Edward Bligh, 5th Earl of Darnley, FRS (25 February 1795 – 12 February 1835), styled Lord Clifton until 1831,

lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...

of the

Manor of Cobham, Kent Manor may refer to: Land ownership *Manorialism or "manor system", the method of land ownership (or "tenure") in parts of medieval Europe, notably England *Lord of the manor, the owner of an agreed area of land (or "manor") under manorialism *Man ...

, was a British peer and politician.

Background

Darnley was the second but eldest surviving son of

John Bligh, 4th Earl of Darnley John Bligh, 4th Earl of Darnley (30 June 1767 – 17 March 1831), styled Lord Clifton until 1781, lord of the Manor of Cobham, Kent, was a British peer and cricketer. He was the son of John Bligh, 3rd Earl of Darnley, and succeeded his father ...

, and Elizabeth Brownlow, 3rd daughter of the Rt Hon. William Brownlow. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, matriculating on 22 October 1812, where he took degrees of

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

(BA) in 1816, proceeding

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

(MA) in 1819.

Political career

Darnley was returned to the House of Commons representing

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...

in 1818, a seat he held until 1830 for the Whig Party. In 1831 he succeeded his father in the earldom and took his seat in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

. He also served as

Lord Lieutenant of County Meath This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of County Meath, Ireland. There were lieutenants of counties in Ireland until the reign of James II, when they were renamed governors. The office of Lord Lieutenant was recreated on 23 Augus ...

between 1831 and 1835, and was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

in 1833.

Marriage and children

In 1825 he married the Hon. Emma Jane Parnell, a daughter of

Henry Parnell, 1st Baron Congleton Henry Brooke Parnell, 1st Baron Congleton PC (3 July 1776 – 8 June 1842), known as Sir Henry Parnell, Bt, from 1812 to 1841, was an Irish writer and Whig politician. He was a member of the Whig administrations headed by Lord Grey and Lord ...

, by whom he had three sons and two daughters: *

John Bligh, 6th Earl of Darnley Lieutenant colonel John Stuart Bligh, 6th Earl of Darnley DL (16 April 1827 – 14 December 1896), styled Lord Clifton from 1831 to 1835, lord of the Manor of Cobham, Kent, was a British peer. Early life He was the eldest son of Edward Bligh, ...

(1827–1896) *Rev. Hon. Edward Vesey Bligh (1829–1908) *Lady Elizabeth Caroline Bligh (1830–1914), who married Sir

Reginald Cust Sir Reginald John Cust (1828 – 11 June 1913) was a barrister of Lincoln's Inn, judge, and Chief Commissioner of the West India Incumbered Estates Commission. He was knighted in the 1890 Birthday Honours. Origins He was a son of Rev. Hon. Henry ...

(1828–1912) on 13 December 1855 and had issue, including the courtier Sir

Lionel Cust Sir Lionel Henry Cust (25 January 1859 – 12 October 1929) was a British art historian, courtier and museum director. He was director of the National Portrait Gallery from 1895 to 1909 and co-edited ''The Burlington Magazine'' from 1909 to 191 ...

. She was a historian and genealogist, who (as "Lady Elizabeth Cust") was the author of ''Some Account of the Stuarts of Aubigny, in France'', London, 1891 (her ancestors at Cobham Hall), and of ''Records of the

Cust family Cust or CUST may refer to: Cust * Cust (surname) * Cust, New Zealand, a village in Canterbury * Cust River, a river in the Canterbury region of New Zealand CUST * Capital University of Science & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan * Central Univ ...

of Pinchbeck, Stamford and Belton in Lincolnshire, 1479-1700'', 3 vols, 1898. *Lady Emma Bess Bligh (1832–1917), married

Arthur Purey-Cust Arthur Perceval Purey-Cust (born Cust; 21 February 1828 – 23 December 1916) was a Church of England cleric and author who served as Dean of York from 1880 to 1916. Biography He was born as Arthur Perceval Cust, the younger son of the Honou ...

on 6 June 1854 and had issue *Rev.

Henry Bligh Reverend Henry Bligh (10 June 1834 – 4 March 1905) was an English clergyman and cricketer. He played eight first-class cricket matches between 1853 and 1860, five for Kent County Cricket Club, two for the Gentlemen of Kent and one for Ma ...

(10 June 1834 – 4 March 1905), vicar of

St James' Church, Hampton Hill St James's Church is a Grade II listed parish church in the Church of England in Hampton Hill, London. History The first church building was opened in 1863 to designs by the architect William Wigginton. It was later enlarged, with work start ...

1881–1893 and Holy Trinity Church, Fareham 1893–1900, married first Emma Armytage (d. 27 December 1881) and second Anne Elizabeth Dobree Butler, and had issue by both Darnley died of lockjaw after an axe injury when felling timber on his estate at

Cobham Hall Cobham Hall is an English country house in the county of Kent, England. The grade I listed building is one of the largest and most important houses in Kent, re-built as an Elizabethan prodigy house by William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham (1527 ...

, Kent, in February 1835, aged 39, and was buried at Cobham. He was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son, John. His wife, ''Emma, Dowager Countess of Darnley'', died on 15 March 1884.

References

External links

*
"Hon. Emma Jane Parnell"
at ''The Peerage'' – portrait of Emma, Countess of Darnley {{DEFAULTSORT:Darnley, Edward Bligh, 5th Earl of 1795 births 1835 deaths Edward 05 People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies UK MPs 1818–1820 UK MPs 1820–1826 UK MPs 1826–1830 UK MPs who inherited peerages Lord-Lieutenants of Meath Fellows of the Royal Society Edward 05 Barons Clifton Deaths from tetanus

Background

Political career

Marriage and children

See also

References

External links