- Earl of Courtown
Earl of Courtown, in the County of Wexford, is a title in the
Peerage of Ireland . It was created in 1762 for James Stopford, 1st Baron Courtown. He had previously represented County Wexford and Fethard in theIrish House of Commons . Stopford had already been created Baron Courtown, of Courtown in the County of Wexford, in 1758, and was made Viscount Stopford at the same time he was given the earldom. These titles are also in the Peerage of Ireland. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He was aTory politician and served underWilliam Pitt the Younger asTreasurer of the Household from 1784 to 1793. In 1796 he was created Baron Saltersford, of Saltersford in the County of Chester, in thePeerage of Great Britain . This title gave him and his descendants an automatic seat in theHouse of Lords .His eldest son, the third Earl, was also a Tory politician. He succeeded his father as Treasurer of the Household and was also
Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners for many years. He was succeeded by his third but eldest surviving son, the fourth Earl. He represented County Wexford in the House of Commons as a Tory. His only son from his first marriage, the fifth Earl, served as aDeputy Lieutenant ofCounty Wexford . He was succeeded by his eldest son, the sixth Earl. He wasLord Lieutenant of County Wexford . His eldest son, the seventh Earl, was aMajor-General in the Army and served as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General at theWar Office from 1941 to 1947. As of 2007 the titles are held by the latter's grandson, the ninth Earl, who succeeded his father in 1975. Lord Courtown is one of the ninety elected hereditary peers that remain in the House of Lords after the passing of theHouse of Lords Act 1999 , and sits as a Conservative.Several other members of the Stopford family have also gained distinction, especially in the Army and
Royal Navy . The Hon. Edward Stopford (1732-1794), second son of the first Earl, was aLieutenant-General in the Army. His son William Henry Stopford-Blair (1788-1868) was aColonel in theRoyal Artillery . The Hon. Sir Edward Stopford (1766-1837), second son of the second Earl, was a Lieutenant-General in the Army. The Hon. Sir Robert Stopford, third son of the second Earl, was anAdmiral of the Red . His eldest son Robert Fanshawe Stopford (1811-1891) was anAdmiral in the Royal Navy and was the father of 1) Robert Wilbraham Stopford (1844-1911), aVice-Admiral in the Royal Navy, 2) Arthur Bouverie Stopford (1845-1902), a Colonel in the Royal Artillery and 3) Frederick George Stopford (1852-1928), a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy; while his second son James John Stopford (1817-1868) was a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy. Reverend the Hon. Richard Bruce Stopford (1774-1844), fourth son of the second Earl, was Canon of Windsor andChaplain to Her MajestyQueen Victoria .The Hon. Sir Montagu Stopford (1798-1864), fifth son of the third Earl, was a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy. His youngest son Sir Lionel Arthur Montagu Stopford (1860-1942) was a Colonel and Honorary Major-General in the Derby Regiment and Irish Guards. His eldest son Sir Montagu George North Stopford was a General in the Rifle Brigade. The Hon. Sir Frederick William Stopford, second son from the second marriage of the fourth Earl, was a Lieutenant-General in the Army. The Hon. Walter George Stopford (1855-1918), third son from the second marriage of the fourth Earl, was a Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy. The Hon. Arthur Stopford (1879-1955), second son of the sixth Earl, was a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy.
Earls of Courtown (1762)
*
James Stopford, 1st Earl of Courtown (1700-1770)
*James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown (1731-1810)
*James George Stopford, 3rd Earl of Courtown (1765-1835)
*James Thomas Stopford, 4th Earl of Courtown (1794-1858)
*James George Henry Stopford, 5th Earl of Courtown (1823-1914)
*James Walter Milles Stopford, 6th Earl of Courtown (1853-1933)
*James Richard Neville Stopford, 7th Earl of Courtown (1877-1957)
*James Montagu Burgoyne Stopford, 8th Earl of Courtown (1908-1975)
*James Patrick Montagu Burgoyne Winthrop Stopford, 9th Earl of Courtown (b. 1954)The
Heir Apparent is the present holder's son James Richard Ian Montagu Stopford, Viscount Stopford (b. 1988)References
*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/ Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page]
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/ www.thepeerage.com]External links
* [http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/courtown.html An Online Gotha - Earls of Courtown]
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