1788. [2] He was made Viscount FitzHarris, of Hurn Court in the County of Southampton, at the same time as he was given the earldom. The earldom and viscountcy were the last creations in the peerage of Great Britain, future titles being made in the peerage of the United Kingdom which took effect three days later.

Contents

He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He sat as Member of Parliament for Helston, Horsham, Heytesbury and Wilton. His eldest son, the third Earl, was a prominent Conservative politician. He served as Foreign Secretary in 1852 and from 1858 to 1859 and was also Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords. Lord Malmesbury died childless and was succeeded by his nephew, the fourth Earl. He was the son of Admiral the Hon. Sir Edward Harris, second son of the second Earl. His eldest son, the fifth Earl, served as a Lord-in-waiting (government whip in the House of Lords) from 1922 to 1924 in the Conservative administrations of Bonar Law and Stanley Baldwin and was later Chairman of the Hampshire County Council. He was succeeded by his only son, the sixth Earl. He was Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire from 1973 to 1982. As of 2010, the titles are held by his only son, the seventh Earl, who succeeded in 2000.

Two other members of the Harris family have also gained distinction. The aforementioned the Hon. Sir Edward Harris (1808–1888), second son of the second Earl, was an admiral in the Royal Navy, held several diplomatic posts and represented Christchurch in Parliament. The Right Reverend the Hon. Charles Amyand Harris (1813–1874), third son of the second Earl, was a clergyman and served as Bishop of Gibraltar from 1868 to 1873.

The present family seat is Greywell Hill House, near Odiham, Hampshire. The former seat was Heron Court (or Hern Court or Hurn Court) at Hurn, near Christchurch, Dorset (although within the historic county boundaries of Hampshire).

Earls of Malmesbury (1800)

Present peer

James Carleton Harris, 7th Earl of Malmesbury (born 19 June 1946) is the son of the 6th Earl and his wife the Hon. Diana Claudia Patricia Carleton, and was formally styled Viscount FitzHarris between 1950 and 2000. He was educated at Eton College and St Andrew's University. On 14 June 1969 he married Sally Ann Rycroft, daughter of Sir Richard Newton Rycroft, 7th Baronet. On 11 November 2000 he succeeded to his father's peerages. With his wife he has five children: [3]

The heir apparent's heir is his son James Michael Oswald Harris (b. 1999). [3]

Jacobite creation

On 22 December 1716, Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton was created Duke of Northumberland, Marquess of Woburn, Earl of Malmesbury and Viscount Winchendon, all in the Jacobite Peerage of England. The peerages, such as they were, became extinct on his death on 1 June 1731. [4]

Ancestry

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Cork</span> Title in the peerage of Ireland

Earl of Cork is a title in the Peerage of Ireland, held in conjunction with the Earldom of Orrery since 1753. It was created in 1620 for Richard Boyle, 1st Baron Boyle. He had already been created Lord Boyle, Baron of Youghal, in the County of Cork, in 1616, and was made Viscount of Dungarvan, in the County of Waterford, at the same time he was given the earldom. These titles are also in the Peerage of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Sandwich</span> Noble title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Sandwich is a noble title in the Peerage of England, held since its creation by the House of Montagu. It is nominally associated with Sandwich, Kent. It was created in 1660 for the prominent naval commander Admiral Sir Edward Montagu. He was made Baron Montagu of St Neots, of St Neots in the County of Huntingdon, and Viscount Hinchingbrooke, at the same time, also in the Peerage of England. The viscountcy is used as the courtesy title by the heir apparent to the earldom. A member of the prominent Montagu family, Lord Sandwich was the son of Sir Sidney Montagu, youngest brother of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester, and Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Harris, 3rd Earl of Malmesbury</span> British statesman (1807–1889)

James Howard Harris, 3rd Earl of Malmesbury, GCB, PC, styled Viscount FitzHarris from 1820 to 1841, was a British statesman of the Victorian era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Clarendon</span> Earldom in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl of Clarendon is a title that has been created twice in British history, in 1661 and 1776.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Suffolk</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Suffolk is a title which has been created four times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, in tandem with the creation of the title of Earl of Norfolk, came before 1069 in favour of Ralph the Staller; but the title was forfeited by his heir, Ralph de Guader, in 1074. The second creation came in 1337 in favour of Robert de Ufford; the title became extinct on the death of his son, the second Earl, in 1382. The third creation came in 1385 in favour of Michael de la Pole. The fourth creation was in 1603 for Lord Thomas Howard, the second son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, by his second wife Margaret Audley, the daughter and eventual sole heiress of Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, of Audley End in the parish of Saffron Walden in Essex. Howard was a prominent naval commander and politician and served as Earl Marshal, as Lord Chamberlain of the Household and as Lord High Treasurer. In 1597 he was summoned to Parliament as Baron Howard de Walden, and in 1603 he was further honoured, at the start of the reign of King James I, when he was created Earl of Suffolk. His second son the Hon. Thomas Howard was created Earl of Berkshire in 1626.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Carlisle</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Carlisle is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Coventry</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Coventry is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation for the Villiers family was created in 1623 and took its name from the city of Coventry. It became extinct in 1687. A decade later, the second creation was for the Coventry family and is still extant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Jersey</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Jersey, is a title in the Peerage of England. It is held by a branch of the Villiers family, which since 1819 has been the Child Villiers family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Perth</span> Scottish peerage title

