Mary Stopford, Countess of Courtown (1736 - 3 January 1810), formerly Mary Powys, was the wife of

James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown Order of St Patrick, KP, Privy Council of Ireland, PC (Ire) (28 May 1731 – 30 March 1810), known as Viscount Stopford from 1762 to 1770, was an Anglo-Irish Peerage, peer and Tory politician who sat in the Bri ...

. Mary was the daughter of Richard Powys, MP, of

Hintlesham Hall Hintlesham is a small village in Suffolk, England, situated roughly halfway between Ipswich and Hadleigh. It is in the Belstead Brook electoral division of Suffolk County Council. The village is notable for Hintlesham Hall, a 16th-century Gr ...

, Suffolk, and his wife, the former Lady Mary Brudenell. Her sister

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

married

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 ...

, after whom the Australian City of

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

was named. Following their father's death in 1743, their mother remarried, her second husband being

Thomas Bowlby Thomas William Bowlby (7 January 1818 – 22 September 1860) was a British correspondent for ''The Times'' in Germany and China in the 19th century. A "pioneer in the risky business of war reportage", his torture and death during the Second Op ...

, MP. Mary married the future earl on 19 April 1762 at St. George's, Hanover Square, when he was an MP representing an Irish constituency. The earl and countess had four sons: *

James George Stopford, 3rd Earl of Courtown James George Stopford, 3rd Earl of Courtown KP, PC (15 August 1765 – 15 June 1835), known as Viscount Stopford from 1770 to 1810, was an Anglo-Irish peer and Tory politician. Early life Courtown was the eldest son of James Stopford, 2nd E ...

(1765-1835) *Lt.-Gen. Hon. Sir Edward Stopford (1766–1837), who died unmarried, leaving one illegitimate child *Admiral Hon. Sir Robert Stopford (1768–1874), who married Mary Fanshawe and had children *Reverend Hon.

Richard Bruce Stopford Hon. Richard Bruce Stopford MA (1774 – 12 December 1844) was a Canon of Windsor from 1812 to 1844. Family He was the fourth son of James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown. On 19 Nov 1800 he married Eleanor Powys, daughter of Thomas Powys, 1st Baro ...

(1774–1844), who married Hon. Eleanor Powys and had children They also had one daughter, who is not mentioned as living in the countess's obituary. The countess's portrait was painted by Sir

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

. The countess died at her home in Ham Common, Surrey, when "far advanced in life", and was buried at

Deene Deene is a small village and civil parish near Deenethorpe and Bulwick in North Northamptonshire Northamptonshire ( ; abbreviated Northants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bo ...

, Northamptonshire.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stopford, Mary, Countess of 1730s births 1810 deaths

Courtown Courtown () is a village in County Wexford, Ireland. It was developed after Earl of Courtown, Lord Courtown ordered the construction of a harbour during the Famine years, 1839–1846. The economic boost of the new harbour led to a small village ...