Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam
British politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hon. William Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam (26 December 1840 – 10 July 1920), was a British Liberal, and later Liberal Unionist politician.
Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Doncaster | |
| In office 1888–1892 | |
| Member of Parliament for West Riding of Yorkshire South | |
| In office 1880–1885 | |
| Member of Parliament for Wicklow | |
| In office 1868–1874 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 December 1840 |
| Died | 10 July 1920 (aged 79) |
| Party | Liberal Unionist |
| Spouse | |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | William Wentworth-FitzWilliam (brother) Charles Wentworth-FitzWilliam (brother) John Wentworth-FitzWilliam (brother) George Douglas (grandfather) |
Background
Wentworth-FitzWilliam was the second son of William Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl FitzWilliam, and Lady Frances Harriet, daughter of George Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton. Viscount Milton, the Hon. Charles Wentworth-FitzWilliam and the Hon. John Wentworth-FitzWilliam were his brothers
Political career
Wentworth-FitzWilliam entered Parliament for Wicklow in 1868, a seat he held until 1874. He later represented the West Riding of Yorkshire South between 1880 and 1885 and Doncaster between 1888 and 1892. Initially a Liberal, he disagreed with William Ewart Gladstone over Irish Home Rule and sat as a Liberal Unionist between 1888 and 1892.
Family
Fitzwilliam married Lady Mary Butler, daughter of the late John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde and sister of the-then Marquess of Ormonde at St George's, Hanover Square in London on 12 July; the ceremony was reportedly a significant society event, attended by many members of the British Aristocracy.[1]
The couple had three children:[2]
- Marie "Mab"[3] Albreda Blanche Wentworth-FitzWilliam (1879 - 14 April 1963) (married Major Harold Maxwell Walker in 1904)[4][2]
- Isabel "Elsie"[3] Elizabeth Mary Wentworth-FitzWilliam (1880 - 1955)[2]
- Irene "Ena"[3] Serga Alice Jane Mary Wentworth-FitzWilliam (1883 - 19 Mar 1972)[2][5]
In May 1933 his youngest daughter Irene converted to Islam, and changed her name to Ayesha el Mahdia ("Ayesha the Englightened");[6] she permanently took up residence in Cairo, Egypt in 1931.[6]
Residences and Later Life
The couple took up residence at a large tudor-style[7] manor house The Lodge, Malton, in Yorkshire, which was owned by Henry's father Lord FitzWilliam, in mid-1878. The 1881 Census of England that their Household then included ten servants: a Butler, Lady’s Maid, one Footman, two Nurses, a Housekeeper, two Housemaids and two Kitchen Maids. This record also includes two buildings marked as ‘Lodge Cottage’, which housed a Gardener, Laundress, Page, Groom, Land Agent, Cook and Housemaid who were likely employed as part of the same household.[8] In 1890 Newspapers reported that Earl FitzWilliam had purchased the Wiganthorpe Hall Estate in Yorkshire for £110,000 as a home for Henry and Mary.[9]
The 1891 Census records the family as living at Cliff Hall in the Parish of Terrington & Wigganthorpe, Yorkshire. In addition to their three daughters, their household comprised eleven servants; a Governess, Cook, two Lady’s Maids, two Footmen, two Housemaids, one Kitchen Maid, one Scullery Maid, and a School Room Maid.
Henry Fitzwilliam died on 10 July 1920. His estate was valued at £136,525, and his executors included his daughter Marie Walker and his wife's nephew The Hon. George Butler, Earl of Ossory (later 5th Marquess of Ormonde).[10]
The Wiganthorpe Hall Estate was sold in 1921 to Lord Holden, with the widowed Lady Mary reported to be moving to Mill Hill House, Brandsby, Yorkshire.[11] Lady Mary survived her husband by nine years before her death in 1929.