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Darnley, Earl of (I, 1725)

Creation: let. pat. 29 Jun 1725

Family name: Bligh

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Arms:

Azure a Griffin segreant Or Armed and Langued Gules between three Crescents Argent

Crest:

A Griffin's Head erased Or

Supporters:

On either side a Griffin wings expanded Or ducally collared and chained Azure

Motto:

Finem Respice (Look to the end)

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John [Bligh], 1st Baron Clifton of Rathmore later 1st Viscount of Darnley later 1st Earl of Darnley

1st son of Rt Hon Thomas Bligh MP, of Rathmore, co. Meath, by his wife Elizabeth Napier, dau. of Col James Napier, of Loughcrew, co. Meath

born

1683

mar.

24 Aug 1713 Lady Theodosia Hyde, suo jure Baroness Clifton of Leighton Bromswold (b. 9 Nov 1695; d. 30 Jul 1722), only surv. dau. and hrss. of Edward [Hyde], 3rd Earl of Clarendon, by his wife Lady Catharine O'Brien, suo jure Baroness Clifton of Leighton Bromswold, only surv. dau. and hrss. of Hon Henry O'Brien MP, styled Lord Ilbracken (by his wife Lady Katharine Stuart, suo jure Baroness Clifton of Leighton Bromswold), 1st son and heir app. of Henry [O'Brien], 6th Earl of Thomond

children

1. George Bligh (b. 31 Oct 1714; d. an infant)

2. Hon Edward Bligh, later 11th Baron Clifton of Leighton Bromswold later 2nd Earl of Darnley

3. Hon John Bligh, later 3rd Earl of Darnley

1. Lady Mary Bligh (d. 27 Apr 1748), mar. Mar 1736 William Tighe MP, of Rosanna, co. Wicklow, and had issue

2. Lady Ann Bligh (d. 7 Feb 1789), mar. (1) 17 Sep 1742 Robert Hawkins-Magill, of Gill Hall, co. Down (d. 1745), and (2) Dec 1747 Bernard [Ward], 1st Viscount Bangor, and had issue by both husbands

3. Lady Theodosia Bligh (b. c.1723; d. 20 May 1777), mar. Nov 1745 as his first wife William [Crosbie], 1st Earl of Glandore, and had issue

died

12 Sep 1728

created

14 Sep 1721 Baron Clifton of Rathmore, in the County of Meath

7 Mar 1722/3 Viscount Darnley, of Athboy in the County of Meath

29 Jun 1725 Earl of Darnley

suc. by

son

note

Member of Parliament for Trim 1709-13 and for Athboy 1713-21

Edward [Bligh], 11th Baron Clifton of Leighton Bromswold later 2nd Earl of Darnley

born

9 Nov 1715

died

22 Jul 1747

suc. by

brother

note

suc. his mother 30 Jul 1722 as 11th Baron Clifton of Leighton Bromswold; FRS 1737/8; Grand Master of Freemasons 1737-38; a Lord of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales 1742-47

John [Bligh], 3rd Earl of Darnley

born

28 Sep 1719

mar.

11 Sep 1766 Mary Stoyte (b. 18 Oct 1747; d. 27 Mar 1803), dau. and hrss. of John Stoyte, of Street, co. Westmeath, by his wife Mary Howard, sister of Ralph [Howard], 1st Viscount Wicklow, and 1st dau. of Rt Rev Robert Howard, Bishop of Elphin

children

1. Hon John Bligh, later 4th Earl of Darnley

2. Gen Hon Edward Bligh (b. 19 Sep 1769; d. 2 Nov 1840)

3. Col Hon William Bligh (b. 25 Sep 1775; d. 6 Aug 1845), mar. 21 Jul 1806 Lady Sophia Stewart (d. 1809), 8th dau. of John [Stewart], 7th Earl of Galloway, by his second wife Anne Dashwood, 2nd dau. of Sir James Dashwood, 2nd Bt. MP, of Kirtlington Park, co. Oxford, and had issue

