Frederick Ponsonby, 10th Earl of Bessborough
Encyclopedia
Frederick Edward de Neuflize "Eric" Ponsonby, 10th Earl of Bessborough (29 March 1913 – 5 December 1993), known as Viscount Duncannon from 1920 to 1956, was a British
diplomat, businessman, playwright, Conservative
politician, and peer.
He was the eldest and only surviving son of Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough
, and his wife Roberte, daughter of Baron Robert de Neuflize, a Parisian banker, and was educated at Eton
and Trinity College, Cambridge
.
High Commission for Refugees from Germany between 1936 and 1939. In 1938, he attended the Évian Conference
as secretary to the High Commissioner Sir Neill Malcolm
.
During the Second World War he served in France
and West and North Africa, achieving the rank of Captain in the 98th (Surrey and Sussex Yeomanry) Field Brigade of the Royal Artillery
(TA Reserve). From 1944 to 1948 Bessborough was 2nd Secretary at the British Embassy in Paris
and from 1948 to 1949 1st Secretary. He then worked for Robert Benson, Lonsdale & Co, Ltd
, merchant bankers, between 1950 and 1956 and was a director of ATV Ltd
between 1955 and 1963.
Bessborough succeeded to his father's two earldoms in 1956 and took his seat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords
. He served under Sir Alec Douglas-Home
as Parliamentary Secretary for Science from 1963 to 1964 and as Joint Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science in 1964 and under Edward Heath
as Minister of State at the Ministry of Technology in 1970. From 1973 to 1979 he was a Member of the European Parliament
. He also served as a Deputy Lieutenant
of West Sussex
in 1977 and was the author of plays
and other works.
for his father in 1937 became extinct. He was succeeded in the Irish earldom of Bessborough and the remaining family titles by his first cousin Arthur Mountifort Longfield Ponsonby.
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...
diplomat, businessman, playwright, 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 peer.
He was the eldest and only surviving son of Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough
Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough
Captain Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough was a British businessman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 14th since Canadian Confederation....
, and his wife Roberte, daughter of Baron Robert de Neuflize, a Parisian banker, and 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"....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
.
Career
He was on the Staff of the League of NationsLeague of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
High Commission for Refugees from Germany between 1936 and 1939. In 1938, he attended the Évian Conference
Evian Conference
The Évian Conference was convened at the initiative of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1938 to discuss the issue of increasing numbers of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. For eight days, from July 6 to July 13, representatives from 31 countries met at Évian-les-Bains, France...
as secretary to the High Commissioner Sir Neill Malcolm
Neill Malcolm
Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm KCB DSO was a British Army officer who commanded the Troops in the Straits Settlements.-Military career:...
.
During the Second World War he served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and West and North Africa, achieving the rank of Captain in the 98th (Surrey and Sussex Yeomanry) Field Brigade of the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
(TA Reserve). From 1944 to 1948 Bessborough was 2nd Secretary at the British Embassy in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and from 1948 to 1949 1st Secretary. He then worked for Robert Benson, Lonsdale & Co, Ltd
Kleinwort Benson
Kleinwort Benson is a leading Private Bank that offers a wide range of financial services to private and corporate clients from offices throughout the United Kingdom and Channel Islands. The bank has its headquarters on St George Street in Mayfair, and is supported by seven UK regional and two...
, merchant bankers, between 1950 and 1956 and was a director of ATV Ltd
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
between 1955 and 1963.
Bessborough succeeded to his father's two earldoms in 1956 and took his seat on the Conservative benches in 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....
. He served under Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
as Parliamentary Secretary for Science from 1963 to 1964 and as Joint Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science in 1964 and under Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
as Minister of State at the Ministry of Technology in 1970. From 1973 to 1979 he was a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
. He also served as a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
in 1977 and was the author of plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
and other works.
Family
Lord Bessborough married Mary, daughter of Charles A. Munn, in 1948. They had one daughter:- Charlotte Mary Roberte Paul Ponsonby (born 28 September 1949) - married Yanni Petsopoulos
Death and succession
He died in December 1993, aged 80, when the earldom of Bessborough created in the Peerage of the United KingdomPeerage 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...
for his father in 1937 became extinct. He was succeeded in the Irish earldom of Bessborough and the remaining family titles by his first cousin Arthur Mountifort Longfield Ponsonby.