Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham
Encyclopedia
Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham PC
(c. 1720 – 16 November 1779), styled The Honourable Robert Maxwell from 1756 to 1759, was an Irish peer and a Member of both the Parliament of Great Britain
and the Parliament of Ireland
.
and Judith Barry, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
.
for Lisburn
in 1743, a seat he held until 1759. Crossing to England he also became Member of Parliament
for Taunton
at a ruinously expensive by-election in 1754, his father putting up £3,000 which had to be more than matched from the government's "secret service" funds to secure his election. He afterwards described the campaign, in a letter to Lord George Sackville
, as "a great deal of smoaking, some drinking, and kissing some hundreds of women; but it was to good purpose... I may venture to say that I have now near 150 majority".
He succeeded as 2nd Baron Farnham on the 6 August 1759. He was created Viscount Farnham on 10 September 1760, and Earl of Farnham on 13 May 1763. He also became a Privy Councillor in Ireland
on the 19 September 1760. He remained in the British House of Commons until 1768, being re-elected in 1761 and supporting the governments of Lord Bute
and George Grenville
, though there is no record of his ever having spoken in the House.
.
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
(c. 1720 – 16 November 1779), styled The Honourable Robert Maxwell from 1756 to 1759, was an Irish peer and a Member of both the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
and the Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
.
Background and education
Farnham was the son of John Maxwell, 1st Baron FarnhamJohn Maxwell, 1st Baron Farnham
John Maxwell, 1st Baron Farnham was an Irish peer and politician.He was a Member of Parliament of the Irish House of Commons for Cavan County from 1727 to 1756...
and Judith Barry, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
.
Political career
Farnham was elected to the Irish House of CommonsIrish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
for Lisburn
Lisburn (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Lisburn was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.-1692–1801:...
in 1743, a seat he held until 1759. Crossing to England he also became 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 Taunton
Taunton (UK Parliament constituency)
Taunton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors from 1295 to 2010, taking its name from the town of Taunton in Somerset...
at a ruinously expensive by-election in 1754, his father putting up £3,000 which had to be more than matched from the government's "secret service" funds to secure his election. He afterwards described the campaign, in a letter to Lord George Sackville
George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville
George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville PC , known as the Hon. George Sackville to 1720, as Lord George Sackville from 1720 to 1770, and as Lord George Germain from 1770 to 1782, was a British soldier and politician who was Secretary of State for America in Lord North's cabinet during the American...
, as "a great deal of smoaking, some drinking, and kissing some hundreds of women; but it was to good purpose... I may venture to say that I have now near 150 majority".
He succeeded as 2nd Baron Farnham on the 6 August 1759. He was created Viscount Farnham on 10 September 1760, and Earl of Farnham on 13 May 1763. He also became a Privy Councillor in Ireland
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
on the 19 September 1760. He remained in the British House of Commons until 1768, being re-elected in 1761 and supporting the governments of Lord Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute KG, PC , styled Lord Mount Stuart before 1723, was a Scottish nobleman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain under George III, and was arguably the last important favourite in British politics...
and 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...
, though there is no record of his ever having spoken in the House.
Family
Lord Farnham married twice, firstly in 1759 to Henrietta Cantillon, Countess Dowager of Stafford (died 1761), daughter of Philip Cantillon. They had two children, John (died 1777) and Henrietta (died 1852). He married secondly in 1771 to Sarah, daughter of Pole Cosby. On his death the earldom and the viscountcy titles became extinct, whilst the barony passed to his brother, Barry MaxwellBarry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham
Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham PC , styled The Honourable Barry Maxwell from 1756 to 1779, was an Irish peer and politician.-Political career:...
.