William Beresford, 1st Baron Decies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Lord Decies |
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| Archbishop of Tuam | |
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| Church | Church of Ireland |
| Archdiocese | Tuam |
| In Office | 1794–1819 |
| Predecessor | Joseph Bourke |
| Successor | Power Le Poer Trench |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 8 April 1780 by Richard Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 April 1743 |
| Died | 6 September 1819 (aged 76) Tuam, County Galway, Ireland |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Fitzgibbon |
| Previous post | Bishop of Dromore (1780–1782) Bishop of Ossory (1782–1794) |
William Beresford, who lived from 1743 to 1819, was an important religious leader in Ireland. He was an Anglo-Irish clergyman, meaning he was of English descent but lived in Ireland. He later became the first Baron Decies, a special title given to him.
Contents
Early Life and Family
William Beresford was born on April 16, 1743. He was the third son in a very large family, with seven sons and eight daughters! His father was Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone, a powerful noble. His mother was Catherine Poer, who was also a baroness.
William had many famous brothers and sisters:
- George Beresford, 1st Marquess of Waterford
- John Beresford, who was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Waterford
- Catherine Beresford, who married two different MPs
- Frances Beresford, who married Henry Flood, another important MP
- Eliza Beresford, who married a colonel and son of an archbishop
William went to college at Trinity College Dublin, which is a well-known university in Ireland.
William Beresford's Career
William Beresford had a long and successful career in the church. He held several important positions:
- From 1780 to 1782, he was the Bishop of Dromore. A bishop is a high-ranking church leader who oversees a specific area called a diocese.
- From 1782 to 1794, he served as the Bishop of Ossory.
- In 1794, he became the Archbishop of Tuam. An archbishop is an even higher-ranking bishop, in charge of a larger area called an archdiocese. He held this position until he passed away in 1819.
In 1794, he also became a member of the Irish Privy Council. This was a group of important advisors to the King in Ireland. In 1812, he was given the special title of Baron Decies. This made him a member of the Peerage of Ireland, which is a group of nobles with hereditary titles.
Personal Life and Family
On June 16, 1763, William Beresford married Elizabeth FitzGibbon. Her brother was John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare, who was a very powerful judge in Ireland called the Lord Chancellor.
William and Elizabeth had nine children together: four sons and five daughters.
William's Children
- Marcus Beresford (1764–1803): He was a Brigadier-General in the army but sadly died young and unmarried.
- John Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies (1773–1855): He inherited his father's title and became the second Baron Decies.
- George Beresford (1776–1842): He also became a reverend (a church minister).
- William Beresford (1780–1830): He married Lady Anna Bennet, whose father was the Earl of Tankerville.
- Catherine Eleanor Beresford (died 1837): She married Rev. William Armstrong.
- Araminta Anne Beresford (died 1816): She married a very reverend, Arthur John Preston.
- Harriet Beresford (died 1834): She married Thomas Henry Bermingham Daly Sewell.
- Frances Beresford (died 1864): She married Colonel Thomas Burrowes.
- Louisa de la Poer Beresford (died 1851): She married a wealthy banker named Thomas Hope. After he died, she married her cousin, William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford.
Lord Decies passed away in September 1819 when he was 76 years old. His eldest surviving son, John, took over his title as the second Baron Decies.
William's Grandchildren
William Beresford had many grandchildren who also became important figures:
- Through his son George, he was the grandfather of Marcus Beresford (1800–1876). This Marcus was a British Army officer and also served as an MP for two different areas.
- Through his youngest daughter Louisa, he was the grandfather of Henry Thomas Hope (1808–1862), who was an MP and supported the arts. Henry's daughter married a Duke.
- Another grandson through Louisa was Alexander Beresford Hope (1820–1887), who was also an MP and married a daughter of the Marquess of Salisbury.
