Charles Loftus, 1st Marquess of Ely

Charles Tottenham Loftus, 1st Marquess of Ely, KP, PC (23 January 1738 – 22 March 1806) was an Anglo-Irish peer and politician.

Charles Loftus, 1st Marquess of Ely
Member of the Irish House of Commons
In office
1776–1785
Personal details
Born23 January 1738
Died22 March 1806
ChildrenJohn and Robert

Life

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Born Charles Tottenham, he assumed the additional surname of Loftus in 1783, after inheriting the estates of his uncle Henry Loftus, 1st Earl of Ely. He was the only son of Sir John Tottenham, 1st Baronet of Loftus Hall, County Wexford, (died 1786), by Henry Loftus' sister Elizabeth (died 1747).

He represented Fethard (County Wexford) in the Irish House of Commons from 1776 to 1783. In the latter year, he stood as Member of Parliament for Wexford Borough, a seat he held until 1785, when he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Loftus of Loftus Hall, County Wexford. From 14 January 1789 until 1806 Loftus was one of the joint Postmasters General of Ireland.[1] In 1789 he was furthered honoured with the title Viscount Loftus and in 1794 he was made Earl of Ely. He became Marquess of Ely on 29 December 1800 and was appointed a Knight of the Order of St Patrick on 12 December 1794.[2] In 1801 he was made Baron Loftus of Long Loftus, Yorkshire in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which entitled him and his successors to a seat in the House of Lords.

He married in 1766 Jane Myhill (died 1807), daughter of Robert Myhill, of Killarney, County Kilkenny,[3] and Mary Billingsley, and had two sons, John, his heir, and Robert, Bishop of Clogher.

References

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  1. ^ Ross, Charles (1859). Correspondence of Charles, First Marquis Cornwallis, Volume 2. London: John Murray. p. 449.
  2. ^ Rayment, Leigh. "Knights of the Order of St Patrick". Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ Killarney, Co. Kilkenny (a townland), as per her Memorial at Bath Abbey
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Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by Member of Parliament for
Fethard

1776–1783
With: Robert Hellen 1776–1779
Ponsonby Tottenham 1779–1783
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Wexford Borough
1783–1785
With: Richard Nevill
Succeeded by
Peerage of Ireland
New creation Marquess of Ely
1800–1806
Succeeded by
Earl of Ely
1794–1806
Viscount Loftus
1789–1806
Baron Loftus
1785–1806
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baron Loftus
1801–1806
Succeeded by
Baronetage of Ireland
Preceded by Baronet
(of Loftus Hall, Wexford)
1786–1806
Succeeded by