Lord Henry Somerset

The Right Honourable
Lord Henry Somerset
PC, DL, JP
Comptroller of the Household
In office
2 March 1874 – 4 February 1879
Monarch Victoria
Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded by Lord Otho FitzGerald
Succeeded by The Earl of Yarmouth
Personal details
Born 7 December 1849
Died 10 October 1932
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Lady Isabella Somers-Cocks (d. 1921)

Lord Henry Richard Charles Somerset PC, DL, JP (7 December 1849 – 10 October 1932) was a British Conservative politician. He served as Comptroller of the Household under Benjamin Disraeli between 1874 and 1879.

Contents

Background

Somerset was the second son of Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort, by his wife Lady Georgiana Charlotte Curzon, daughter of Richard Curzon-Howe, 1st Earl Howe. He was the brother of Henry Somerset, 9th Duke of Beaufort, and Lord Arthur Somerset.[1]

Political career

Somerset was elected at a by-election in 1871 as Member of Parliament (MP) for Monmouthshire, and held the seat until he stood down at the 1880 general election.[2][3] When the Conservatives came to power in 1874 under Benjamin Disraeli, he was sworn of the Privy Council[4] and appointed Comptroller of the Household,[5] a post he held until 1879.[6] Apart from his political career he was also a Deputy Lieutenant of Monmouthshire and a justice of the peace for Herefordshire and Monmouthshire.[1]

Family

Somerset married Lady Isabella Caroline Somers-Cocks, the eldest daughter and co-heir of Charles Somers-Cocks, 3rd Earl Somers, on 6 February 1872. When their marriage collapsed, he withdrew to Italy. They had one child, Henry Charles Somers Augustus (1874–1945). Lady Henry Somerset died in March 1921. Somerset remained a widower until his death in October 1932, aged 82. Their great-grandson David Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort, succeeded in the dukedom of Beaufort in 1984.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c thepeerage.com Lord Henry Richard Charles Somerset
  2. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 529. ISBN 0-900178-26-4. 
  3. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "M" (part 3)
  4. ^ London Gazette: no. 24072. p. 1519. 6 March 1874.
  5. ^ London Gazette: no. 24071. p. 1453. 3 March 1874.
  6. ^ London Gazette: no. 24675. p. 601. 7 February 1879.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Octavius Morgan
Poulett Somerset		 Member of Parliament for Monmouthshire
1871 – 1880
With: Octavius Morgan 1841-74,
Frederick Courtenay Morgan 1874-85		 Succeeded by
Frederick Courtenay Morgan
John Rolls
Political offices
Preceded by
Lord Otho FitzGerald		 Comptroller of the Household
1874–1879		 Succeeded by
The Earl of Yarmouth