1. Lady Mary Bligh (dsp. 4 Mar 1796), mar. 7 Aug 1789 as his first wife Sir Lawrence Palk, 2nd Bt. MP

2. Lady Theodosia Bligh (d. 21 Jan 1840), mar. 3 Nov 1790 her 1st cousin once removed Thomas Cherburgh Bligh (d. 17 Sep 1830), and had issue

3. Lady Sarah Bligh (b. 10 Feb 1772; bur. 12 Apr 1797)

4. Lady Catherine Bligh (b. 6 May 1774; d. 11 Feb 1812), mar. 8 Aug 1804 as his first wife Charles William [Stewart later Vane], 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, and had issue

died

31 Jul 1781

suc. by

son

note

Member of Parliament for Athboy 1739-47 and for Maidstone (Anti-Walpole Whig) 1741-47

John [Bligh], 4th Earl of Darnley

born

30 Jun 1767

mar.

26 Aug 1791 Elizabeth Brownlow (d. 22 Dec 1831), 3rd dau. of Rt Hon William Brownlow, of Lurgan, co. Armagh, by his second wife Catharine Hall, dau. of Roger Hall, of Mount Hall, co. Down

children

1. Hon John Bligh, styled Lord Clifton (b. 22 May 1793; dvp. 3 Jun 1793)

2. Hon Edward Bligh, later 5th Earl of Darnley

3. Hon William Bligh (b. 25 May 1797; dvp. 18 Oct 1807)

4. Hon Sir John Duncan Bligh KCB, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Hanover (b. 11 Oct 1798 ; d. 8 May 1872), mar. (1) 19 Dec 1835 Elizabeth Mary Gisborne (d. 22 Jul 1837), only dau. of Thomas Gisborne MP, and (2) 28 Nov 1865 his cousin Anne Julia Brownlow (dsp. 19 Jul 1882), 4th dau. of Rev Francis Brownlow. Rector of Upper Comber, co. Derry (by his wife Lady Catherine Brabazon, 6th dau. of Anthony [Brabazon], 8th Earl of Meath), 1st son of Rt Hon William Brownlow, of Lurgan, co. Armagh, by his second wife Catharine Hall, dau. of Roger Hall, of Mount Hall, co. Down, and had issue by his first wife

1. Lady Catherine Bligh (b. 18 Jun 1792; dvp. 10 Jan 1812)

2. Lady Mary Bligh (b. 1 Jun 1796; dspm. 18 Jun 1823), mar. 1 Jun 1822 as his first wife her cousin Charles [Brownlow], 1st Baron Lurgan, and had issue

3. Lady Elizabeth Bligh (d. 13 Nov 1872), mar. 19 Jul 1833 Rev John Brownlow (d. 24 May 1882), and had issue

died

17 Mar 1831

suc. by

son

note

FRS 1810; in 1829 the 4th Earl presented a petition to the King, claiming the Dukedom of Lennox, in the Peerage of Scotland, as heir-of-line of Charles, 6th Duke of Lennox and 2nd Duke of Richmond (of the second creation), at whose death, in 1672, King Charles II was served as heir.  As the Royal House of Stuart became extinct in 1807 , with the death of Benedict Cardinal York, the last heir male of the Stuarts, the Earl of Darnley put forward his claim as heir-general, being descended from Catherine, sister of the 6th Duke of Lennox.  The petition was referred to the House of Lords, but no decision was reached on it.  Editor:  The petitioner seems to have omitted to note that Princess Henrietta Anne, sister of King Charles II, had descendants who would presumably have a prior claim to the Dukedom as heirs-general of King Charles II.

Edward [Bligh], 5th Earl of Darnley

born

25 Feb 1795

mar.

