Hugh Annesley, 5th Earl Annesley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl Annesley
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 January 1831 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 15 December 1908 (aged 77) Castlewellan, County Down |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Dublin |
Hugh Annesley, the 5th Earl Annesley, was an important British soldier and politician. He was born on January 26, 1831, and passed away on December 15, 1908. He served as a military officer and was a Member of Parliament (MP) for County Cavan from 1857 to 1874.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Hugh Annesley was born in Dublin, Ireland, on January 26, 1831. He was the second son of William Richard Annesley, who was the 3rd Earl Annesley. His mother's name was Priscilla Cecilia.
Hugh went to two famous schools. First, he studied at Eton College, a well-known boarding school. After that, he attended Trinity College, Dublin, where he finished his studies in 1851.
Family Life and Marriages
Hugh Annesley was married twice. His first wife was Mabel Wilhelmina Frances Markham. They got married on July 4, 1877. He was 46 years old, and she was 19.
They had two children:
- A daughter named Lady Mabel Annesley (1881–1959). She grew up to be a famous artist, known for her watercolor paintings and wood engravings.
- A son named Francis (born 1884). Francis later became the 6th Earl Annesley. Sadly, he died in November 1914 during the First World War.
Mabel, his first wife, passed away in 1891.
Hugh married his second wife, Priscilla Cecilia Armytage Moore, on July 2, 1892. She was his first cousin. At the time, he was 61, and she was 22.
They had two more daughters:
- Clare Annesley, born in 1893. She became known as a pacifist, someone who believes in peace and opposes war. She was also a socialist.
- Constance Mary, born in 1895. She later became known as Lady Constance Malleson.
Military and Political Career
Hugh Annesley chose a career as a professional soldier. He served in the Kaffir Wars in South Africa from 1851 to 1853. During these wars, he was wounded.
Later, he fought in the Crimean War. In 1854, at the Battle of the Alma, his jaw was badly injured by a bullet. He retired from the army in 1860 as a Colonel in the Scots Fusilier Guards.
Serving in Parliament
In 1857, Hugh Annesley was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cavan. He was a member of the Conservative party. He held this position until 1874.
Being a politician was not his main passion. He rarely spoke in Parliament, and when he did, it was usually about army matters. He left politics when the idea of Home Rule became very popular in Cavan. Home Rule meant that Ireland would have more control over its own government.
Six months after he left Parliament, his older brother, William Richard Annesley, the 4th Earl Annesley, passed away. Since his brother had no children, Hugh became the 5th Earl Annesley. He also inherited the family home, Castlewellan Castle. In 1877, he was chosen to be a Representative Peer, which meant he represented Irish nobles in the British Parliament until his death.
Later Life and Interests
Hugh Annesley had a strong interest in plants and gardening, also known as horticulture. He created a special garden called an arboretum at Castlewellan. An arboretum is like a botanical garden, but it focuses on trees and shrubs. His head gardener, Thomas Ryan, helped him a lot with this project.
He also helped start a plant nursery company called Donard nursery in Newcastle, County Down.
Photography and Books
Hugh Annesley was also a pioneer in photography. This means he was one of the first people to explore and develop photography as a hobby. He took many of his own pictures.
In 1903, he published a book called Beautiful and rare trees and shrubs. The book was filled with his own photographs of plants. The Royal Agricultural Society had asked him to write it.
Death and Legacy
Hugh Annesley died on December 15, 1908, at his home in Castlewellan. An article about his death appeared in The Times newspaper. It mentioned that he had one of the largest collections of unusual trees and shrubs in the United Kingdom.
After his death, his son Francis inherited the title of Earl and the Castlewellan estate.
Today, 35 albums of Hugh Annesley's photographs are kept in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. These albums include pictures he took during his time in the wars in South Africa and the Crimea. They also have photos from a trip to Japan, as well as many pictures of his home at Castlewellan and the beautiful area around it.
