Earl Fortescue
Encyclopedia
Earl Fortescue is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain
created in 1789. The Fortescue family descends from Sir Hugh Fortescue of Filleigh, Devon, who died in 1719. His first wife's first cousin had been 13th Baron Clinton and 5th Earl of Lincoln. In 1721 the abeyance of the ancient barony of Clinton
was terminated in favour of their son Hugh Fortescue (1696-1751), and he became the 14th Baron Clinton. On July 5, 1746 he was created Earl Clinton, with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body and Baron Fortescue, of Castle Hill in the County of Devon, with remainder, failing heirs male of his body, to his half-brother Matthew Fortescue. Both titles were in the Peerage of Great Britain
.
Hugh, Earl Clinton (1696-1751), had no legitimate children and on his death the barony of Clinton fell into abeyance (see the Baron Clinton for later history of this title) while the earldom became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony of Fortescue according to the special remainder by his half-brother, Matthew, the second Baron.
Matthew's son, the third Baron, sat as Member of Parliament
for Beaumaris
and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Devon. In 1789 he was created Viscount Ebrington, of Ebrington in the County of Gloucester, and Earl Fortescue, in the Peerage of Great Britain. Lord Fortescue married Hester, daughter of Prime Minister George Grenville
.
He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl, who was a prominent Whig politician. After representing several constituencies in the House of Commons
he was in 1839 summoned to the House of Lords
through a writ of acceleration
in his father's junior title of Baron Fortescue. Lord Fortescue then served under Lord Melbourne
as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland from 1839 to 1841 and under Lord John Russell as Lord Steward of the Household from 1846 to 1850. His son, the third Earl, was also a Whig politician and held minor office from 1846 to 1851 in the same government as his father. In 1859 he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Fortescue. His eldest son, the fourth Earl, sat as Liberal
Member of Parliament for Tiverton
and Tavistock
. He also held the honorary position of Lord-Lieutenant of Devon. On his death the titles passed to his eldest son, the fifth Earl. He was a Conservative
politician and served as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (Chief Government Whip in the House of Lords) in 1945 and from 1951 to 1958. He died without surviving male issue and was succeeded by his third and youngest brother, the sixth Earl. the titles are held by the latter's grandson, the eighth Earl, who succeeded his father in 1993.
Several other members of the Fortescue family may also be mentioned. The Hon. George Fortescue
, second son of the first Earl, was Member of Parliament for Hindon
. The Hon. John Fortescue
, second son of the second Earl, was Member of Parliament for Barnstaple
. The Hon. Dudley Fortescue
, third son of the second Earl, was Member of Parliament for Andover
. The Hon. Sir Seymour John Fortescue (1856–1942), second son of the third Earl, was a Captain
in the Royal Navy
and also served as Serjeant at Arms in the House of Lords. The Hon. Arthur Grenville Fortescue (1858–1895), fourth son of the third Earl, was a Captain in the Army and the grandfather of Arthur Henry Grenville Fortescue, a Brigadier
in the Army. The Hon. Sir John William Fortescue, fifth son of the third Earl, was a Major in the Army and writer on the British Army
. The Hon. Charles Grenville Fortescue (1861–1951), sixth son of the third Earl, was a Brigadier-General in the Army.
The family seats are Ebrington Manor, near Chipping Campden
, Gloucestershire
, and Castle Hill, Devon
.
The House of Fortescue is said to date from the Battle of Hastings
(1066), where Richard le Fort saved the life of William the Conqueror by the shelter of his shield, thereafter to be known as Fort-Escu ("strong shield"). His descendants have taken for their motto, Forte scutum salus ducum - "A strong shield is the safety of leaders."
The heir presumptive
is the present holder's first cousin John Andrew Francis Fortescue (b. 1955). He is the son of the Hon. Martin Denzil Fortescue, second son of the sixth Earl.
