William Thomas Spencer Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl FitzWilliam (12 October 1815 – 20 February 1902), styled Hon. William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam 1815–1835, and Viscount Milton 1835–1857, was a British peer, nobleman, and

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

politician. One of England's richest man when he died, he left a colossal sum of £3 billion (in 2008 money) making his fortune from

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 ...

coal.

Biography

Wentworth-Fitzwilliam was the second son of

Charles Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 5th Earl FitzWilliam Charles William Wentworth Fitzwilliam, 5th Earl Fitzwilliam in the peerage of Ireland and 3rd Earl Fitzwilliam in the peerage of Great Britain, (4 May 1786 – 4 October 1857) was a British nobleman and politician. He was president three times ...

and his wife, Hon. Mary Dundas, daughter of

Thomas Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas Thomas Laurence Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas, FRS (16 February 1741 – 14 June 1820) was a British politician who represented Richmond and Stirlingshire in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1763 to 1794, when he was raised to the peer ...

. He was educated at

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England *Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States *Éton, a commune in the Meuse depa ...

and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

, where he graduated MA in 1837. Two years earlier, his elder brother had died without male issue, and he became heir to his father's estates and took the courtesy title Viscount Milton. He became Member of Parliament for Malton in 1837. Holding the seat until 1841, he later reclaimed it in 1846 and then sat for

Wicklow Wicklow ( ; , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; ) is the county town of County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the east of Ireland, south of Dublin. According to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had ...

from 1847 until 1857, the year he inherited his father's earldom. He was a JP for the county of the West Riding, DL and a County Councillor for County Wicklow in Ireland. He held the command of the 1st West Yorkshire Yeomanry Cavalry for 40 years, from 1846–1886, and was a Yeomanry Aide-de-camp to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

's Viceroy in India, 1884–1894. Promoted Major for the 3rd battalion

Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was a light infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until 1958, serving in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. The regiment was formed as a consequence of th ...

, he also held a number of other military posts. In the territorial army, he was lieutenant-colonel of West Riding RHA with a temporary rank in the British Army during wartime. Lord FitzWilliam was a keen sportsman and continued

fox hunting Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, normally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of hounds" ...

throughout his life. In 1852, under the name of Viscount Milton, he played in a

first-class cricket First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officially adju ...

match for

Sheffield Cricket Club The Sheffield Cricket Club was founded in the 18th century and soon began to play a key role in the development of cricket in northern England. It was the direct forerunner of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and some of the teams fielded by Sheffi ...

against

Manchester Cricket Club Manchester Cricket Club was founded in 1816 and was a direct forerunner of Lancashire County Cricket Club which was founded in 1864. Manchester matches are classified with first-class cricket between 1844 and 1858, after which it was superseded by ...

, scoring nine runs in his only

innings An innings is one of the divisions of a cricket match during which one team takes its turn to bat. Innings also means the period in which an individual player bats (acts as either striker or nonstriker). In cricket and rounders, "innings" is ...

. In 1857, Lord FitzWilliam was appointed

Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire This is a list of those who have held the position of Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire from its creation in 1660 to its abolition on 31 March 1974. From 1699 until 1974, all Lords Lieutenant were also Custos Rotulorum of the West Ri ...

and stayed as such until 1892. He 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 1862, and was the senior knight at the time of his death. He died at his residence

Wentworth Woodhouse Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed country house in the village of Wentworth, South Yorkshire, Wentworth, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. It is currently owned by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation T ...

, in Rotherham, on 20 February 1902. As his eldest son predeceased him, his titles passed to his grandson, William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 7th Earl of Fitzwilliam. His will was proven on 24 June 1902, with his estate valued at £2,881,619 7s. 4d. (equivalent to £ in ). He owned 115,000 acres, including almost 90,000 in County Wicklow.The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland
/ref>

Family

On 10 September 1838, Lord Fitzwilliam married Lady Frances Harriet Douglas, the eldest daughter of

George Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton George Sholto Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton (23 December 1789 – 31 March 1858), known as George Douglas until 1827, was a Scottish British Tory Party, Tory politician. Douglas was the son of the Hon. John Douglas, second son of James Douglas, 14 ...