26 Jul 1825 Hon Emma Jane Parnell (b. 7 Apr 1804; d. 15 Mar 1884), 3rd dau. of Henry Brooke [Parnell], 1st Baron Congleton, by his wife Lady Caroline Elizabeth Dawson, 1st dau. of John [Dawson], 1st Earl of Portarlington

children

1. Hon John Stuart Bligh, later 6th Earl of Darnley

2. Rev Hon Edward Vesey Bligh DL, of Fartherwell Hall, co. Kent, Vicar of Birling, co. Kent (b. 28 Feb 1829; d. 22 Apr 1908), mar. 23 Feb 1854 Lady Isabel Frances Nevill (b. 6 Sep 1831; d. 18 Dec 1915), 3rd dau. of William [Nevill], 4th Earl of Abergavenny, by his wife Caroline Leeke, 2nd dau. of Ralph Leeke, of Longford Hall, co. Salop, and had issue

3. Rev Hon Henry Bligh, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Fareham 1893-1900 (b. 10 Jun 1834; d. 4 Mar 1905), mar. (1) 14 Oct 1858 Emma Armytage (d. 27 Dec 1881), yst. dau. of Col Henry Armytage (by his first wife Charlotte Starkie, only dau. of Legendre Starkie, of Huntroyd, co. Lancaster), 2nd son by his second wife of Sir George Armytage, 4th Bt., and (2) 3 Apr 1883 Anne Elizabeth Dobrée Butler (d. 20 Jan 1948), dau. of Lt Col Edward Dobrée Butler, and had issue by both his wives

1. Lady Elizabeth Caroline Bligh (d. 10 Apr 1914), mar. 13 Dec 1855 Sir Reginald John Cust (b. 25 Sep 1828; d. 11 Jun 1913), 3rd son of Rev Hon Henry Cockayne Cust, of Cockayne Hatley, co. Bedford (by his wife Lady Anna Maria Needham, 1st dau. of Francis [Needham], 1st Earl of Kilmorey), 2nd son by his second wife of Brownlow [Cust], 1st Baron Brownlow, and had issue

2. Lady Emma Bess Bligh (d. 27 Jul 1917), mar. 6 Jun 1854 Very Rev Arthur Perceval Cust later Purey-Cust DD, Dean of York 1880-1916 (b. 21 Feb 1828; d. 23 Dec 1916), 2nd son of Hon William Cust (by his wife Sophia Newnham, dau. of Thomas Newnham), 3rd son by his second wife of Brownlow [Cust], 1st Baron Brownlow, and had issue

died

12 Feb 1835

suc. by

son

note

Member of Parliament (Whig) for Canterbury 1818-30; Lord Lieutenant of Co. Meath 1831-35; FRS 1833

John Stuart [Bligh], 6th Earl of Darnley

born

16 Apr 1827

mar.

31 Aug 1850 Lady Harriet Mary Pelham (b. 5 Jun 1829; d. 4 Sep 1905), 1st dau. of Henry Thomas [Pelham], 3rd Earl of Chichester, by his wife Lady Mary Brudenell, 5th dau. of Robert [Brudenell], 6th Earl of Cardigan

children

1. Hon Edward Henry Stuart Bligh, later 7th Earl of Darnley

2. Hon Ivo Francis Walter Bligh, later 8th Earl of Darnley

3. Hon Arthur Frederick Pelham Bligh (b. 25 Apr 1865; d. 29 Dec 1924)

1. Lady Edith Louisa Mary Bligh (b. 22 Aug 1853; d. 20 Jun 1904), mar. 17 Aug 1882 George Burvill Rashleigh (d. 7 Apr 1916), 1st son of Rev Henry Burvill Rashleigh, Vicar of Horton Kirby, co. Kent, and had issue

2. Lady Kathleen Susan Emma Bligh (b. 31 Oct 1854; d. 13 Nov 1928), mar. 1 Jun 1904 as his second wife Maj Gen William Vesey Brownlow CB (d. 18 Mar 1928)m, son of William Brownlow, of Knapton House, Queen's County

