
Albert Denison Denison, 1st Baron Londesborough,
KCH,
FRS,
FSA (''né'' Conyngham; 21 October 1805 – 15 January 1860), was a British
Whig Party politician and diplomat, known as Lord Albert Conyngham from 1816 to 1849.
Early life and career
Born Albert Denison Conyngham was born at Stanhope Street,
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of Westminster, London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. It is between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts ...
, he was the third son of
Henry Conyngham, 1st Marquess Conyngham, and
Elizabeth Denison. He was educated at
Eton, and was commissioned a cornet and sub-lieutenant in the
Royal Horse Guards in 1821, before joining the
diplomatic service. On 28 April 1826, he purchased an unattached infantry lieutenancy. In 1824, he was an
attaché to Berlin, then
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
in 1825, and Secretary of the Legation to
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
in 1828, and to Berlin, from 1829 to 1831.
Conyngham was knighted in 1829, and at the
1835 general election he was elected as
Whig Member of Parliament for
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
, a seat he held until
1841, when he did not contest the election.
He was elected unopposed at a by-election in March 1847
and held the seat until he was elevated to peerage in 1850.
From 1844 to 1845, he served as first President of the
British Archaeological Association
The British Archaeological Association (BAA) was founded in 1843 and aims to inspire, support and disseminate high quality research in the fields of Western archaeology, art and architecture, primarily of the mediaeval period, through lectures, co ...
, and from 1855 until his death as first President of the
London and Middlesex Archaeological Society. He was sometime
Vice-Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral.
Australia
In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of vic ...
of the
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
Coast.
In 1849, he changed his surname to Denison under the terms of the will of his maternal uncle,
William Joseph Denison, and was created Baron Londesborough a year later. In 1851, he bought both
Grimston Park, near
Tadcaster
Tadcaster is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, north-east of Leeds and south-west of York.
Its historical importance from Roman times onward was largely as the lowest road crossing-point o ...
, North Yorkshire, and the painting ''
The Monarch of the Glen'', the latter for £840.
Marriage and issue
On 6 July 1833, Londesborough married Hon. Henrietta Marie Weld-Forester (a daughter of the
1st Baron Forester) and they had six children:
*
Hon. William Henry Forester (1834–1900), created
Earl of Londesborough
*
Hon. Albert Denison Somerville (1835–1903)
*Hon. Henrietta Elizabeth Sophia (25 December 1836 – 15 July 1924), married Sir Philip Grey Egerton, 11th Baronet, and had issue, including
Sir Philip Grey Egerton, 12th Baronet
Sir Philip Henry Brian Grey-Egerton, 12th Baronet JP DP (29 April 1864 – 4 July 1937) was a British soldier and aristocrat who was a member of the Grey and Egerton families.
Early life
Philip Henry Brian Grey-Egerton was born on 29 April 186 ...
*Hon. Selina Camerina Charlotte (29 December 1837 – 11 September 1852), died young
*Hon. Isabella Maria (12 April 1839 – 5 October 1856), died young
*Hon. Augusta Elizabeth (6 April 1841 – 20 January 1887), married
Arthur Wrottesley, 3rd Baron Wrottesley
Arthur Wrottesley, 3rd Baron Wrottesley (17 June 1824 – 28 December 1910), was a British peer and Liberal politician.
Early life and education
Wrottesley was born in London, the son of John Wrottesley, 2nd Baron Wrottesley, President of the ...
, and had issue.
Londesborough's first wife died in 1841, and on 21 December 1847, he married Ursula Bridgeman (a daughter of
Vice-Admiral Charles Orlando Bridgeman). They had seven children:
*Hon. Ursula Elizabeth (3 October 1848 – 23 April 1880), married Rev. George Cockburn Dickinson, son of Capt. Richard Dickinson
*Hon. Henry Charles (28 October 1849 – 23 July 1936), married Beatrice Mary Guthrie, daughter of James Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Craigie
*Hon. Conyngham Albert (5 March 1851 – 25 May 1938), married Evelyn Maud Webster, daughter of Charles Fox Webster
*Hon. Alberta (13 May 1853 – 31 May 1854), died in infancy
*Hon. Albertina Agnes Mary (22 September 1854 – 20 October 1929), who married Colonel
Ivor Herbert, 1st Baron Treowen, in 1873. She founded and was the first President of the Ottawa Decorative Art Society. She was president of the Woman's Humane Society, and the first president of the Humane Society of Ottawa. She also had cabmen's shelters erected in Ottawa.
*Hon. Harold Albert (26 March 1856 – 2 January 1948), married Katherine Lister, daughter of Sir
Thomas Villiers Lister. He was the father of
Conyngham Denison, 7th Baron Londesborough and
John Albert Lister Denison, 8th Baron Londesborough.
*Hon. Evelyn Albert (4 September 1859 – 17 January 1883); after an argument with his stepfather, Evelyn emigrated, first to Belgium in 1878, then to the United States, where he died in Denver from
consumption.
Death
Lord Londesborough died in 1860 and his title was inherited by his eldest son, William, who was later created
Earl of Londesborough in 1887. His second wife later married
Lord Otho FitzGerald.
References
External links
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Denison, Albert 1st Baron Londesborough
Londesborough, Albert Denison, 1st Baron
Londesborough, Albert Denison, 1st Baron
Whig (British political party) MPs for English constituencies
Londesborough, Albert Denison, 1st Baron
Londesborough, Albert Denison, 1st Baron
Presidents of the Royal Numismatic Society
Londesborough, Albert Denison, 1st Baron
Londesborough, Albert Denison, 1st Baron
Younger sons of marquesses
Londesborough, Albert Denison, 1st Baron
Londesborough, Albert Denison, 1st Baron
UK MPs 1835–1837
UK MPs 1837–1841
UK MPs 1847–1852
UK MPs who were granted peerages
Albert
Peers of the United Kingdom created by Queen Victoria
Presidents of the Royal Archaeological Institute