Mary Stopford, Countess of Courtown (1736 - 3 January 1810), formerly Mary Powys, was the wife of

James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown KP, PC (Ire) (28 May 1731 – 30 March 1810), known as Viscount Stopford from 1762 to 1770, was an Anglo-Irish peer and Tory politician who sat in the British House of Commons between 1774 and 1793. Courto ...

. Mary was the daughter of Richard Powys, MP, of

Hintlesham Hall Hintlesham is a small village in Suffolk, England, situated roughly halfway between Ipswich and Hadleigh. It is in the Belstead Brook electoral division of Suffolk County Council. The village is notable for Hintlesham Hall, a 16th-century Grad ...

, Suffolk, and his wife, the former Lady Mary Brudenell. Her sister

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

married

Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney (24 February 1733 – 30 June 1800) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1754 to 1783 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Sydney. He held several important Cabinet posts in t ...

. Following their father's death in 1743, their mother remarried, her second husband being

Thomas Bowlby Thomas William Bowlby (7 January 1818 – 22 September 1860) was a British correspondent for ''The Times'' in Germany and China in the 19th century. A "pioneer in the risky business of war reportage", his torture and death during the Second Op ...

, MP. Mary married the future earl on 19 April 1762 at

St. George's, Hanover Square St George's, Hanover Square, is an Anglican church, the parish church of Mayfair in the City of Westminster, central London, built in the early eighteenth century as part of a project to build fifty new churches around London (the Queen Anne C ...

, when he was an MP representing an Irish constituency. The earl and countess had four sons: *

James George Stopford, 3rd Earl of Courtown James George Stopford, 3rd Earl of Courtown KP, PC (15 August 1765 – 15 June 1835), known as Viscount Stopford from 1770 to 1810, was an Anglo-Irish peer and Tory politician. Courtown was the eldest son of James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courto ...

(1765-1835) *Lt.-Gen. Hon. Sir Edward Stopford (1766–1837), who died unmarried, leaving one illegitimate child *Admiral Hon. Sir Robert Stopford (1768–1874), who married Mary Fanshawe and had children *Reverend Hon.

Richard Bruce Stopford Hon. Richard Bruce Stopford MA (1774 – 12 December 1844) was a Canon of Windsor from 1812 to 1844. Family He was the fourth son of James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown. On 19 Nov 1800 he married Eleanor Powys, daughter of Thomas Powys, 1st Baro ...

(1774–1844), who married Hon. Eleanor Powys and had children They also had one daughter, who is not mentioned as living in the countess's obituary. The countess's portrait was painted by Sir

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter, specialising in portraits. John Russell said he was one of the major European painters of the 18th century. He promoted the "Grand Style" in painting which depend ...

The countess died at her home in Ham Common, Surrey, when "far advanced in life", and was buried at

Deene Deene is a small village and civil parish near Deenethorpe and Bulwick in North Northamptonshire. It has a village hall, and notable buildings include the redundant St Peter's Church, and the manor of Deene Park Deene Park, the seat of th ...

, Northamptonshire.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stopford, Mary, Countess of 1730s births 1810 deaths

Courtown Courtown () is a village in County Wexford, Ireland. It was developed after Lord Courtown ordered the construction of a harbour during the Famine years, 1839–1846. The economic boost of the new harbour led to a small village developing with f ...

Peerage of Ireland