3. Lady Alice Isabella Harriet Bligh (b. 18 Dec 1860; d. 15 Jun 1943)

4. Lady Mary Rose Florence Bligh (b. 21 Apr 1868; d. 5 Jul 1896)

5. Lady Constance Violet Lucy Bligh, mar. 28 Jun 1894 William Shakespear Childe-Pemberton (d. 4 Jan 1924), and had issue

died

14 Dec 1896

suc. by

son

note

Hereditary High Steward of Gravesend and Milton

Edward Henry Stuart [Bligh], 7th Earl of Darnley

born

21 Aug 1851

mar.

26 Jan 1899 Jemima Adeline Beatrice Blackwood (b. 23 Mar 1880; mar. (2) 3 Mar 1902 Adm Sir Arthur Cavenagh Leveson GCB RN; d. 25 Apr 1964), dau. of Francis James Lindesay Price Blackwood, of Chelston Manor, Cockington, co. Devon, by his future wife Frances Adeline Asbury

only child

1. Lady Elizabeth Adeline Mary Bligh, suo jure Baroness Clifton of Leighton Bromswold

died

s.p.m. 30 Oct 1900

suc. by

brother

note

Ivo Francis Walter [Bligh], 8th Earl of Darnley

born

13 Mar 1859

mar.

9 Feb 1844 Florence Rose Morphy DBE (d. 30 Aug 1944), dau. of John Stephen Morphy, of Beechworth, Victoria, Australia

children

1. Hon Esmé Ivo Bligh, later 9th Earl of Darnley

2. Lt Col Hon Noel Gervase Bligh DSO (b. 14 Nov 1888; d. 1984), mar. (1) 24 Jul 1912 (div. 1934) Mary Jack Frost (d. 9 Jun 1940), dau. of Capt George Alfred Frost, (2) 18 Jan 1934 Dorothy Millicent Isabella Munroe (former wife of Caryl Henry Courthorpe Munroe; d. 31 Mar 1972), dau. of Hubert Lee Bevan, and (3) 1973 Mrs Kathleen Weatherill Strickland, and had issue by his first wife

1. Lady Dorothy Violet Bligh (b. 8 Feb 1893; d. 16 Jan 1976), mar. 29 Feb 1916 Capt Daniel Spencer Peploe, of Charcroft Farm, Brewham, Bruton, co. Somerset (b. 13 Oct 1891; d. 15 May 1958), 1st son and heir of Daniel Henry Theophilus Peploe DL, of Garnstone Castle, co. Hereford, by his wife Sydney Katherine Chapman, 1st dau. of Spencer Chapman, of 84 Eccleston Square, London, and had issue

died

10 Apr 1927

suc. by

son

note

he was Captain of the victorious England Cricket XI that toured Australia 1882-83 and was presented with "the ashes of English cricket"; a Representative Peer for Ireland 1905-27

Esmé Ivo [Bligh], 9th Earl of Darnley

born

11 Oct 1886

mar. (1)

25 Jun 1912 (div. 1920) Daphne Rachel Mulholland (mar. (2) 1921 Col Hugo Henry Chandor OBE, of Worlingham Hall, Beccles, co. Suffolk;  d. 18 Jan 1948), only dau. of Hon Alfred John Mulholland (by his wife Mabel Charlotte Saunderson, 1st dau. of Llewellyn Traherne Basset Saunderson, of Dromkeen, co. Cavan), 3rd son of John [Mulholland], 1st Baron Dunleath

children by first wife

1. Hon Peter Stuart Bligh, later 10th Earl of Darnley

1. Lady Marguerite Rose Bligh (b. 24 Apr 1913; d. 10 Oct 2002), mar. (1) 3 Aug 1934 (div. Feb 1941) F/O Claud Dobrée Strickland (died in action Oct 1941), son of Claud Hugh Strickland, of Charing, co. Kent, (2) 30 Apr 1942 (div. 1951) W/Cdr Gordon Stanley Keigh Haywood RAF, only son of Charles Henry Percy Haywood, of The Shrubbery, Willington, co. Derby, and (3) 5 May 1951 (div. 1964) as his second wife Nigel Trevithick Tangye, of Newquay, co. Cornwall (d. 1988), 2nd son of Lt Col Richard Trevithick Gilbertstone Tangye OBE DL, and had issue by her second husband

mar. (2)

