William Pitt Amherst, 2nd Earl Amherst (3 September 1805 – 26 March 1886), styled Viscount Holmesdale between 1826 and 1857, was a British peer. Amherst was born at Lower Grosvenor Street, London, the son of William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst, by his first wife

Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...

, daughter of Andrew Archer, 2nd Baron Archer. He was educated at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. He became known by the

courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but is rather used by custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some context ...

Viscount Holmesdale when his father was elevated to an earldom in 1826. In 1829 he was returned to parliament as one of two representatives for

East Grinstead East Grinstead () is a town in West Sussex, England, near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders, south of London, northeast of Brighton, and northeast of the county town of Chichester. Situated in the northeast corner of the county, bord ...

, a seat he held until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the

Great Reform Act The Representation of the People Act 1832 (also known as the Reform Act 1832, Great Reform Act or First Reform Act) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (indexed as 2 & 3 Will. 4. c. 45), enacted by the Whig government of Pri ...

. He never returned to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, 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 ...

. In 1857 he succeeded his father in the earldom and took his seat in the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

. Lord Amherst married Gertrude, daughter of the Right Reverend Hugh Percy, in 1834. They had six sons and five daughters, including William Amherst and Josceline Amherst. He died at

Montreal Park Montreal Park is a development in Sevenoaks in Kent which was formerly the home of Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst, Lord Amherst, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces. It was named after his Montreal Campaign, conquest of Montreal in 1760. Histo ...

Sevenoaks Sevenoaks is a town in Kent with a population of 29,506, situated south-east of London, England. Also classified as a civil parishes in England, civil parish, Sevenoaks is served by a commuter South Eastern Main Line, main line railway into Lo ...

, Kent, in March 1886, aged 80. He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, William. The Countess Amherst died at Rutland Gate, London, in April 1890, aged 75.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Amherst, William Amherst 1805 births 1886 deaths Earls Amherst Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies UK MPs 1826–1830 UK MPs 1830–1831 UK MPs 1831–1832 UK MPs who inherited peerages People educated at Westminster School, London Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Ultra-Tory MPs People from Sevenoaks