Lord Otho FitzGerald

The Right Honourable Lord Otho FitzGerald PC
"A Message from The Queen" – Lord Otho FitzGerald, by Leslie Ward, 1873.
Comptroller of the Household
In office 12 December 1868 – 17 February 1874
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	William Gladstone
Preceded by	Viscount Royston
Succeeded by	Lord Henry Somerset
Personal details
Born	10 October 1827
Died	19 November 1882
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Urusula Bridgeman (d. 1883)

Lord Otho Augustus FitzGerald PC (10 October 1827 – 19 November 1882) was a British soldier and Liberal politician. He notably served as Comptroller of the Household under William Gladstone between 1868 and 1874.

Background

FitzGerald was the third son of Augustus FitzGerald, 3rd Duke of Leinster, by his wife Lady Charlotte Augusta Stanhope, daughter of General Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington. Charles FitzGerald, 4th Duke of Leinster, was his elder brother.^[1]

Political career

Fitzgerald was an officer in the Royal Horse Guards and served as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.^[1] He entered the House of Commons in 1865 as member for Kildare, a seat he held until 1874.^[1][2] In 1866 he was sworn of the Privy Council^[3] and made Treasurer of the Household under Lord Russell,^[4] a post he only held until the fall of the Liberal government in June of that year.^[5] He returned to office as Comptroller of the Household under William Gladstone in 1868,^[6] a post he retained until the government fell in 1874.^[7]

Apart from his military and political careers he was also an amateur composer and photographer.^{[citation needed]}

Family

Lord Otho married Ursula Lucy Grace Bridgeman, daughter of Vice Admiral Charles Bridgeman and widow of Lord Londesborough, on 14 December 1861.^[1] This was regarded by his contemporaries as a fortune-hunting match.^{[citation needed]} They had two children:

• Major Gerald Otho FitzGerald (25 September 1862 – 20 March 1919), unmarried and without issue.
• Ina Blanche Georgie FitzGerald (12 January 1864 – 6 July 1910), married on 29 January 1885 Major Arthur Leopold Paget (19 August 1856 - 1 March 1906).^[1]

Fitzgerald for a while he owned Oakley Court on the Thames, at Bray in Berkshire.^{[citation needed]} He died in November 1882, aged 55. Lady Otho FitzGerald only survived him by a year and died in November 1883.^[1] They are buried at St Andrew's Church, Clewer.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} thepeerage.com Rt. Hon. Lord Otho Augustus FitzGerald
2. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "K" (part 1)
3. ^ London Gazette: no. 23126. p. 3423. 12 June 1866.
4. ^ London Gazette: no. 23115. p. 2899. 11 May 1886.
5. ^ London Gazette: no. 23137. p. 3984. 13 July 1866.
6. ^ London Gazette: no. 23452. p. 6776. 22 December 1868.
7. ^ London Gazette: no. 24071. p. 1453. 3 March 1874.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lord Otho FitzGerald

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Richard More O'Ferrall William Cogan	Member of Parliament for Kildare 1865 – 1874 With: William Cogan	Succeeded by Charles Henry Meldon William Cogan
Political offices
Preceded by Viscount Bury	Treasurer of the Household May–June 1866	Succeeded by Lord Burghley
Preceded by Viscount Royston	Comptroller of the Household 1868–1874	Succeeded by Lord Henry Somerset

Persondata
Name	FitzGerald, Otho, Lord
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	10 October 1827
Place of birth
Date of death	19 November 1882
Place of death