Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood facts for kids
Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood (born 1713 – died 25 January 1795) was a very rich man from England. He owned large sugar plantations in the West Indies where many enslaved people were forced to work.
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Early Life and Education
Edwin was born in Barbados, an island in the Caribbean. He was the older son of Henry Lascelles and Mary Carter. His father divided the family's wealth. Edwin's younger brother, Daniel, took charge of the family business. Edwin was prepared to manage their estates in England.
He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, a famous university. After that, he went on a "Grand Tour" around Europe. This was a common trip for young wealthy men to learn about art and culture.
Military and Political Career
Edwin Lascelles fought against the Jacobites in 1745. The Jacobites were people who wanted to bring back the old royal family to the throne.
He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Scarborough from 1744 to 1754. Later, he was an MP for Yorkshire from 1761 to 1780. He also represented Northallerton from 1780 to 1790. He inherited this seat from his father and brother.
By 1748, Edwin became the Lord of the Manor of Harewood. He then started building Harewood House, a grand country home. Construction on this house lasted from 1759 to 1771.
Growing the Family Fortune
When his brother Daniel died in 1784 without children, Edwin became the sole owner of the family's huge fortune. Two years later, their only other sibling, Henry, also passed away.
Edwin added even more to his wealth. He gained 22 working plantations and over 27,000 acres (about 109 square kilometers) of land in the West Indies. He also gained 2,947 enslaved people. These were given to him by plantation owners who could not pay their debts. Many plantation owners struggled financially because of the American War of Independence. They depended on selling sugar and molasses to the American colonies.
The value of these new properties was about £293,000 at the time. This would be around £28.3 million in today's money.
Becoming a Baron
On 9 July 1790, Edwin was given the title Baron Harewood. This made him a member of the British nobility. The title was "of Harewood in the County of York."
Edwin died childless in 1795, so his title ended with him. His large fortune then went to his cousin, Edward Lascelles (1740–1820). Edward later became the 1st Earl of Harewood.
Marriages and Family
Edwin Lascelles was married two times. His first wife was Elizabeth Dawes. She was the daughter of Sir Darcy Dawes, 4th Baronet. They married on 5 January 1746–47.
His second marriage was to Lady Jane Fleming on 31 March 1770. She was the daughter of William Coleman and Jane Seymour. Lady Jane was also the widow of Sir John Fleming, 1st Baronet.
Edwin had two stepdaughters from his second marriage. They were Jane Stanhope, Countess of Harrington and Seymour Fleming. A picture of Seymour still hangs in Harewood House today.
Images for kids
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Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood
