John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney
Encyclopedia
John Robert Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney GCB
, PC (9 August 1805 – 14 February 1890), known as The Viscount Sydney between 1831 and 1874, was a British Liberal
politician. In a ministerial career spanning over 30 years, he was twice Lord Chamberlain of the Household
and twice Lord Steward of the Household
.
, Sydney was the son of John Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney
, by his second wife Lady Caroline Elizabeth Letitia, daughter of Robert Clements, 1st Earl of Leitrim
.
in 1826, a seat he held until 1831, when he succeeded his father in the viscountcy and entered the House of Lords
. In December 1852 he was appointed Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
(Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords) in Lord Aberdeen's
coalition government and was sworn of the Privy Council in early 1853. He continued as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard when Lord Palmerston
became prime minister in 1855, but relinquished the position when the Liberals lost power in February 1858. The Liberals returned to office under Palmerston already in June 1859, when Sydney was made Lord Chamberlain of the Household
, a post he held until 1866, the last year under the premiership of Lord Russell
. In February 1866 he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
.
Sydney was once again Lord Chamberlain of the Household between 1868 and 1874 in William Ewart Gladstone
's first administration. In 1874 he was created Earl Sydney, of Scadbury in the County of Kent. He later served under Gladstone as Lord Steward of the Household
between 1880 and 1885 and between February and July 1886. However, despite Lord Sydney's ministerial career lasting over 30 years he was never a member of the cabinet.
Apart from his political career he was also Lord Lieutenant of Kent
between 1856 and 1890 and Captain of Deal Castle
between 1879 and 1890.
, on 4 August 1832. They had no children. He died in February 1890, aged 84, when all his titles became extinct. The Countess Sydney survived her husband by three years and died in March 1893. The family seat of Frognal House
was inherited by Lord Sydney's nephew Robert Marsham, who assumed the additional surname of Townshend in accordance with his uncle's will.
, was previously known as The Swan, and in Pigot's Directory of 1832 known as the White Swan. It was renamed in the 1880s in honour of John Robert Townshend, 3rd Viscount Sydney. The pub sign is a diagram of the Sydney family arms.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, PC (9 August 1805 – 14 February 1890), known as The Viscount Sydney between 1831 and 1874, was a British 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...
politician. In a ministerial career spanning over 30 years, he was twice Lord Chamberlain of the Household
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
and twice Lord Steward of the Household
Lord Steward
The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household, in England, is an important official of the Royal Household. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government...
.
Background
A member of the Townshend family headed by the Marquess TownshendMarquess Townshend
Marquess Townshend is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the Townshend family of Raynham Hall in Norfolk. This family descends from Roger Townshend, who in 1617 was created a Baronet, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk, in the Baronetage of England. He later represented Orford and...
, Sydney was the son of John Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney
John Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney
John Thomas Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney of St Leonards was a British peer.He was the son of Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney of St Leonards and Elizabeth Powys. On 13 April 1790 he married Hon. Sophia Southwell, daughter of Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford. They had one child;*Hon...
, by his second wife Lady Caroline Elizabeth Letitia, daughter of Robert Clements, 1st Earl of Leitrim
Robert Clements, 1st Earl of Leitrim
Robert Clements, 1st Earl of Leitrim was an Irish nobleman and politician.Son of Cavan Borough MP Nathaniel Clements, Deputy Vice Treasurer and Teller of the Irish Exchequer, Clements served as High Sheriff of Leitrim in 1759, having been the previous year appointed as Controller of the Great and...
.
Political career
Sydney was returned to parliament for WhitchurchWhitchurch (UK Parliament constituency)
Whitchurch was a parliamentary borough in the English County of Hampshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1586 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
in 1826, a seat he held until 1831, when he succeeded his father in the viscountcy and entered 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....
. In December 1852 he was appointed Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
The Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a UK government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords...
(Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords) in Lord Aberdeen's
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen KG, KT, FRS, PC , styled Lord Haddo from 1791 to 1801, was a Scottish politician, successively a Tory, Conservative and Peelite, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1852 until 1855.-Early life:Born in Edinburgh on 28 January 1784, he...
coalition government and was sworn of the Privy Council in early 1853. He continued as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard when Lord Palmerston
Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC , known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century...
became prime minister in 1855, but relinquished the position when the Liberals lost power in February 1858. The Liberals returned to office under Palmerston already in June 1859, when Sydney was made Lord Chamberlain of the Household
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
, a post he held until 1866, the last year under the premiership of Lord Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century....
. In February 1866 he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
Sydney was once again Lord Chamberlain of the Household between 1868 and 1874 in William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's first administration. In 1874 he was created Earl Sydney, of Scadbury in the County of Kent. He later served under Gladstone as Lord Steward of the Household
Lord Steward
The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household, in England, is an important official of the Royal Household. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government...
between 1880 and 1885 and between February and July 1886. However, despite Lord Sydney's ministerial career lasting over 30 years he was never a member of the cabinet.
Apart from his political career he was also Lord Lieutenant of Kent
Lord Lieutenant of Kent
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Kent. Since 1746, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Kent.-Lords Lieutenant of Kent:*Sir Thomas Cheney 1551–?*William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham 3 July 1585 – 6 March 1597...
between 1856 and 1890 and Captain of Deal Castle
Deal Castle
Deal Castle is located in Deal, Kent, England, between Walmer Castle and the now lost Sandown Castle .-Construction:It is one of the most impressive of the Device Forts or Henrician Castles built by Henry VIII between 1539 and 1540 as an artillery fortress to counter the threat of invasion from...
between 1879 and 1890.
Family
Lord Sydney married Lady Emily Paget, daughter of Field Marshal Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of AngleseyHenry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
Field Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, KG, GCB, GCH, PC , styled Lord Paget between 1784 and 1812 and known as The Earl of Uxbridge between 1812 and 1815, was a British military leader and politician, now chiefly remembered for leading the charge of the heavy cavalry against...
, on 4 August 1832. They had no children. He died in February 1890, aged 84, when all his titles became extinct. The Countess Sydney survived her husband by three years and died in March 1893. The family seat of Frognal House
Frognal House
Frognal House, in Foots Cray near Sidcup, Greater London, England, was built in the early 18th century.-History:Frognal House was purchased by Thomas Townshend in 1752 and became the residence of his son, Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, after whom Sydney, Australia was named...
was inherited by Lord Sydney's nephew Robert Marsham, who assumed the additional surname of Townshend in accordance with his uncle's will.
Other Notes
The Sydney Arms on Old Perry Street, ChislehurstChislehurst
Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, was previously known as The Swan, and in Pigot's Directory of 1832 known as the White Swan. It was renamed in the 1880s in honour of John Robert Townshend, 3rd Viscount Sydney. The pub sign is a diagram of the Sydney family arms.