William Philip Molyneux, 4th Earl of Sefton, (14 October 1835 – 27 June 1897) was a British peer.

Biography

Born Viscount Molyneux, he was the eldest son of

Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton Charles William Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton (10 July 1796 – 2 August 1855), styled Lord Molyneux (or Viscount Molyneux until 1838), was a British Whig politician. Background Sefton was the eldest son of William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of S ...

and his wife, Mary. 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 ...

, Berks. In 1854, Molyneux became an

ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...

in the

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

and inherited his father's earldom the following year. He was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in 1857, retiring a year later, when he was appointed

Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire. The Lord Lieutenant is the King's personal representative in each county of the United Kingdom. Historically the Lord Lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's ...

. On 18 July 1866, Lord Sefton married Hon. Cecil Emily Jolliffe (1838–1899), the fifth daughter of

William Jolliffe, 1st Baron Hylton William George Hylton Jolliffe, 1st Baron Hylton (7 December 1800 – 1 June 1876), known as Sir William Jolliffe, Bt, between 1821 and 1866, was a British soldier and Conservative politician. He was a member of the Earl of Derby's first t ...

. They had five children: * Charles William Hylton, styled Viscount Molyneux (1867–1901), later 5th Earl of Sefton. * Lady Gertrude Eleanor (1868–1937) *Lady Rose Mary (c.1870–1905) died unmarried. * Hon. Osbert Cecil (1871–1930), later 6th Earl of Sefton. * Hon. Richard Frederick (1873–1954) died unmarried. Lord Sefton was appointed a

Knight of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...

in 1885. In 1886, he built Abbeystead House in the forest of Wyresdale, Lancashire as a 'private shooting lodge on a grand scale'. On his death in 1897, his titles passed to his eldest son, Charles. The family seats were :

Croxteth Hall Croxteth Hall is a country estate and Grade II* listed building in the West Derby suburb of Liverpool, England. It is the former country estate and ancestral home of the Molyneux (surname), Molyneux family, the Earl of Sefton, Earls of Sefton. ...

, Lancs; Abbeystead House, Lancs;

Sefton House Seaford House, previously Sefton House, is a former aristocratic mansion and the largest of the detached town houses sited on each corner of Belgrave Square, London, England. A magnolia stucco building with four main storeys, it is most famed ...

, Belgravia Sq., London

Sources

Cokayne George Edward Cokayne (29 April 1825 – 6 August 1911) was an English genealogist and long-serving herald at the College of Arms in London, who eventually rose to the rank of Clarenceux King of Arms. He wrote such authoritative and standard ...

et al., ''

The Complete Peerage ''The Complete Peerage'' (full title: ''The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom Extant, Extinct, or Dormant''); first edition by George Edward Cokayne, Clarenceux King of Arms; 2nd edition re ...

External links

* * * 1835 births 1897 deaths Grenadier Guards officers Knights of the Garter Lord-lieutenants of Lancashire People educated at Eton College Presidents of the Marylebone Cricket Club Earls of Sefton {{Ireland-earl-stub