Viscount Sydney (an alternative spelling of the surname Sidney) is a title that has been created twice. The title was elevated twice from a

barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

, and once into an

earldom Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

First creation (1689)

The first creation came on 9 April 1689 when Henry Sydney was elevated from

Baron Sydney Baron Sydney (an alternative spelling of the surname Sidney) was a title that was created three times in British history. The title was later elevated twice into a viscounty, and from there, once more into an earldom. First creation (1603) The f ...

to Viscount Sydney, of Sheppey, in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in t ...

. On 14 May 1694, he was also created

Earl of Romney Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Old Norse, Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "Germanic ch ...

but his titles became extinct when he died unmarried in 1704.

Second creation (1789)

The second creation came in 1789 when Thomas Townshend (the then Baron Sydney) was made Viscount Sydney, of St Leonards, in the

Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself r ...

. He served as

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all national ...

and

Leader of the House of Lords The leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The post is also the leader of the majority party in the House of Lords who acts as ...

. Townshend was the son of the Hon. Thomas Townshend, second son of

Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, (; 18 April 167421 June 1738) was an English Whig statesman. He served for a decade as Secretary of State for the Northern Department, 1714–1717, 1721–1730. He directed British foreign policy in ...

, whose eldest son

Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend (11 July 1700 – 12 March 1764), known as The Lord Lynn from 1723 to 1738, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1722 to 1723 when he was elevated to the House of Lords by wri ...

is the ancestor of the Marquesses of Townshend. Townshend was also a female-line great-great-grandson of Lady Lucy Sydney, daughter of

Robert Sydney, 2nd Earl of Leicester Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1 December 1595 – 2 November 1677) was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625 and then succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Leicester. Life Sidney was born a ...

, hence his choice of title. The family seat of this branch of the Townshend family was

Frognal House Frognal House is a Jacobean mansion in London, England, standing on the border of Sidcup in the London Borough of Bexley, and Chislehurst, in the London Borough of Bromley. It was built in the early 16th century. History A Jacobean mansion ...

, near

Sidcup Sidcup is an area of south-east London, England, primarily in the London Borough of Bexley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, bordering the London Boroughs of London Borough of Bromley, Bromley and Royal Borough of Greenwich, Greenwich. Before ...

in the

London Borough of Bexley The London Borough of Bexley () is a London boroughs, London borough in south-east London, forming part of Outer London. It has a population of 248,287. The main settlements are Sidcup, Erith, Bexleyheath, Crayford, Welling and Old Bexley. The ...

List of Viscounts Sydney (1789)

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 ...

(1733–1800) - the cities of

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

(1785) in

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

, Canada, and

(1788) in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia, were named in his honour *

John Thomas Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney John Thomas Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney of St Leonards (21 February 1764 – 20 January 1831) was a British peer and Member of Parliament. Early life Townshend was born on 21 February 1764. He was the eldest son of twelve children born to Tho ...

(1764–1831) - represented Newport and Whitchurch in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

. * John Robert Townshend, 3rd Viscount Sydney (1805–1890) - served as

Lord Chamberlain of the Household 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 are ...

and as

Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is an official of the Royal Household in England. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the office was one of considerable political importance ...

, and was elevated to

Earl Sydney Caricature, published in '' Vanity Fair'' in 1869. Earl Sydney, of Scadbury in the County of Kent, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1874 for John Townshend, 3rd Viscount Sydney. Earl Sydney (1874) The tit ...

in 1874. He died childless in February 1890, aged 84, when all his titles became extinct.

References

External links

Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney
at the National Gallery
John Thomas Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney
at the National Gallery *
Caroline Elizabeth Letitia Townshend (née Clements), Viscountess Sydney
at the National Gallery {{DEFAULTSORT:Sydney 1689 establishments in England 1704 disestablishments in England 1789 establishments in Great Britain 1890 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Extinct viscountcies in the Peerage of England Extinct viscountcies in the Peerage of Great Britain Noble titles created in 1689 Noble titles created in 1789

First creation (1689)

Second creation (1789)

List of Viscounts Sydney (1789)

See also

References

External links