Baron Ponsonby, of

Imokilly Imokilly ( ga, Uí Mhic Coille) is one of the baronies of Ireland, an historical geographical unit of land. Its chief town is Youghal. It is one of 24 baronies in the county of Cork. Other neighbouring baronies include Barrymore to the west (wh ...

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...

, also referred to as Baron Ponsonby of Imokilly, in the County of Cork, was a title in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the ...

. It was created in 1806 for the William Ponsonby, who had previously represented

Cork City Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city' ...

, Bandonbridge and

County Kilkenny County Kilkenny ( gle, Contae Chill Chainnigh) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the South-East Region. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council is the local authority for the cou ...

in the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a highly restrictive fra ...

and

in the

British House of Commons The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 mem ...

. A member of the influential Ponsonby family, he was the eldest son of the Honourable John Ponsonby, second son of

Brabazon Ponsonby, 1st Earl of Bessborough Brabazon Ponsonby, 1st Earl of Bessborough (1679 – 4 July 1758), was a British politician and peer. He was the son of William Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Duncannon, and Mary Moore. He was an active politician from 1705 to 1757 in Great Britain and ...

(see

Earl of Bessborough Earl of Bessborough is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1739 for Brabazon Ponsonby, 2nd Viscount Duncannon, who had previously represented Newtownards and County Kildare in the Irish House of Commons. In 1749, he was given ...

for earlier history of the family). His son, the second Baron, was a prominent diplomat and notably served as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

. In 1839 he was created Viscount Ponsonby, of Imokilly in the County of Cork, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. He was childless and the viscountcy became extinct on his death in 1855. He was succeeded in the barony by his nephew, the third Baron. He was the posthumous son of the Honourable

Sir William Ponsonby Major-General Hon. Sir William Ponsonby (13 October 177218 June 1815) was an Anglo-Irish politician and British Army officer who served in the Peninsular War and was killed at the Battle of Waterloo. Early life and education He was the secon ...

, second son of the first Baron. Lord Ponsonby died childless and was succeeded by his first cousin, the fourth Baron. He was the son of the Right Reverend the Honourable

Richard Ponsonby The Rt. Rev. and Hon. Richard Ponsonby (1772–1853) was an Irish clergyman who held high office in the Church of Ireland. Life He was born at Dublin in 1772, the third son of William Ponsonby, 1st Baron Ponsonby of Imokilly and Louisa Mole ...

, third son of the first Baron. He died unmarried in 1866 when the barony became extinct. The aforementioned the Honourable

, second son of the first Baron, was a

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in the British Army and was killed in action at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...

. The aforementioned the Right Reverend the Honourable

, third son of the first Baron, was

Bishop of Derry and Raphoe The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe is the Church of Ireland Ordinary (officer), Ordinary of the united Diocese of Derry and Raphoe (Church of Ireland), Diocese of Derry and Raphoe in the Province of Armagh (Church of Ireland), Province of Armagh.''C ...

. The Hon. Mary Elizabeth, only daughter of the first Baron, was the wife of Prime Minister

Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (13 March 1764 – 17 July 1845), known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was a British Whig politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834. He was a member of the nob ...

George Ponsonby George Ponsonby (5 March 17558 July 1817), was a British lawyer and Whig politician. He served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1806 to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents. Background and education Ponsonby was the second surviving son ...

, brother of the first Baron, was

Lord Chancellor of Ireland The Lord High Chancellor of Ireland (commonly known as Lord Chancellor of Ireland) was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801, it was also the highest political office of ...

Barons Ponsonby (1806)

William Ponsonby, 1st Baron Ponsonby William Brabazon Ponsonby, 1st Baron Ponsonby (of Imokilly), PC (Ire) (15 September 17445 November 1806) was a leading Irish Whig politician, being a member of the Irish House of Commons, and, after 1800, of the United Kingdom parliament. Pon ...

(1744–1806) * John Ponsonby, 2nd Baron Ponsonby (c. 1770–1855, created Viscount Ponsonby in 1839)

Viscounts Ponsonby (1839)

John Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Ponsonby John Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Ponsonby, GCB (c. 1770 – 22 February 1855) was a longtime British diplomat and politician. He was considered an exceptionally handsome man – reportedly he was almost lynched as an aristocrat in a Paris street by ...

(c. 1770 – 1855)

Barons Ponsonby of Imokilly (1806; reverted)

*William Ponsonby, 3rd Baron Ponsonby (1816–1861), nephew of the Viscount *William Ponsonby, 4th Baron Ponsonby (1807–1866), cousin of the preceding

Male-line family tree

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ponsonby Extinct baronies in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

Noble titles created in 1806 Noble titles created for UK MPs

Barons Ponsonby (1806)

Viscounts Ponsonby (1839)

Barons Ponsonby of Imokilly (1806; reverted)

Male-line family tree

See also

References