11 Oct 1923 (div. 1936) Nancy Kidston (mar. (2) 15 Feb 1937 (div. 1950) Maj Leonard Evelyn Cotterell;  d. 1991), 1st dau. of Capt Archibald Glen Kidston, of Tircelyn, Builth Wells, Radnorshire, by his wife Helene Adeline Blanche Chapman, 2nd dau. of Spencer Chapman, of Roehampton, co. Surrey

only child by second wife

2. Lady Rose Amanda Bligh (b. 30 Jul 1935), mar. 16 Sep 1961 Sir Thomas Hare, 5th Bt., and has issue

mar. (3)

4 Nov 1940 Rosemary Potter (mar. (2) 18 Apr 1963 Pierre Trasenster, of Vaux Sous Chevremont, Belgium), dau. of Edmund Basil Potter, of Witherslack, co. Northumberland

children by third wife

2. Hon Adam Ivo Stuart Bligh, later 11th Earl of Darnley

3. Lady Melissa Geraldine Florence Bligh (b. 3 Oct 1945), mar. (1) 7 Jul 1965 Don Manuel Torrado y de Fontcuberta (d. 1980), 2nd son of Don Manuel Torrado Varela, of Barcelona, Spain, and (2) 1985 Rev Colin Russell Levey, of The Vicarage, Orton, co. Cumbria, and has issue by her first husband

4. Lady Harriet Esmé Ghislaine Bligh (b. 27 Apr 1949)

died

29 May 1955

suc. by

son by first wife

note

painter, musician and flower-breeder; suc. his cousin Lady Elizabeth Bligh 5 Jul 1937 as 18th Baron Clifton of Leighton Bromswold

Peter Stuart [Bligh], 10th Earl of Darnley

born

1 Oct 1915

died

15 Jun 1980

suc. by

half-brother

Adam Ivo Stuart [Bligh], 11th Earl of Darnley

born

8 Nov 1941

mar.

14 Oct 1965 Susan Elaine Anderson DL, 4th dau. of Sir Donald Forsyth Anderson, of Sloane Avenue, London, by his wife Margaret Elaine Llewellyn, 1st dau. of Sir David Richard Llewellyn, 1st Bt.

children

1. Hon Ivo Donald Stuart Bligh, later 12th Earl of Darnley

1. Lady Katherine Amanda Bligh (b. 29 May 1971)

died

18 Jun 2017

suc. by

son

Ivo Donald Stuart [Bligh], 12th Earl of Darnley

born

17 Apr 1968

mar.

13 Sep 1997 Peta Martine Bear, dau. of A Robert Beard, of Scobbiscombe, co. Devon

children

1. Hon Harry Robert Stuart Bligh, styled Lord Clifton (b. 23 Apr 1999)

2. Hon Edward Bligh (b. 26 Feb 2003)

3. Hon Alexander Bligh (b. 5 Oct 2004)

Last updated 21 Sep 2017

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Titles:

12th Earl of Darnley

(Ireland, let. pat. 29 Jun 1725)

12th Viscount Darnley, of Athboy in the County of Meath

(Ireland, let. pat. 7 Mar 1723)

21st Baron Clifton of Leighton Bromswold

(England, writ sum. 9 Jul 1608)

12th Baron Clifton of Rathmore, in the County of Meath

(Ireland, let. pat. 14 Sep 1721)

Address:

Netherwood Manor, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire WR15 8RT

Tel:  01885 410221

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