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
created in 1789. The Fortescue family descends from Sir Hugh Fortescue of Filleigh, Devon, who died in 1719. His first wife's first cousin had been 13th Baron Clinton and 5th Earl of Lincoln. In 1721 the abeyance of the ancient barony of Clinton
Baron Clinton
Baron Clinton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1298 for John de Clinton. The peerage was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. The first Baron's great-great-great-grandson, the fifth Baron, fought on the Yorkist side in the Wars...
was terminated in favour of their son Hugh Fortescue (1696-1751), and he became the 14th Baron Clinton. On July 5, 1746 he was created Earl Clinton, with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body and Baron Fortescue, of Castle Hill in the County of Devon, with remainder, failing heirs male of his body, to his half-brother Matthew Fortescue. Both titles were in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
.
Hugh, Earl Clinton (1696-1751), had no legitimate children and on his death the barony of Clinton fell into abeyance (see the Baron Clinton for later history of this title) while the earldom became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony of Fortescue according to the special remainder by his half-brother, Matthew, the second Baron.
Matthew's son, the third Baron, sat as 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,...
for Beaumaris
Beaumaris (UK Parliament constituency)
Beaumaris was a parliamentary borough in Anglesey, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1553, then to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885, when the constituency...
and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Devon. In 1789 he was created Viscount Ebrington, of Ebrington in the County of Gloucester, and Earl Fortescue, in the Peerage of Great Britain. Lord Fortescue married Hester, daughter of Prime Minister George Grenville
George Grenville
George Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...
.
He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl, who was a prominent Whig politician. After representing several constituencies in the 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...
he was in 1839 summoned to 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....
through a writ of acceleration
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
in his father's junior title of Baron Fortescue. Lord Fortescue then served under Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland from 1839 to 1841 and under Lord John Russell as Lord Steward of the Household from 1846 to 1850. His son, the third Earl, was also a Whig politician and held minor office from 1846 to 1851 in the same government as his father. In 1859 he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Fortescue. His eldest son, the fourth Earl, sat as Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament for Tiverton
Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency)
Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
and Tavistock
Tavistock (UK Parliament constituency)
Tavistock was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Devon between 1330 and 1974. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the town of Tavistock; it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, when its...
. He also held the honorary position of Lord-Lieutenant of Devon. On his death the titles passed to his eldest son, the fifth Earl. He was a 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...
politician and served as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (Chief Government Whip in the House of Lords) in 1945 and from 1951 to 1958. He died without surviving male issue and was succeeded by his third and youngest brother, the sixth Earl. the titles are held by the latter's grandson, the eighth Earl, who succeeded his father in 1993.
Several other members of the Fortescue family may also be mentioned. The Hon. George Fortescue
George Fortescue
-Life:Fortescue, born in London in or about 1578, was the only son of John Fortescue, by Ellen, daughter of Ralph Henslow of Barrald, Kent. His father was the second son of Sir Anthony Fortescue , by Katharine, daughter of Sir Geoffrey Pole. His father resided for many years in London, but in his...
, second son of the first Earl, was Member of Parliament for Hindon
Hindon (UK Parliament constituency)
Hindon was a parliamentary borough consisting of the village of Hindon in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1448 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
. The Hon. John Fortescue
John Fortescue (MP)
The Hon. John William Fortescue was a British Whig politician.-Background:Fortescue was the second son of Hugh Fortescue, 2nd Earl Fortescue, and Lady Susan, daughter of Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby. His paternal grandmother Hester Grenville was the daughter of George Grenville. Hugh...
, second son of the second Earl, was Member of Parliament for Barnstaple
Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency)
Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...
. The Hon. Dudley Fortescue
Dudley Fortescue
The Hon. Dudley Francis Fortescue , was a British Liberal politician.-Background:Fortescue was the third son of Hugh Fortescue, 2nd Earl Fortescue, and Lady Susan, daughter of Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby. His paternal grandmother Hester Grenville was the daughter of George Grenville. Hugh...
, third son of the second Earl, was Member of Parliament for Andover
Andover (UK Parliament constituency)
Andover was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1295 to 1307, and again from 1586, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was a parliamentary borough in Hampshire,...
