Henry Fox-Strangways, 5th Earl of Ilchester

Henry Edward Fox-Strangways, 5th Earl of Ilchester PC (13 February 1847 – 6 December 1905), known as Henry Fox-Strangways until 1865, was a British peer and Liberal politician. He served as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms under William Ewart Gladstone between January and February 1874.

The Earl of Ilchester
"Fifth Earl": The Earl of Ilchester as caricatured by Spy (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair, July 1882.
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
In office
1 January 1874 – 17 February 1874
MonarchVictoria
Prime MinisterWilliam Ewart Gladstone
Preceded byThe Earl Cowper
Succeeded byThe Marquess of Exeter
Born13 February 1847
Died6 December 1905 (1905-12-07) (aged 58)
NationalityBritish
EducationEton College
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
(m. 1872)
Children3
FatherJohn Fox-Strangways

Early life and education

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Lord Ilchester was the son of Hon John Fox-Strangways, fourth son of Henry Thomas Fox-Strangways, 2nd Earl of Ilchester. His mother was Amelia Marjoribanks, daughter of Edward Marjoribanks. He was educated at Eton College.[1]

Lord Ilchester succeeded his uncle, William Fox-Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester, in the earldom of Ilchester in 1865 and was able to take his seat in the House of Lords on his 21st birthday in 1868.

In 1874 he acquired the Holland House estate in London from the estate of his distant cousin Henry Fox, 4th and last Baron Holland who died in 1859.

Career

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In January 1874, at the age of only 26, Ilchester was appointed Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms in the Liberal administration of William Ewart Gladstone,[2] a post he held until the government fell the following month.[3] He was admitted to the Privy Council in February of that year.[4]

Lord Ilchester never held political office again but served as Lord Lieutenant of Dorset from 1885 to 1905.[1]

Marriage and children

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In 1872 Lord Ilchester married Lady Mary Eleanor Anne Dawson (died 1935), a daughter of Richard Dawson, 1st Earl of Dartrey, with whom he had three children:[5]

Death and burial

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He died in December 1905, aged 58, and was buried in the family vault at Melbury Osmond, Dorset. He was succeeded in his titles by his elder son Giles.[1]

Arms

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Arms of Fox-Strangways

The arms of the head of the Fox-Strangways family are blazoned Quarterly of four: 1st & 4th: Sable, two lions passant paly of six argent and gules (Strangways); 2nd & 3rd: Ermine, on a chevron azure three foxes' heads and necks erased or on a canton of the second a fleur-de-lys of the third (Fox).[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c thepeerage.com Henry Edward Fox-Strangways, 5th Earl of Ilchester
  2. ^ "No. 24053". The London Gazette. 13 January 1874. p. 135.
  3. ^ "No. 24071". The London Gazette. 3 March 1874. p. 1452.
  4. ^ "No. 24068". The London Gazette. 24 February 1874. p. 808.
  5. ^ Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003
  6. ^ "Earl of Ilchester" in Montague-Smith, P.W. (ed.), Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage (Kelly's Directories Ltd, Kingston-upon-Thames, 1968), p. 607
Political offices
Preceded by Captain of the Honourable Corps of
Gentlemen-at-Arms

1874
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Dorset
1885–1905
Succeeded by
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by Earl of Ilchester
1865–1905
Succeeded by