William Monsell, 1st Baron Emly
Encyclopedia
William Monsell, 1st Baron Emly PC (21 September 1812 – 20 April 1894) was an Anglo-Irish landowner and Liberal
politician. He held a number of ministerial positions between 1852 and 1873, notably as President of the Board of Health
in 1857 and as Postmaster General
between 1871 and 1873.
, County Limerick
and Olivia, daughter of Sir John Johnson-Walsh, 1st Baronet, of Ballykilcavan. He was educated at Winchester
(1826-1830) and Oriel College, Oxford
, but he left the university without proceeding to a degree in 1831 As his father had died in 1824, he succeeded to the family estates on coming of age
and was a popular landlord, the more so as he was resident.
in 1835. In 1847, he was elected Member of Parliament
for County Limerick
as a Liberal
, and represented the constituency until 1874. In 1850, he became a Roman Catholic and thereafter took a prominent part in Catholic affairs, especially in Parliament. As a friend of Wiseman, Newman, Montalambert, W. G. Ward, and other eminent Catholics, he was intimately acquainted with the various interests of the Church, and his parliamentary position was often of great advantage to the Church.
In 1852 Monsell was appointed Clerk of the Ordnance
by Lord Aberdeen
, a post he retained until 1857, the last two years under the premiership of Lord Palmerston
. In 1855 he was sworn of the Privy Council. He was briefly President of the Board of Health
under Palmerston in 1857 and later served under Lord Russell
as Paymaster-General
and Vice-President of the Board of Trade
in 1866 and under William Ewart Gladstone
as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
between 1868 and 1871 and as Postmaster-General
between January 1871 and November 1873. He was also Lord Lieutenant of County Limerick
between 1871 and 1894 and Vice-Chancellor of the Royal University of Ireland between 1885 and 1894.
On 12 January 1874 Monsell was raised to the peerage as Baron Emly, of Tervoe in the County of Limerick. He lost much of his popularity in Ireland during his later years, because of his opposition to the Irish National Land League
and to the home rule movement
in Ireland. His work being chiefly parliamentary, he wrote little, but published some articles in the Home and Foreign Review and a "Lecture on the Roman Question" (1860).
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. He held a number of ministerial positions between 1852 and 1873, notably as President of the Board of Health
Secretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health.The first Boards of Health were created by Orders in Council dated 21 June, 14 November, and 21 November 1831. In 1848 a General Board of Health was created with the First Commissioner of Woods and...
in 1857 and as Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
between 1871 and 1873.
Background and education
Monsell was born to William Monsell (1778–1822), of Tervoe, ClarinaClarina Village
Clarina is a village in County Limerick in the province of Munster, Ireland. It lies between Mungret and Kildimo on the N69 National Route about 6 miles west of Limerick city close to the River Maigue...
, County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
and Olivia, daughter of Sir John Johnson-Walsh, 1st Baronet, of Ballykilcavan. He was educated at Winchester
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
(1826-1830) and Oriel College, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, but he left the university without proceeding to a degree in 1831 As his father had died in 1824, he succeeded to the family estates on coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
and was a popular landlord, the more so as he was resident.
Political career
Monsell served as the Sheriff of County LimerickCounty Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
in 1835. In 1847, he was elected 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 County Limerick
Limerick County (UK Parliament constituency)
County Limerick, also known as Limerick County, was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.-Boundaries:...
as a 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...
, and represented the constituency until 1874. In 1850, he became a Roman Catholic and thereafter took a prominent part in Catholic affairs, especially in Parliament. As a friend of Wiseman, Newman, Montalambert, W. G. Ward, and other eminent Catholics, he was intimately acquainted with the various interests of the Church, and his parliamentary position was often of great advantage to the Church.
In 1852 Monsell was appointed Clerk of the Ordnance
Clerk of the Ordnance
The Clerk of the Ordnance was a subordinate of the Master-General of the Ordnance and a member of the Board of Ordnance from its constitution in 1597. He was responsible for the correspondence and for the financial bookkeeping of the Board...
by Lord Aberdeen
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...
, a post he retained until 1857, the last two years under the premiership of 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...
. In 1855 he was sworn of the Privy Council. He was briefly President of the Board of Health
Secretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health.The first Boards of Health were created by Orders in Council dated 21 June, 14 November, and 21 November 1831. In 1848 a General Board of Health was created with the First Commissioner of Woods and...
under Palmerston in 1857 and later served under 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....
as Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
and Vice-President of the Board of Trade
Vice-President of the Board of Trade
The office of Vice-President of the Board of Trade was a junior ministerial position in the government of the United Kingdom. The office was created in 1786 and abolished in 1867. From 1848 onwards the office was held concurrently with that of Paymaster-General...
in 1866 and under 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...
as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and, from 1948, also to a Minister of State....
between 1868 and 1871 and as Postmaster-General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
between January 1871 and November 1873. He was also Lord Lieutenant of County Limerick
Lord Lieutenant of Limerick
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Limerick. The office was created on 23 August 1831.* Hon. Richard Hobart FitzGibbon 7 October 1831 – September 1848* John FitzGibbon, 2nd Earl of Clare 13 September 1848 – 13 August 1851...
between 1871 and 1894 and Vice-Chancellor of the Royal University of Ireland between 1885 and 1894.
On 12 January 1874 Monsell was raised to the peerage as Baron Emly, of Tervoe in the County of Limerick. He lost much of his popularity in Ireland during his later years, because of his opposition to the Irish National Land League
Irish National Land League
The Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor tenant farmers. Its primary aim was to abolish landlordism in Ireland and enable tenant farmers to own the land they worked on...
and to the home rule movement
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
in Ireland. His work being chiefly parliamentary, he wrote little, but published some articles in the Home and Foreign Review and a "Lecture on the Roman Question" (1860).