. The Hon. Sir Seymour John Fortescue (1856–1942), second son of the third Earl, was a Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in 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...
and also served as Serjeant at Arms in the House of Lords. The Hon. Arthur Grenville Fortescue (1858–1895), fourth son of the third Earl, was a Captain in the Army and the grandfather of Arthur Henry Grenville Fortescue, a Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in the Army. The Hon. Sir John William Fortescue, fifth son of the third Earl, was a Major in the Army and writer on the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. The Hon. Charles Grenville Fortescue (1861–1951), sixth son of the third Earl, was a Brigadier-General in the Army.
The family seats are Ebrington Manor, near Chipping Campden
Chipping Campden
Chipping Campden is a small market town within the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It is notable for its elegant terraced High Street, dating from the 14th century to the 17th century...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, and Castle Hill, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
The House of Fortescue is said to date from the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
(1066), where Richard le Fort saved the life of William the Conqueror by the shelter of his shield, thereafter to be known as Fort-Escu ("strong shield"). His descendants have taken for their motto, Forte scutum salus ducum - "A strong shield is the safety of leaders."
Barons Fortescue (1746)
- Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Clinton, 1st Baron Fortescue, 14th Baron Clinton (1696–1751)
- Matthew Fortescue, 2nd Baron Fortescue (1719–1785)
- Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Baron FortescueHugh Fortescue, 1st Earl FortescueHugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue was a British peer, the son of Matthew Fortescue, 2nd Baron Fortescue, younger half-brother of an earlier Hugh Fortescue , 1st Baron Fortescue, 14th Baron Clinton and 1st Earl Clinton.He married Hester Grenville , daughter of George Grenville, on 10 May 1782...
(1753–1841) (created Earl Fortescue in 1789)
Earls Fortescue (1789)
- Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl FortescueHugh Fortescue, 1st Earl FortescueHugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue was a British peer, the son of Matthew Fortescue, 2nd Baron Fortescue, younger half-brother of an earlier Hugh Fortescue , 1st Baron Fortescue, 14th Baron Clinton and 1st Earl Clinton.He married Hester Grenville , daughter of George Grenville, on 10 May 1782...
(1753–1841) - Hugh Fortescue, 2nd Earl Fortescue (1783–1861)
- Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl FortescueHugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl FortescueHugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl Fortescue , known as Viscount Ebrington from 1841 to 1861, was a British peer and occasional politician.He entered the House of Commons in 1841 as a member for Plymouth...
(1818–1905) - Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl FortescueHugh Fortescue, 4th Earl FortescueHugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue KCB was an English Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1881 until 1892 and later inherited the peerage....
(1854–1932) - Hugh William Fortescue, 5th Earl FortescueHugh Fortescue, 5th Earl FortescueHugh William Fortescue, 5th Earl Fortescue KG, PC was a British peer and Conservative politician.Fortescue was the eldest son of Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue, and his wife the Hon. Emily , and succeeded his father in the earldom in 1932...
(1888–1958) - Denzil George Fortescue, 6th Earl FortescueDenzil Fortescue, 6th Earl FortescueDenzil George Fortescue, 6th Earl Fortescue was a British peer, the son of Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue.He married, firstly, Marjorie Ellinor Trotter, the granddaughter of John Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell, on 10 June 1920 and they were divorced in 1941...
(1893–1977) - Richard Archibald Fortescue, 7th Earl FortescueRichard Fortescue, 7th Earl FortescueRichard Archibald Fortescue, 7th Earl Fortescue was a British peer, the son of Denzil Fortescue, 6th Earl Fortescue.He married firstly, Penelope Henderson on 24 October 1949. They had two children:...
(1922–1993) - Charles Hugh Richard Fortescue, 8th Earl Fortescue (b. 1951)
The heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
is the present holder's first cousin John Andrew Francis Fortescue (b. 1955). He is the son of the Hon. Martin Denzil Fortescue, second son of the sixth Earl.