Henry Stephen Fox-Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester, PC (21 February 1787 – 8 January 1858), styled Lord Stavordale from birth until 1802, was a British peer and Whig politician. He served as

Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a UK Government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords. The present Captain is The 9th Earl of Courtown, who was appointed to the position ...

under

Lord Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, (15 March 177924 November 1848), in some sources called Henry William Lamb, was a British Whig politician who served as Home Secretary (1830–1834) and Prime Minister (1834 and 1835–1841). His first pre ...

from 1835 to 1841.

Background and education

Stavordale was the eldest son of

Henry Fox-Strangways, 2nd Earl of Ilchester Henry Thomas Fox-Strangways, 2nd Earl of Ilchester (29 July 1747 – 5 September 1802), known as Lord Stavordale from 1756 to 1776, was a British peer and Member of Parliament. Life Ilchester was the eldest son of Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st E ...

, and Mary Theresa O'Grady, daughter of Standish O'Grady. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, which later (1814) awarded him a DCL.

Political and Yeomanry career

Lord Ilchester succeeded his father as third Earl of Ilchester in 1802. On 15 April 1808, he was commissioned a captain in the Dorsetshire Yeomanry. The regiment was disbanded in 1814. He was commissioned major in it on 8 December 1830 when it was re-formed. On 5 August 1835 he was appointed

in the Whig administration of

. He was made a

Privy Counsellor The Privy Council (PC), officially His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Its membership mainly comprises senior politicians who are current or former members of ei ...

on 12 July 1837. Ilchester was replaced as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard on 5 July 1841, shortly before the government's fall. He was also appointed

Lord Lieutenant of Somerset This is an incomplete list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Somerset. Since 1714, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Somerset. Lord Lieutenants of Somerset * John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford 1552–1555 * Wil ...

on 19 April 1837, but the resigned from the post in May 1839. On 6 June 1840, he was promoted from major to

lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...

in the Yeomanry. He was made lieutenant-colonel commandant of the Dorsetshire Yeomanry on 12 February 1846, resigning the command in July 1856.

Family

Lord Ilchester married Caroline Leonora Murray, daughter of Lord George Murray, in 1812. They had four children: *Henry Thomas Leopold Fox-Strangways, Lord Stavordale (7 January 1816 – 11 August 1837), captain in the Dorsetshire Yeomanry 1837 *Lady Theresa Anna Maria Fox-Strangways (11 January 1814 – 2 May 1874), married

Edward Digby, 9th Baron Digby Edward St Vincent Digby, 9th Baron Digby (21 June 1809 – 16 October 1889), also 3rd Baron Digby in the Peerage of Great Britain, was a British peer. Biography Digby was the son of Admiral Sir Henry Digby, who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar ...

on 27 June 1837. *Stephen Fox-Strangways, Lord Stavordale (21 March 1817 – 25 May 1848), cornet in the Dorsetshire Yeomanry 1838, later captain *Lady Caroline Margaret Fox-Strangways (9 January 1819 – 26 June 1895), married

Sir Edward Kerrison, 2nd Baronet Sir Edward Clarence Kerrison, 2nd Baronet (2 January 1821, Brighton – 11 July 1886) was a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for the borough of Eye. Biography Kerrison was the eldest son of General Sir Edward ...

on 23 July 1844. Lady Ilchester died giving birth to her fourth child. Lord Ilchester died at Melbury House on 8 January 1858, aged 70. Both his sons had predeceased him and he was succeeded in his titles by his half-brother, William Fox-Strangways.

Arms

The arms of the head of the Fox-Strangways family are

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vi ...

ed ''Quarterly of four: 1st & 4th: Sable, two lions passant paly of six argent and gules'' (Strangways); ''2nd & 3rd: Ermine, on a chevron azure three foxes' heads and necks erased or on a canton of the second a fleur-de-lys of the third'' (Fox).“Earl of Ilchester” in Montague-Smith, P.W. (ed.), ''Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage'' (Kelly's Directories Ltd, Kingston-upon-Thames, 1968), p. 607

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ilchester, Henry Stephen Fox-Strangways, 3rd Earl of 1787 births 1858 deaths Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Earls of Ilchester Lord-Lieutenants of Somerset Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Whig (British political party) politicians Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry officers

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...