William Courtenay, 11th Earl of Devon

The Right Honourable
The Earl of Devon
PC
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office
10 July 1866 – 26 June 1867
Monarch Victoria
Prime Minister The Earl of Derby
Preceded by George Goschen
Succeeded by John Wilson-Patten
President of the Poor Law Board
In office
21 May 1867 – 1 December 1868
Monarch Victoria
Prime Minister The Earl of Derby
Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded by Gathorne Hardy
Succeeded by George Goschen
Personal details
Born 14 April 1807(1807-04-14)
London, England
Died 18 November 1888(1888-11-18) (aged 81)
Powderham Castle, Devon, England
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Alma mater Christ Church, Oxford
Occupation Politician

William Reginald Courtenay, 11th Earl of Devon PC (14 April 1807 – 18 November 1888), styled Lord Courtenay between 1835 and 1859, was a British politician who served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1866 to 1867 and as President of the Poor Law Board from 1867 to 1868.

Contents

Background and education

Devon was the eldest son of William Courtenay, 10th Earl of Devon and his first wife Harriet Leslie Pepys, daughter of Sir Lucas Pepys, 1st Baronet. He was educated at Westminster School and at Christ Church, Oxford, and was called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn, in 1832.

Political career

In 1841 Devon was elected to Parliament for South Devon as a Tory. However, when the Tories split over the Corn Laws in 1846, he joined the Peelites. In 1849 Devon was appointed poor-law inspector and retired from the House of Commons. He then served as secretary to the Poor Law Board from 1850 to 1859. The latter year he succeeded his father and took his seat in the House of Lords.

He had returned to the Conservative Party (the official name of the Tory Party since the 1850s) before his succession, and when the party came to power in 1866 under the Earl of Derby, Devon was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (although without a seat in the cabinet) and admitted to the Privy Council. He remained in this post until May the following year, when he became President of the Poor Law Board. However, in contrast to his predecessor in the post, Gathorne Hardy, he was not included in the cabinet this time either. Devon continued as President of the Poor Law Board until the Conservatives lost power in December 1868. After this he stopped taking an active part in politics.

Apart from his participation in national politics, Devon was heavily involved in local affairs and charitable causes in his home county of Devon. Regarded as the most influential man in the county, he notably served as a director and later as chairman of the Bristol and Exeter Railway. Known as "the good earl", a statue of him was erected in Exeter, paid for by public subscription.

Family

Lord Devon married Lady Elizabeth Fortescue, daughter of Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue, in 1830. They had three sons and one daughter. Lord Devon died at his seat of Powderham Castle in November 1888, aged 81. He was succeeded in the earldom by his youngest but only surviving son Edward.

References

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir John Yarde-Buller, Bt
Montague Parker
Member of Parliament for South Devon
18411847
With: Sir John Yarde-Buller, Bt
Succeeded by
Sir John Yarde-Buller, Bt
Sir Ralph Lopes, Bt
Political offices
Preceded by
George Goschen
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
1866–1867
Succeeded by
John Wilson-Patten
Preceded by
Gathorne Hardy
President of the Poor Law Board
1867–1868
Succeeded by
George Goschen
Peerage of England
Preceded by
William Courtenay
Earl of Devon
Fifth creation
1859–1888
Succeeded by
Edward Baldwin Courtenay