Henry Ellis, 2nd Viscount Clifden

Henry Welbore Ellis, 2nd Viscount Clifden SA (22 January 1761 – 13 July 1836), styled The Honourable Henry Agar between 1776 and 1789, was an Irish politician.

Contents

Background

Born Henry Welbore Agar, he was the eldest son of James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden, son of Henry Agar and Anne, daughter of Welbore Ellis, Bishop of Meath, and sister of Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip. His mother was Lucia, daughter of Colonel John Martin, of Dublin. He was the nephew of Charles Agar, 1st Earl of Normanton.[1]

Political career

Agar was returned to the Irish House of Commons for both Gowran and County Kilkenny in 1783, but chose to sit for the latter, a seat he held until 1789, when he succeeded his father in the Irish viscountcy and entered the Irish House of Lords.[2] He had been appointed Clerk of the Irish Privy Council in 1785, which he remained until 1817.[1] In 1793 he was elected to the British House of Commons as one of two representatives for Heytesbury.[3] He succeeded his great-uncle Lord Mendip as second Baron Mendip in 1802 according to a special remainder in the letters patent. This was an English peerage and forced him to resign from the House of Commons and enter the House of Lords. Two years later he assumed by Royal license the surname of Ellis in lieu of Agar.[1]

Family

Lord Clifden married Lady Caroline, daughter of George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, in 1792. His only son George became a successful politician and was created Baron Dover in his father's lifetime, but predeceased his father. Lady Clifden died at Blenheim Palace in November 1813, aged 50. Lord Clifden remained a widower until his death at Hanover Square, Mayfair, London, in July 1836, aged 75. He was succeeded in his titles by his grandson Henry, the eldest son of Lord Dover.[1]

References

Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by
Hon. John Ponsonby
Joseph Deane
Member of Parliament for County Kilkenny
1783–1789
With: William Ponsonby
Succeeded by
William Ponsonby
Walter Butler
Preceded by
John Butler
Sir Boyle Roche, Bt
Member of Parliament for Gowran
1783
With: George Dunbar
Succeeded by
George Dunbar
George Burdett
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
The Lord Auckland
Charles Ellis
Member of Parliament for Heytesbury
1793–1801
With: Charles Ellis 1793–1796
Sir John Leicester, Bt 1796–1801
Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Member of Parliament for Heytesbury
1801–1802
With: Sir John Leicester, Bt
Succeeded by
Sir John Leicester, Bt
William Wickham
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by
James Agar
Viscount Clifden
1789–1836
Succeeded by
George Agar-Ellis
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by
Welbore Ellis
Baron Mendip
1802–1836
Succeeded by
George Agar-Ellis