Edward Stratford, 2nd Earl of Aldborough facts for kids
Edward Augustus Stratford, 2nd Earl of Aldborough (born 1736, died January 2, 1801), was an important person from Ireland. He lived at Belan House. From 1763 to 1777, he was known as The Honourable Edward Stratford, and later as Viscount Amiens. He was a member of the House of Stratford, a noble family.
Edward was also a Whig politician. This means he was part of a political group that believed in certain ideas about how the country should be run. He served in the Irish House of Commons, which was like the parliament for Ireland, from 1759 to 1777. He also spent a short time in the British House of Commons, the parliament for Great Britain, from 1774 to 1775.
Early Life and Family
Edward Augustus Stratford was the oldest son of John Stratford, 1st Earl of Aldborough. His mother was Martha O'Neale. Edward's family, the Stratfords, came from England. His younger brother, Benjamin Stratford, 4th Earl of Aldborough, also became an Earl later on.
In 1777, Edward became the Earl of Aldborough after his father passed away. In the same year, he received a special degree called a Doctor of Civil Laws from the University of Oxford. Edward was also known for building two very grand homes: Stratford Place in London and Aldborough House in Dublin.
Political and Public Roles
Edward began his political career in 1759. He was elected to the Irish House of Commons to represent a place called Baltinglass. His father had also represented this area. Edward served in this role until 1768, and then again from 1775 to 1777.
In 1774, he was elected to the British House of Commons for Taunton. However, he was removed from this position because of accusations of bribery.
In May 1777, Edward became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group of scientists. The next year, in 1778, he was made the Governor of County Wicklow in Ireland.
Family Life
Edward Augustus Stratford was married twice. His first marriage was on July 29, 1765, to Barbara Herbert. She was the daughter of Nicholas Herbert, who was related to the Earl of Pembroke. Barbara passed away in 1785.
Edward then married Hon. Anne Elizabeth Henniker on May 24, 1787. She was the only daughter of John Henniker, 1st Baron Henniker.
Edward died at his home, Belan House, in County Kildare. He did not have any children. His younger brother, John, took over his titles as the next Earl.
Stratford House in London
Edward's London home, called Stratford Place, was built between 1770 and 1776. He bought the land for £4,000. The main part of Stratford House was designed by a famous architect named Robert Adam. Before Edward built his house, the land was home to the Lord Mayor of London's Banqueting House, built in 1565.
Many interesting people have stayed at Stratford House over the years. The sons of the Russian Tsar (the emperor of Russia) visited there. Also, the wife of Winston Churchill, a famous British Prime Minister, was born in the house.
The house was owned by the Wingfield Stratfords until 1832, who inherited it from Edward's will. For a short time, it belonged to Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich, who was a son of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia.
The house stayed mostly the same until 1894. At that time, its owner, Mr. Murray Guthrie, added a second floor to the sides of the house and a row of columns at the front. In 1903, a new owner, Sir Edward Colebrook, changed the Library to match Robert Adam's style.
In 1908, Lord Derby bought a lease for the house and made even more changes. He removed the columns and added a third floor to both sides of the house. He also changed the main staircase and built a large Banqueting Hall with a grand ballroom above it.
In 1960, the Oriental Club bought Stratford House. They changed it to fit their needs. The ballroom was turned into two floors of new bedrooms. More elevators were added, and the banqueting hall was divided into a dining room and other rooms.
Today, Stratford House has many rooms, including a main drawing room, a members' bar, a library, a billiards room, and a business room. It also has a dining room and 32 bedrooms. Stratford House is considered a Grade I listed building, which means it is a very important historic building.
