Henry Ellis, 2nd Viscount Clifden

Henry Welbore Agar-Ellis, 2nd Viscount Clifden SA (22 January 1761 – 13 July 1836), styled The Honourable Henry Agar between 1776 and 1789, was an Irish politician.

Background

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Born Henry Welbore Agar at Gowran Castle, Gowran, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, he was the eldest son of James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden, son of Henry Agar and Anne, daughter of Welbore Ellis, Bishop of Meath, and sister of Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip. His mother was Lucia, daughter of Colonel John Martin, of Dublin. He was the nephew of Charles Agar, 1st Earl of Normanton.[1]

Political career

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Agar was returned to the Irish House of Commons for both Gowran and County Kilkenny in 1783, but chose to sit for the latter, a seat he held until 1789, when he succeeded his father in the Irish viscountcy and entered the Irish House of Lords.[2] In 1785 he became the final sinecure holder of the office of Clerk of the Irish Privy Council, which title after his death was given to his deputies.[3] In 1793 he was elected to the British House of Commons as one of two representatives for Heytesbury.[4] He succeeded his great-uncle Lord Mendip as second Baron Mendip in 1802 according to a special remainder in the letters patent. This was an English peerage and forced him to resign from the House of Commons and enter the House of Lords. Two years later he assumed by Royal licence the surname of Ellis in lieu of Agar.[1]

Family

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Lord Clifden married Lady Caroline, daughter of George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, in 1792. His only son George became a successful politician and was created Baron Dover in his father's lifetime, but predeceased his father. Lady Clifden died at Blenheim Palace in November 1813, aged 50. Lord Clifden remained a widower until his death at Hanover Square, Mayfair, London, in July 1836, aged 75. He was succeeded in his titles by his grandson Henry, the eldest son of Lord Dover.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c thepeerage.com Henry Welbore Ellis, 2nd Viscount Clifden of Gowran
  2. ^ "leighrayment.com Irish House of Commons: 1692-1800". Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ McDowell, R. B. (1976). The Irish administration, 1801–1914. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-8371-8561-3.; 57 Geo. 3 c. 62 ss. 4–5; The Royal Kalendar and Court and City Register for England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Colonies for the Year 1835. London: Suttaby. 1835. p. 367.; Gentleman's and Citizen's Almanack. Dublin: Pettigrew & Oulton. 1837. p. 81. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  4. ^ "leighrayment.com House of Commons: Hertford to Honiton". Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by Member of Parliament for County Kilkenny
1783–1789
With: William Ponsonby
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Gowran
1783
With: George Dunbar
Succeeded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Heytesbury
1793–1801
With: Charles Ellis 1793–1796
Sir John Leicester, Bt 1796–1801
Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Member of Parliament for Heytesbury
1801–1802
With: Sir John Leicester, Bt
Succeeded by
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by Viscount Clifden
1789–1836
Succeeded by
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by Baron Mendip
1802–1836
Succeeded by