Frederick Ponsonby, 6th Earl of Bessborough
Encyclopedia
Frederick George Brabazon Ponsonby, 6th Earl of Bessborough (11 September 1815 – 11 March 1895) was a British peer and cricketer. He was the third son of John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough
and his wife Lady Maria Fane. He inherited the earldom on 28 January 1880 when his elder brother died without a male heir.
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. In 1837 he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn, and called to the Bar in 1840.
, Ponsonby played cricket
for both Harrow School
and Cambridge University Cricket Club
, batting right-handed. Ponsonby was an active player until about 1845, when, due to an arm injury, he continued to play only sporadically. He was a founder of Surrey County Cricket Club
and its first vice-president.
He was also a founder of the I Zingari
nomadic amateur cricket club, and of the Old Stagers
amateur theatre company.
on 11 March 1895. He never married, and was succeeded in the earldom by his younger brother Walter
.
John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough
John William Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough PC , known as Viscount Duncannon from 1793 to 1844, was a British Whig politician...
and his wife Lady Maria Fane. He inherited the earldom on 28 January 1880 when his elder brother died without a male heir.
Education and career
He was educated at Harrow SchoolHarrow 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 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...
. In 1837 he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn, and called to the Bar in 1840.
Cricket
Born in MaryleboneMarylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, Ponsonby played cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for both Harrow School
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 Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
, batting right-handed. Ponsonby was an active player until about 1845, when, due to an arm injury, he continued to play only sporadically. He was a founder of Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
and its first vice-president.
He was also a founder of the I Zingari
I Zingari
I Zingari are English and Australian amateur cricket clubs.-History:...
nomadic amateur cricket club, and of the Old Stagers
Old Stagers
The Old Stagers is an amateur theatre group, founded in 1842 by Hon. Frederick Ponsonby and Charles Taylor. It claims to be the oldest surviving amateur dramatic company in the world, having staged its first shows in Canterbury in 1842. It has continued to give annual performances every year...
amateur theatre company.
Death and succession
Ponsonby died at WestminsterWestminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
on 11 March 1895. He never married, and was succeeded in the earldom by his younger brother Walter
Walter Ponsonby, 7th Earl of Bessborough
Walter William Brabazon Ponsonby, 7th Earl of Bessborough was a British peer and member of the House of Lords. He was the fifth son of John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough and his wife Lady Maria Fane...
.