John Somers Cocks, 1st Earl Somers (6 May 1760 – 5 January 1841), known as The Lord Somers between 1806 and 1821, was a British peer and politician.

Background and education

Somers was the son of Charles Cocks, 1st Baron Somers, and Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Eliot. He was educated at Westminster and

St Alban Hall, Oxford St Alban Hall, sometimes known as St Alban's Hall or Stubbins, was one of the medieval halls of the University of Oxford, and one of the longest-surviving. It was established in the 13th century, acquired by neighbouring Merton College in the ...

.thepeerage.com John Sommers Cocks, 1st Earl Sommers
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Political career

Somers sat as Member of Parliament for West Looe between 1782 and 1784, for Grampound between 1784 and 1790 and finally for Reigate between 1790 and 1806. The latter year he succeeded his father in the barony and entered the House of Lords. In 1817 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, a post he held until his death in 1841. In 1821 he was created Earl Somers and accorded additional style Viscount Eastnor, of Eastnor Castle in the County of Hereford, to be the courtesy style of the eldest son of the Earl. Starting in the 1790s he had served with the Worcester Yeomen Cavalry.

Family

Lord Somers was twice married. He married as his first wife Margaret, daughter of Reverend Treadway Russell Nash, on 19 March 1785. They had three sons and one daughter. His eldest son,

Edward Charles Cocks Edward Charles Cocks (27 July 1786 – 8 October 1812) was a British Army officer and politician. He served in Spain with Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War and was killed at the Siege of Burgos Life Cocks was the e ...

, a British Army officer, was killed at the

Siege of Burgos At the siege of Burgos, from 19 September to 21 October 1812, the Anglo-Portuguese Army led by General Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington tried to capture the castle of Burgos from its French garrison under the command of General of ...

in 1812 during the Peninsular War, greatly to the regret of the Duke of Wellington, who valued him highly. After his first wife's death in February 1831 he married as his second wife his first cousin, Jane, daughter of James Cocks and widow of Reverend George Waddington, in 1834. They had no children. Somers died in January 1841, aged 80, and was succeeded in his titles by his second but eldest surviving son, John. The Countess Somers died in November 1868.

Notes

References

*G. E. C., ed. Geoffrey F. White. ''The Complete Peerage''. (London: St. Chaterine Press, 1953) Vol. XII, Part 1, p. 32. {{DEFAULTSORT:Somers, John Cocks, 1st Earl 1760 births 1841 deaths People educated at Westminster School, London Alumni of St Alban Hall, Oxford 1 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for constituencies in Cornwall British MPs 1780–1784 British MPs 1784–1790 British MPs 1790–1796 British MPs 1796–1800 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies UK MPs 1801–1802 UK MPs 1802–1806 Somers, E1 UK MPs who were granted peerages Worcestershire Yeomanry officers Lord-Lieutenants of Herefordshire Peers of the United Kingdom created by George IV