Edward Ponsonby, 8th Earl of Bessborough

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Edward Ponsonby, 8th Earl of Bessborough, KP, CB, CVO (1 March 1851 – 1 December 1920) was a British peer.

[edit] Biography

Ponsonby was the eldest son of Rev. Walter Ponsonby and his wife, Louisa, the daughter of Edward Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans. He qualified as a barrister in 1879 and was secretary to Lord Robert Grosvenor (a younger son of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster) at HM Treasury from 1880-84 and to Arthur Peel, Speaker of the House of Commons from 1884-95. After Peel's retirement in 1895, Ponsonby was appointed a CB that year and also took the courtesy title of Viscount Duncannon following his father's accession to the earldom of Bessborough, also in that year. In 1898, he was High Sheriff of County Carlow, appointed a CVO in 1902 and a KP in 1914.

[edit] Family

On 22 April 1875, Ponsonby married Blanche Guest (the sister of Ivor Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne) and they had six children:

• Lady Olwen Verene (1876-1927), married Geoffrey Browne, 3rd Baron Oranmore and Browne.
• Lady Helen Blanche Irene (1878-1962), married John Congreve.
• Vere Brabazon, later styled Viscount Duncannon, later 9th Earl of Bessborough (1880-1956), Governor-General of Canada.
• Hon. (Cyril) Myles Brabazon (1881-1915), soldier and father of the 11th Earl of Bessborough.
• Hon. Bertie Brabazon (1885-1967), barrister and soldier.
• Lady Gweneth Frida (1888-1984), married (1) Hon. Windham Baring, (2) Ralph Cavendish.

Ponsonby inherited the earldom from his father in 1906 and on his death in 1920, his titles passed to his eldest son, Vere. His death procurred an erroneous obituary of Lord Desborough being published after The Times confused both peers.

[edit] Source

• Burke's Peerage, 107th edition.

Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by Walter Ponsonby	Earl of Bessborough 1906–1920	Succeeded by Vere Ponsonby