Frederick Irby, 2nd Baron Boston FSA (9 June 1749 – 23 March 1825) was an English peer, landowner, and courtier.

Early life

Frederick Irby was born on 9 June 1749. He was the eldest son of

William Irby, 1st Baron Boston William Irby, 1st Baron Boston (8 March 1707 – 30 March 1775), known as Sir William Irby, 2nd Baronet from 1718 to 1761, was a British peer and Member of Parliament. Early life Irby was born on 8 March 1707. He was the only son of Sir Edwar ...

, and Albinia Selwyn. His elder sister, Hon. Augusta Georgina Elizabeth Irby, married

Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham PC (14 July 1748 – 16 January 1818), was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1774 to 1781 when he succeeded to the peerage as Baron Walsingham. He served as Joint Postmaster Genera ...

. His younger brother, Hon. William Henry Irby, married Mary Blackman (co-heiress of Rowland Blackman of Bath and

Antigua Antigua ( ; ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua ...

). His paternal grandparents were Sir Edward Irby, 1st Baronet and the former Dorothy Paget (a granddaughter of the 5th Baron Paget).G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, ''The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14'' (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes,

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...

Alan Sutton Publishing The History Press is a British publishing company specialising in the publication of titles devoted to local and specialist history. It claims to be the United Kingdom's largest independent publisher in this field, publishing approximately 300 ...

, 2000), volume II, page 227. His maternal grandparents were Henry Selwyn, the Receiver-General of Customs, and Ruth Compton (a daughter of Anthony Compton of Gainslaw, near

Berwick-on-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

). His maternal uncle was William Selwyn, MP for Whitchurch. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and graduated from

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

on 8 July 1763 with a Doctor of Civil Laws (D.C.L.), and from St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1769 with a Master of Arts (M.A.).

Career

Upon the death of his father on 30 March 1775, he succeeded as the 2nd

Baron Boston Baron Boston, of Boston in the County of Lincoln, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1761 for the court official and former Member of Parliament, Sir William Irby, 2nd Baronet. He had earlier represented Launceston ...

, of

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

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 repla ...

, as well as the 3rd Baronet Irby, of Whaplode and

Boston, Lincolnshire Boston is a market town and inland port in the borough of the same name in the county of Lincolnshire, England. It lies to the south-east of Lincoln, east of Nottingham and north-east of Peterborough. The town had a population of 45,339 at ...

in the

Baronetage of Great Britain Baronets are hereditary titles awarded by the Crown. The current baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier, existing baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Great Britain. To be recognised as a baronet, it is necessary ...

. In 1778, Irby built a new mansion at his estate at

Hedsor House Hedsor House is an Italianate-style mansion in the United Kingdom, located in Hedsor in Buckinghamshire. Perched overlooking the River Thames, a manor house at Hedsor can be dated back to 1166 when the estate was owned by the de Hedsor Family. ...

, near

Taplow Taplow is a village and civil parish in the Unitary Authority of Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the left bank of the River Thames, facing Maidenhead in the neighbouring county of Berkshire, with Cippenham and Burnham to the east. It is th ...

, Buckinghamshire. An engraving of the manor, by his brother-in-law Archdeacon John Gooch, is now in the British Museum. An amateur etcher, Irby was invested as a

Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries The Society of Antiquaries of London (SAL) is a learned society of historians and archaeologists in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1707, received its royal charter in 1751 and is a registered charity. It is based at Burlington House in Pi ...

on 8 January 1778. In later life he was a courtier, holding the office of

Lord of the Bedchamber Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a title in the Royal Household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain. A Lord of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household, the term being fir ...

to both

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

and

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

, from 1780 until his death in 1825.

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

was godfather to Irby’s oldest son and heir, George, at his baptism on 28 January 1778.

Personal life

On 15 May 1775, Lord Boston married Christiana Methuen (d. 1832), a daughter of Paul Methuen, MP for Westbury,

Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined wit ...

, and

Great Bedwyn Great Bedwyn is a village and civil parish in east Wiltshire, England. The village is on the River Dun about southwest of Hungerford, southeast of Swindon and southeast of Marlborough. The Kennet and Avon Canal and the Reading to Taunt ...

, and Catharine Cobb of

Corsham Court Corsham Court is an English country house in a park designed by Capability Brown. It is in the town of Corsham, 3 miles (5 km) west of Chippenham, Wiltshire, and is notable for its fine art collection, based on the nucleus of painting ...

, Wiltshire. Her brother, Paul Cobb Methuen, was the father of

Paul Methuen, 1st Baron Methuen Paul Methuen, 1st Baron Methuen (21 June 1779 – 14 September 1849), was a British Whig politician who was raised to the peerage in 1838. Biography Methuen was the son of Paul Cobb Methuen of Corsham, Wiltshire, and his wife Matilda (née Go ...

