William Ormsby-Gore, 2nd Baron Harlech

William Richard Ormsby-Gore, 2nd Baron Harlech (3 March 1819 – 26 June 1904) was an Anglo-Irish peer and Member of Parliament.

Ormsby-Gore was the younger son of William Ormsby-Gore and Mary Jane Ormsby. He was educated at Eton College and later purchased an Ensigncy in the 53rd Foot. He purchased a Lieutenantcy in 1839 and exchanged into the 13th Light Dragoons in 1841, purchasing a Captaincy in 1846 and a Majority in 1852.

In the 1841 general election Ormsby-Gore was elected unopposed as a Conservative Party MP for County Sligo. In 1852 general election there was a contest for the seat and he was defeated by a nationalist-inclined Liberal candidate. He returned to Parliament in a by-election on 17 May 1858 as MP for Leitrim, a seat he held until 1876.

Ormsby-Gore bought an estate at Derrycarne near Dromod in County Leitrim and went on to rise to high office in the county: he became High Sheriff there for 1857, and was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of County Leitrim in 1878, which he remained until his death.

On 14 January 1876, Ormsby-Gore's elder brother John was created Baron Harlech. As had no sons, the peerage was created with a special remainder to his younger brother, meaning that he was made heir presumptive of the peerage should the first Baron die without legitimate male heirs. This was an unusual procedure and it was determined at the time that the last such case had been 45 years before. As it happened, the first Baron died on 15 June 1876 and Ormsby-Gore became the second Baron Harlech.

Ormsby-Gore married Emily Seymour, daughter of Admiral Sir George Francis Seymour and sister of Francis Hugh George Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford, in 1850. He died in June 1904, aged 85, and was succeeded in the barony by his son George.

Coat of arms

Arms of William Ormsby-Gore, 2nd Baron Harlech

Notes Coat of arms of the Ormsby-Gore family Coronet A coronet of a Baron Crest 1st: an Heraldic Tiger rampant Argent; 2nd: a Dexter Arm embowed in armour proper holding in the hand a Man's Leg also in armour couped at the thigh Escutcheon Quarterly: 1st and 4th, Gules a Fess between three Cross Crosslets fitchy Or (Gore); 2nd and 3rd, Gules a Bend between six Cross Crosslets Or (Ormsby) Supporters Dexter: an Heraldic Tiger Argent maned and tufted Sable ducally gorged Or; Sinister: a Lion Or Motto In Hoc Signo Vinces (Under this sign thou shalt conquer)

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
• www.thepeerage.com

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by William Ormsby-Gore

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Edward Joshua Cooper Alexander Perceval	Member of Parliament for County Sligo 1841 – 1852 With: Alexander Perceval 1841 John Ffolliott 1841–1850 Sir Robert Gore-Booth, Bt 1850–1852	Succeeded by Sir Robert Gore-Booth, Bt Richard Swift
Preceded by Hugh Lyons Montgomery John Brady	Member of Parliament for Leitrim 1858 – 1876 With: John Brady	Succeeded by John Brady Francis O'Beirne
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Viscount Southwell	Lord Lieutenant of Leitrim 1878–1904	Succeeded by The Lord Harlech
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by John Ormsby-Gore	Baron Harlech 1876–1904	Succeeded by George Ormsby-Gore