. Lady FitzWilliam died on 16 June 1895. They had fourteen children: * William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, Viscount Milton (1839–1877), politician. * Hon. William Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam (26 December 1840 – 10 July 1920), politician; married on 11 July 1877 to

Lady Mary Butler Lady Mary Butler (1689 – 2 January 1713) was the second daughter of the 2nd Duke of Ormonde and maternally a granddaughter of the 1st Duke of Beaufort. She was born at Kilkenny Castle in Ireland. She married John, 3rd Baron Ashburnham, on ...

, daughter of

John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde, Order of St. Patrick, KP (24 August 1808 – 25 September 1854) was an Irish politician and peer. Family He was the son of James Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde and Grace Louisa Staples. He married France ...

. * Lady Frances Mary Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (c. 1842 – 28 September 1903); married on 18 November 1867 to Charles Mervyn Doyne. They had five children: ** Major Robert Wentworth Doyne (30 December 1868 – 25 September 1942); married Mary, daughter of

Henry Lascelles, 4th Earl of Harewood Henry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Henry (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters * Henry (surname) * Henry, a stage name of François-Louis Henry (1786–1855), French baritone Arts and entertainmen ...

, and had issue ** Kathleen Doyne (29 September 1870 – January 1938) ** Dermot Henry Doyne (21 November 1871 – 3 July 1942) ** Eveleen Margaret Doyne (26 January 1876 – 28 February 1962) ** Bridget Frances Doyne (5 October 1879 – June 1921) * Hon. Margaret Mary Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (1844 – 1844) * Lady Mary Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (1845 – 1921); married on 23 May 1872 to the Hon. Hugh Le Despencer Boscawen (1849–1908), son of

Evelyn Boscawen, 6th Viscount Falmouth Evelyn Boscawen, 6th Viscount Falmouth (18 March 1819 – 6 November 1889), was a Horse breeding, breeder of Horse racing, race horses and the winner of many British Classic Races, classic races. Personal life His parents were the Reverend Th ...

(1819–1889) * Hon. William Thomas Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (7 October 1846 – 23 March 1896); married on 21 December 1876 to Elgiva Mary Kinglake. They had one daughter: ** Elgiva Mary Kathorn Fitzwilliam (d. 24 April 1963) * Hon. William Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam GCVO (1848–1925), courtier; married on 31 October 1882 to married Constance Anne, daughter of Henry Brocklehurst. They had one son: ** Eric Spencer Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 9th Earl Fitzwilliam (4 December 1883 – 3 April 1952) * Hon. William John Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (7 August 1852 – 11 September 1889), politician. * Lady Albreda Mary Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (19 January 1855 – 9 October 1933); married on 18 December 1895 to Hon. Charles Fowler Bourke, son of Robert Bourke, 5th

Earl of Mayo Earl of the County of Mayo, usually known simply as Earl of Mayo (), is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created, in 1785, for John Bourke, 1st Viscount Mayo (of the second creation). For many years he served as "First Commissioner of Revenue" ...

. * Hon. William George Frederick Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (1857 – 19 September 1857) * Lady Charlotte Mary Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (1858 – 1948) * Hon. William Hugh Spencer Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (10 January 1860 – 28 March 1917); married on 18 October 1901 to Lady Ada Charlotte Godolphin Osborne (30 May 1870 – 9 April 1944), daughter of George Godolphin Osborne, 9th Duke of Leeds. * Hon. William Reginald Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (12 April 1862 – 7 July 1906); married on 2 February 1893 to Edith Isabella Georgina Lane-Fox. * Lady Alice Mary Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (1869–1922)

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:FitzWilliam, William Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl 1815 births 1902 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Knights of the Garter Lord-lieutenants of the West Riding of Yorkshire Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for County Wicklow constituencies (1801–1922) People educated at Eton College UK MPs 1837–1841 UK MPs 1841–1847 UK MPs 1847–1852 UK MPs 1852–1857 Fitzwilliam, E6 Earls in the Peerage of Great Britain English cricketers English cricketers of 1826 to 1863 19th-century British sportsmen Sheffield Cricket Club cricketers Earls Fitzwilliam Presidents of the Marylebone Cricket Club