Earl of Perth is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1605 for James Drummond, 4th Lord Drummond. The Drummond family claim descent from Maurice, son of George, a younger son of King Andrew I of Hungary. Maurice arrived in Scotland on the ship which brought Edgar Ætheling, the Saxon claimant to the crown of England after the Norman Conquest, and his sister Margaret to Scotland in 1068. Maurice was given lands in Lennox (Dunbartonshire), together with the hereditary stewardship of the county. The Hungarian Prince theory has been discounted as no evidence of any relationships exists in written records or DNA. "The Red Book of the Menteiths" clearly discounts the Hungarian Prince as a myth likely formed to give status to the Drummond origins. The Drummonds in the 12th century were allied to the Menteiths – their early fortunes developed through the relationship. Indeed, one "Johannes De Drumon", said to have died in 1301, was buried in Inchmahome Priory which was founded by the Menteiths. His successor John Drummond, the 7th Steward, was deprived of the lands and retired into Perthshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Dartmouth</span> Earldom in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl of Dartmouth is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1711 for William Legge, 2nd Baron Dartmouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron FitzWalter</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Baron FitzWalter is an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was created on 24 June 1295 for Robert FitzWalter. The title was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Macclesfield</span> Earldom in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl of Macclesfield is a title that has been created twice. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1679 in favour of the soldier and politician Charles Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard. He had already been created Baron Gerard, of Brandon in the County of Suffolk, in 1645, and was made Viscount Brandon, of Brandon in the County of Suffolk, at the same time as he was given the earldom. These titles are also in the Peerage of England. Lord Macclesfield was the great-grandson of the distinguished judge Sir Gilbert Gerard, Master of the Rolls from 1581 to 1594. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He was involved in the Rye House Plot of 1683, was sentenced to death but later pardoned by the King. On his death without legitimate issue in 1701 the titles passed to his younger brother, the third Earl. He had earlier represented Yarmouth, Lancaster and Lancashire in the House of Commons. When he died in 1702 the titles became extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Jellicoe</span> Earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl Jellicoe is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created, along with the subsidiary title Viscount Brocas, of Southampton in the County of Southampton, on 29 June 1925 for Admiral of the Fleet John Jellicoe, 1st Viscount Jellicoe, on his return from being Governor-General of New Zealand, with remainder to the heirs male of his body. He had already been created Viscount Jellicoe, of Scapa in the County of Orkney, on 15 January 1918, created with remainder to the heirs male of his body, and in default of such issue to his eldest daughter and the heirs male of her body, with the like remainder in default of such issue to every other daughter successively in order of priority of birth, and to the heirs male of their bodies. The Jellicoe viscountcy was created with remainder to his daughters and their heirs male because, at the time of the creation, Jellicoe had five daughters and no sons. His only son was born three months later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Howe</span> Earldom in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl Howe is a title that has been created twice in British history, for members of the Howe and Curzon-Howe family respectively. The first creation, in the Peerage of Great Britain, was in 1788 for Richard Howe, 4th Viscount Howe, but it became extinct upon his death in 1799. The second creation, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, was in 1821 for Richard Curzon-Howe, 2nd Viscount Curzon, and it remains extant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Strafford</span> Earldom in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl of Strafford is a title that has been created three times in English and British history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Cromartie</span> Earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl of Cromartie is a title that has been created twice, both for members of the Mackenzie family. It was first created as Earl of Cromarty in the Peerage of Scotland in 1703 for Sir George Mackenzie, 2nd Baronet, but his titles were forfeited after the Jacobite rising of 1745. It was recreated in 1861 in the Peerage of the United Kingdom for Anne Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland. Since 1979, the Earl of Cromartie has been chief of Clan Mackenzie.

William James Harris, 6th Earl of Malmesbury TD, styled Viscount FitzHarris until 1950, was a British peer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Harris, 5th Earl of Malmesbury</span> British peer and conservative politician

James Edward Harris, 5th Earl of Malmesbury DL, styled Viscount FitzHarris from 1889 to 1899, was a British peer and conservative politician.

James Edward Harris, 2nd Earl of Malmesbury was a British peer, styled Viscount FitzHarris from 1800 to 1820.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butler dynasty</span> Noble family of Ireland

Butler is the name of a noble family whose members were, for several centuries, prominent in the administration of the Lordship of Ireland and the Kingdom of Ireland. They rose to their highest prominence as Dukes of Ormonde. The family has produced multiple titles such as Baron Cahir, Baron Dunboyne, Viscount Ikerrin, Viscount Galmoye, Viscount Mountgarret, Viscount Thurles, Earl of Carrick, Earl of Kilkenny, Earl of Ormond, Earl of Ossory, Marquess of Ormonde and Duke of Ormonde. Variant spellings of the name include le Boteler and le Botiller. The Butlers were descendants of Anglo-Norman lords who participated in the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. The surname has its origins in the hereditary office of "Butler (cup-bearer) of Ireland", originating with Theobald Walter, 1st Chief Butler of Ireland. The arms of later family members depicted three cups in recognition of their original office.

References

  1. "No. 15317". The London Gazette . 6 December 1788. p. 1375.
  2. "No. 13024". The London Gazette . 13 September 1788. p. 437.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Burke's Peerage volume 2 (London: Burke's, 2003), p. 2578
  4. Melville de Massue de Ruvigny, The Jacobite Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage & Grants of Honour (Edinburgh: T.C. & E.C. Jack, 1904), 130-132