Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood facts for kids
Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood (born 25 December 1767 – died 24 November 1841) was an important person in British history. He was known as Viscount Lascelles from 1814 to 1820. He was a member of the British nobility, a politician from the Tory party, and someone who owned plantations. He was also a collector of art.
Early Life and His Work in Politics
Henry Lascelles was the second son of Edward Lascelles, who was the 1st Earl of Harewood. His mother was Anne Chaloner.
He became a member of the British House of Commons, which is a part of the British Parliament, in 1796. He represented the area of Yorkshire until 1807. He was elected again for Yorkshire from 1812 to 1818. He also represented other areas like Westbury (1807–1812) and Northallerton (1818–1820).
In 1820, when his father passed away, Henry became the Earl of Harewood. This meant he joined the House of Lords, another part of the British Parliament. From 1819 to 1841, he also served as the Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire. This role meant he was the King's representative in that area.
Connection to Slavery Abolition
When slavery was ended in the British Empire in 1833, the British government paid money to people who had owned enslaved people. This was done through a law called the Slave Compensation Act 1837. Henry Lascelles received a payment of £26,307 at that time. This was because he had owned 1,277 enslaved people in places like Barbados and Jamaica. The money for these payments came from a large loan that British taxpayers later paid back.
Family Life
Lord Harewood married Henrietta Sebright on 3 September 1794. She passed away on 15 February 1840. They had a large family with eleven children together.
Some of their children included:
- Edward Lascelles, Viscount Lascelles (1796–1839)
- Henry Lascelles, 3rd Earl of Harewood (1797–1857), who later became the 3rd Earl.
- William Saunders Sebright Lascelles (1798–1851)
- Lady Emma Lascelles (1809–1865)
Interestingly, his wife, Lady Lascelles, is mentioned in the famous book Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. In the book, a character named Mary Crawford talks about a house in London and says, "I was there, two years ago, when Lady Lascelles had it, and I prefer it over any other house in London."