. Together, they were the parents of thirteen children, including: * Hon. Charlotte Irby (1776–1848), who died unmarried. *

George Irby, 3rd Baron Boston Major George Irby, 3rd Baron Boston (27 December 1777 – 12 March 1856) was an English peer and landowner. Early life George Irby was born on 9 June 1749 at Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, London. For his baptism on 28 January 1778, his sponsor was ...

(1777–1856), who married Rachel Ives Drake, daughter of William Drake, MP for

Amersham Amersham ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England, in the Chiltern Hills, northwest of central London, south-east of Aylesbury and north-east of High Wycombe. Amersham is part of the London commuter belt. There ar ...

, and Rachel Elizabeth Ives, in 1801. * Hon.

Frederick Paul Irby Rear-Admiral Frederick Paul Irby (18 April 1779 – 24 April 1844) was a Royal Navy officer who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Early life Frederick Irby was born on 18 April 1779. He was the second son of Frederick Ir ...

(1779–1844), a Rear-Admiral who married Emily Ives Drake, also a daughter of William Drake, in 1803. After her death, he married Frances Wright, daughter of Ichabod Wright and Harriet Maria Day, in 1816. * Hon. William Augustus Irby (1780–1807), a Reverend who died unmarried. * Hon. Albinia Irby (1782–1839), a spinster who died at

Ostallgäu Ostallgäu is a ''Landkreis'' (district) in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts of Oberallgäu, Unterallgäu, Augsburg, Landsberg, Weilheim-Schongau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and by the ...

, Germany. * Hon. Henry Edward Irby (1783–1821), a Lt.-Col. in the

2nd Life Guards The 2nd Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 2nd Troop of Horse Guards and 2nd Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated ...

who fought at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...

and died with the

1st West India Regiment The West India Regiments (WIR) were infantry units of the British Army recruited from and normally stationed in the British colonies of the Caribbean between 1795 and 1927. In 1888 the two West India Regiments then in existence were reduced t ...

. * Hon. Paul Anthony Irby (1784–1865), the Vicar of Cottesbrook; he married Patience Anne Champion de Crespigny, daughter of

Sir William Champion de Crespigny, 2nd Baronet Sir William Champion de Crespigny, 2nd Baronet (1 January 1765 – 28 December 1829) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1818 and 1826. Early life Crespigny was born on 1 January 1765. He was the only son of Sir Clau ...

and Lady Sarah Windsor (a daughter of the 4th Earl of Plymouth), in 1814. After her death in 1831, he married Wilhelmina Powell, daughter of David Powell of Bench House, Loughton, Essex, in 1836. After her death in 1842, he married Augusta Cowell, daughter of John B. Cowell, in 1849. * Hon. Christian Elizabeth Irby (1786–1875). * Hon. Edward Methuen Irby (1788–1809), an officer in the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards who died at the

Battle of Talavera The Battle of Talavera (27–28 July 1809) was fought just outside the town of Talavera de la Reina, Spain some southwest of Madrid, during the Peninsular War. At Talavera, a British army under Sir Arthur Wellesley combined with a Spanish ...

. * Hon. Charles Leonard Irby (1789–1845), a Captain in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

who travelled to the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

, author of ''Travels in Egypt and Nubia, Syria, and Asia Minor; during the years 1817 & 1818'' and ''Travels in Egypt and Nubia, Syria, and the Holy Land'' (1852); he married Frances Mangles, daughter of John Mangles, in 1825. * Hon. Augusta Matilda Irby (1791–1877), who married Rev. William Holdsworth in 1853. * Hon. Anne Maria Louisa Irby (1792–1870), who married Henry Peachey, 3rd Baron Selsey, a son of

John Peachey, 2nd Baron Selsey John Peachey, 2nd Baron Selsey (16 March 1749 – 27 June 1816), styled The Honourable John Peachey between 1794 and 1808, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1776 to 1790. Peachey was the son of James Peachey, 1st Baro ...

and Hester Elizabeth Jennings, in 1817. * Hon. Adolphus Frederick Irby (1797–1863), a Reverend who died unmarried. Lord Boston died on 23 March 1825, aged 75, at Lower Grosvenor 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 ...

, London. His widow died on 9 May 1832.Mosley, Charles, editor. ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes.''

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...

Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher, considered an authority on the order of precedence of noble families and information on the lesser nobility of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1826, when the Anglo-Irish geneal ...

, 2003, volume 1, page 445.

References

External links

Frederick Irby, 2nd Baron Boston (1749 - 1825)
at the

Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...

Frederick Irby, 2nd Baron Boston (1749-1825), Lord of the Bedchamber 1780-1825
at the

National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London that houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. When it opened in 1856, it was arguably the first national public gallery in the world th ...

Christian Irby (née Methuen), Lady Boston (1757-1832), Wife of 2nd Baron Boston
at the

Irby, Frederick, 1749-1825 (2nd Baron Boston)
at t he

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boston, Frederick Irby, 2nd Baron 1749 births 1825 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge 2 People from Taplow