Henry Shirley, 3rd Earl Ferrers (14 November 1691 – 6 August 1745), known as Hon. Henry Shirley until 1729, was an English

hereditary peer The hereditary peers form part of the peerage in the United Kingdom. As of April 2025, there are 800 hereditary peers: 30 dukes (including six royal dukes), 34 marquesses, 189 earls, 108 viscounts, and 439 barons (not counting subsidiary ...

and person who suffered from mental illness.

Early life

Ferrers was the ninth, but second surviving, son of

Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers PC (20 October 1650 – 25 December 1717)—known as Sir Robert Shirley, 7th Baronet, from 1669 to 1677 and Robert Shirley, 14th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, from 1677 to 1711—was an English peer and courtier. ...

and his wife Elizabeth Washington. His mental disorder led his younger brother, Laurence, to obtain a commission of lunacy against him. However, Ferrers' condition improved and he regained control of his estates in October 1730, the year after he succeeded his elder brother

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

in the earldom.

Later life

Whilst well enough to accept the offices of

Lord Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ov ...

and

Custos Rotulorum of Staffordshire {{Wiktionary, custos ''Custos'' is the Latin word for guard. Titles * Custos rotulorum ("keeper of the rolls"), a civic post in parts of the United Kingdom and in Jamaica * Custos (Franciscans), a religious superior or official in the Franc ...

in 1731, Ferrers again relapsed into insanity, although he was not removed from office until 1742.

Death

Lord Ferrers was confined during the last years of his life and died in

Kensington Gore Kensington Gore is the name of a U-shaped thoroughfare on the south side of Hyde Park in the City of Westminster, England. The streets connect the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal College of Art, the Royal Geographical Society, and in Kensin ...

in 1745 at the age of 53. He was succeeded in the earldom by his nephew

Laurence Laurence is in modern use as an English masculine and a French feminine given name. The modern English masculine name is a variant of Lawrence and originates from a French form of the Latin ''Laurentius'', a name meaning "man from Laurentum" ...

, who would later be executed for murdering his steward.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrers, Henry Shirley, 3rd Earl 1691 births 1745 deaths 03 Lord-lieutenants of Staffordshire