Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Mountnorris facts for kids

Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Mountnorris (born August 7, 1744 – died July 4, 1816) was an important Irish nobleman. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which means he was recognized for his contributions to science.

Arthur Annesley was the son of Richard Annesley, 6th Earl of Anglesey, and Juliana Donovan, Countess of Anglesey. His mother, Juliana, came from a very old Irish family called the O'Donovans. At the time, some people didn't know much about the history of Irish families, so there were rumors that she wasn't from a noble background. However, her family had a long and important history in Ireland, especially in a region called the Barony of Carbery. She was a descendant of Donel Oge na Cartan O'Donovan, who was the first Lord of Clan Loughlin to officially hold his lands from the King of England back in 1616. This was part of a process called "surrender and regrant," where Irish lords gave up their lands to the Crown and then received them back with English titles.

When his father passed away on February 14, 1761, Arthur Annesley inherited two titles: the 6th Baron Altham (a baron is a type of nobleman) and the 8th Viscount Valentia (a viscount is another type of nobleman, ranking below an earl).

Later, in 1771, the House of Lords (a part of the British Parliament) decided that Arthur could not claim his father's English titles. This meant those specific titles ended when his father died. However, on December 3, 1793, Arthur was given a new title: he became the 1st Earl of Mountnorris in Ireland. An earl is a very high-ranking nobleman.

Family Life

Arthur Annesley was married twice and had several children.

First Marriage

He first married Lucy Lyttelton on May 10, 1767. Lucy was the daughter of George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton. Together, they had several children, including:

• George Annesley, 2nd Earl of Mountnorris (born November 2, 1769 – died July 23, 1844). He later became the 2nd Earl of Mountnorris after his father.
• Juliana Lucy Annesley (born 1772). She was their eldest daughter and married John Maxwell in 1789. She was known as Lady Lucy Barry.

Second Marriage

His second marriage was to Sarah Cavendish on December 20, 1783. Sarah was the daughter of Sir Henry Cavendish, 2nd Baronet. They also had children, including:

• Lady Frances Webster (1793-1837). She married James Wedderburn-Webster. She was known for being a socialite and was sometimes linked to famous men like Lord Byron and the Duke of Wellington.
• Catherine Annesley (died June 25, 1865). She married John Thomas Somerset, who was a younger son of Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort.