Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord de Clifford
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| Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire | |
| In office 1763–1776 Serving with Thomas Tracy
Sir William Guise |
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| Preceded by | Thomas Chester Thomas Tracy |
| Succeeded by | Sir William Guise William Bromley-Chester |
| Member of Parliament for Kinsale | |
| In office 1761–1768 Serving with John Folliott
Agmondisham Vesey |
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| Preceded by | Richard Ponsonby Jonas Stawell |
| Succeeded by | Agmondisham Vesey James Kearney |
| Member of Parliament for Bridgwater | |
| In office 1761–1763 Serving with The Earl of Egmont
Viscount Perceval |
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| Preceded by | Robert Balch The Earl of Egmont |
| Succeeded by | Viscount Perceval The Lord Coleraine |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 June 1738 |
| Died | 1 November 1777 (aged 39) |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouses |
Sophia Campbell
(m. 1765) |
| Relations | Edward Southwell (grandfather) Elizabeth Cromwell, 8th Baroness Cromwell (grandmother) Thomas Watson, 3rd Earl of Rockingham (uncle) Edward Watson, Viscount Sondes (uncle) |
| Parents | Lady Catherine Watson Edward Southwell Jr. |
| Residence | Kings Weston |
| Alma mater | Westminster School Pembroke College, Cambridge |
Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford (born June 6, 1738 – died November 1, 1777) was an important British politician. He served in the British House of Commons and later became a Baron, which meant he joined the House of Lords.
Early Life and Family
Edward Southwell was born on June 6, 1738. He was the only son of Lady Katherine Watson and Edward Southwell Jr.. His father and grandfather both held a significant role as the main Secretary of State for Ireland. This job was like being a chief administrator for the government in Ireland.
His family had many important connections. His grandmother, Elizabeth Cromwell, 8th Baroness Cromwell, held a special noble title in her own right. Edward went to Westminster School and then studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge, which are both famous schools. When his father passed away in 1755, Edward inherited the beautiful Kings Weston House estate near Bristol.
Political Career
Edward Southwell began his political journey in 1761. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bridgwater. An MP is a person chosen by voters to represent them in the British House of Commons, which is one of the two parts of the British Parliament. He was part of the Whig political party.
He later became an MP for Gloucestershire in 1763, serving until 1776. He also represented Kinsale in the Irish House of Commons from 1761 to 1768.
In 1776, Edward received a very special honor. He became the 20th Baron de Clifford. This meant he gained a noble title and a seat in the British House of Lords. The House of Lords is the other part of the British Parliament, where members usually inherit their positions or are appointed. The title had been put on hold, or abeyance, after his maternal grandmother's youngest sister, Margaret Coke, Countess of Leicester, passed away. Edward himself died just eleven months after becoming a Baron.
Personal Life
On August 29, 1765, Edward Southwell married Sophia Campbell. She was the daughter of Samuel Campbell from Mount Campbell in County Leitrim, Ireland. Together, they had five children: one son and four daughters.
Their children were:
- Edward Southwell, who later became the 21st Baron de Clifford.
- Hon. Catherine Southwell, who married George Kein Hayward Coussmaker.
- Hon. Sophia Southwell, who married John Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney.
- Hon. Elizabeth Southwell, who married William Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle.
- Hon. Henrietta Southwell, who married Frederick Delmé.
Edward Southwell, the 20th Baron de Clifford, passed away on November 1, 1777, and was buried in Henbury, Gloucestershire. After his death, his wife, Lady de Clifford, may have become the Governess to Princess Charlotte, who was the daughter of the future King George IV.
His eldest son, Edward, became the 21st Baron de Clifford. However, he did not have any children. So, when he died, the title passed to his niece, Sophia Coussmaker (Edward Southwell's granddaughter through his daughter Catherine). She became the 22nd Baroness de Clifford in her own right in 1832.
Family Connections
Edward Southwell's family tree includes many notable people:
- His granddaughter, Sophia Coussmaker, became the 22nd Baroness de Clifford. Her son, Edward Russell, 23rd Baron de Clifford, also became a Member of Parliament.
- Through his daughter Sophia, he was the grandfather of Mary Elizabeth Townshend, who married into the Cholmondeley and Marsham families.
- Through his daughter Elizabeth, who married William Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle, Edward Southwell had many grandchildren. These included Augustus Keppel, 5th Earl of Albemarle, and George Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle. Many of his grandchildren also married into other important families or held significant positions.
Historical Records
Documents about Edward Southwell and his family, including papers about their estates and finances, are kept safe at the Bristol Archives. These records help historians learn more about his life and times.
