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Blesington, Earl of (I, 1745 - 1769)

Creation: let.pat. 7 Dec 1745

Extinct: 14 Aug 1769

Family name: Stewart

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Arms:

See Viscount Mountjoy

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William [Stewart], 3rd Viscount Mountjoy later 1st Earl of Blesington, PC

only surv. son and hr. of William [Stewart], 2nd Viscount Mountjoy, by his wife Hon Anne Boyle, sister and eventual sole hrss. of Charles [Boyle], 2nd Viscount Blesington, and 2nd dau. by his second wife of Murrough [Boyle], 1st Viscount Blesington

born

7 Apr 1709

mar.

10 Jan 1733/4 Eleanor FitzGerald (b. c. 1712; d. 1 Oct 1774; bur. at Silchester, co. Hampshire), dau. and hrss. of Robert FitzGerald, of Castle Dod, co. Cork, Prime Serjeant-at-Law, by his wife Eleanor Kelly, dau. of John Kelly, of Kellymount, co. Kilkenny

children

1. Hon William Stewart, styled Viscount Mountjoy (b. 14 Mar 1734/5; dvp. 2 Feb 1754)

2. Hon Lionel Robert Stewart (b. 12 Apr 1736; dvp. 23 Apr 1736)

died

s.p.m.s. 14 Aug 1769 (bur. at Silchester, co. Hampshire)

created

7 Dec 1745 Earl of Blesington, of Blesington in the County of Wicklow

note

suc. his father as 3rd Viscount Mountjoy 10 Jan 1727/8; Grand Master of Irish Freemasons 1738-40 and of Atholl Grand Lodge 1756-60; Privy Councillor [I] 1748; Governor of Tyrone

On the death of the 1st Earl of Blesington the Earldom of Blesington and his other peerages became extinct. His Baronetcy passed to a distant cousin. A month later on 19 Sep 1769 Luke Gardiner, the late Earl's first cousin twice removed, was created Baron Mountjoy, and on 30 Sep 1795 he was further created Viscount Mountjoy. His son, Charles John [Gardiner], 2nd Viscount Mountjoy, was created Earl of Blesington on 12 Jan 1816. All his peerage titles became extinct on his death on 25 May 1829.

 First written 26 Feb 2003

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