William Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth

William Walter Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth (12 August 1823 – 4 August 1891), styled Viscount Lewisham until 1853, was a British peer and Conservative politician.

Political career

Legge was elected in 1849 as Member of Parliament (MP) for South Staffordshire and held the seat until 1853, when he succeeded to his father's titles William Legge, 4th Earl of Dartmouth. He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire in 1887.

In 1876, Lord Dartmouth leased 22.7 ha of estate land at Cooper's Hill to the West Bromwich Improvements Commissioners for the creation of Dartmouth Park. Inititially the land was rented at a nominal £1 per year for 99 years. Following a design competition that attracted seven entries, the original park scheme was set out by John Maclean of Donnington, Leicestershire, and included a cricket pitch, ornamental water feature and grand carriageway. Dartmouth Park was opened to the public on 3 June 1878 at a cost of £2,500. In 1919, the freehold to the park was awarded to the people of West Bromwich.

Family

Lord Dartmouth married Lady Augusta Finch, daughter of Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Aylesford, on 9 June 1846. They had two sons, William Heneage, Viscount Lewisham (1851–1936) and Hon. Henry Charles (1852–1924) and four daughters, who died unmarried.

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Dartmouth