Earl of Lichfield

Earl of Lichfield is a title that has been created three times in British history. Lord Bernard Stewart, youngest son of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, was to be created Earl of Lichfield by Charles I for his actions at the battles of Newbury and Naseby but died before the creation could implemented. Charles Stewart, the son of Bernard's younger brother George, who had been killed at the Battle of Edgehill, was instead created Earl of Lichfield in December 1645, soon after the Battle of Rowton Heath. Charles's cousin, who held the titles of Duke of Richmond and Earl of Lennox through the first Duke of Lennox's eldest son James, died aged eleven in 1660 with Charles as his heir. He married Frances Teresa Stuart, the celebrated beauty and alleged former mistress of King Charles II. In disgrace with the king, Charles was sent into exile as ambassador to Denmark, where he drowned in December 12, 1672. All of the English and Scottish titles that had been bestowed upon the male heirs became extinct.

The second creation came in 1674 when Charles II created Sir Edward Lee, 5th Baronet, of Quarendon, Baron Spelsbury, Viscount Quarendon and Earl of Lichfield. He married Charlotte Fitzroy, the illegitimate daughter of the King and Barbara Villiers, in 1677. He was succeeded by his third but eldest surviving son, George Henry Lee, the second Earl. He constructed the stately home of Ditchley in Oxfordshire. On his death the titles were passed on to his son George Henry Lee, the third Earl. He represented Oxfordshire in the House of Commons and served as Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners from 1762 to 1772. He died childless and was succeeded by his uncle, the fourth Earl. He was also childless. On his death in 1776 all his titles became extinct. The Lee Baronetcy, of Quarendon in the County of Buckingham, had been created in the Baronetage of England in 1611 for Henry Lee. He was the cousin and heir of Henry Lee of Ditchley.

The third creation came in 1831 in favour of Thomas Anson, 2nd Viscount Anson. The Anson family is descended from George Anson, Member of Parliament for Lichfield from 1770 to 1789. Born George Adams, he was the son of Sambrooke Adams and his wife Janette Anson, sister of the famous naval commander George Anson, 1st Baron Anson. In 1773, on the death of his uncle Thomas Anson (brother of Lord Anson), he succeeded to the substantial estates accumulated by his uncle Lord Anson, including the Anson family seat of Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire. The same year he assumed by Royal license the surname of Anson in lieu of Adams. His eldest son Thomas Anson represented Lichfield in the House of Commons as a Whig from 1789 to 1806. The latter year he was raised to the Peerage of the United Kingdom as Baron Soberton, of Soberton in the County of Southampton, and Viscount Anson, of Shugborough and Orgreave in the County of Stafford.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Viscount. He was also a Whig politician and served as Master of the Buckhounds from 1830 to 1834 and as Postmaster General from 1835 to 1841. In 1831 he was created Earl of Lichfield, of Lichfield in the County of Stafford, in William IV's coronation honours. This title is also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. On death the titles passed to his eldest son, the second Earl. He sat as Member of Parliament for Lichfield and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire. The titles descended from father to son until the death of his grandson, the fourth Earl, in 1960. He was succeeded by his grandson, the fifth Earl, the only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas William Arnold Anson, Viscount Anson (1913-1958), eldest son of the fourth Earl. Known professionally as Patrick Lichfield, he was a successful photographer. As of 2007 the titles are held by his only son, the sixth Earl, who succeeded in 2005.

Several other members of the Anson family have also gained distinction. Sir George Anson, younger brother of the first Viscount, was a General in the Army and represented Lichfield in the House of Commons. His son Talavera Vernon Anson (1809-1895) was an Admiral in the Royal Navy. William Anson (1772-1847), younger brother of the first Viscount, was created a Baronet in 1831 (see Anson Baronets for more information on this branch of the family). The Very Reverend Frederick Anson (1779-1867), younger brother of the first Viscount, was Dean of Chester. The Hon. George Anson, second son of the first Viscount, was a prominent soldier and politician. The Hon. Augustus Anson, third son of the first Earl, was a Member of Parliament and recipient of the Victoria Cross. The Right Reverend the Hon. Adelbert John Robert Anson (1840-1909), fourth and youngest son of the first Earl, was a clergyman and served as Bishop of Qu'Apelle in Canada. The Hon. Sir George Augustus Anson (1857-1947), second son of the second Earl, was a courtier and Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army.

The courtesy title of the eldest son and heir apparent of the Earl is "Viscount Anson".

The family seat is Shugborough Hall, Staffordshire, which is about 15 miles from the city of Lichfield.

Earls of Lichfield, First Creation (1645)

*Charles Stewart, 3rd Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox, 1st Earl of Lichfield (1639-1672)

Lee Baronets, of Quarendon (1611)

*Sir Henry Lee, 1st Baronet (d. 1631)
*Sir Francis Henry Lee, 2nd Baronet (1616-1639)
*Sir Henry Lee, 3rd Baronet (1637-1658)
*Sir Francis Henry Lee, 4th Baronet (1639-1667)
*Sir Edward Henry Lee, 5th Baronet (1663-1716) (created Earl of Lichfield in 1674)

Earls of Lichfield, Second Creation (1674)

*Edward Henry Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield (1663-1716)
*George Henry Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield (1690-1742)
*George Henry Lee, 3rd Earl of Lichfield (1718-1772)
*Robert Lee, 4th Earl of Lichfield (1706-1776)

Viscounts Anson (1806)

*Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson (1767-1818)
*Thomas William Anson, 2nd Viscount Anson (1795-1854) (created Earl of Lichfield in 1831)

Earls of Lichfield, Third Creation (1831)

*Thomas William Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield (1795-1854)
*Thomas George Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield (1825-1892)
*Thomas Francis Anson, 3rd Earl of Lichfield (1856-1918)
*Thomas Edward Anson, 4th Earl of Lichfield (1883-1960)
*Thomas Patrick John Anson, 5th Earl of Lichfield (1939-2005)
*Thomas William Robert Hugh Anson, 6th Earl of Lichfield (b. 1978)

The Heir Presumptive is the present holder's second cousin once removed George Rupert Anson (b. 1960). He is the eldest son of Geoffrey Rupert Anson, eldest son of Captain the Hon. Rupert Anson, youngest son of the third Earl.

The Heir Presumptive's Heir Apparent is his eldest son Douglas Rupert (b. 1992)

ee also

*Duke of Richmond
*Duke of Lennox
*Baron Anson
*Anson Baronets

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]
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=yFI5AAAAMAAJ&pg=PP9&lpg=PP9&dq=anson+courtenay&source=web&ots=nSsXejMJuM&sig=G5xxH-MFWPdOjPHDq64ZjOghe5o&hl=en#PPA429,M1 Peerage of England, Arthur Collins, 1812]