Thomas Taylour, 1st Marquess of Headfort
| The Most Honourable The Marquess of Headfort KP | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Pompeo Batoni of Thomas Taylour, 1st Marquess of Headfort (1782), Museum of Fine Arts, Houston | |
| Personal details | |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Quin |
| Parents |
Thomas Taylour, 1st Earl of Bective Jane Rowley |
Thomas Taylour, 1st Marquess of Headfort KP (18 November 1757 – 24 October 1829), styled Viscount Headford from 1766 to 1795, and known as The Earl of Bective from 1795 to 1800, was an Irish peer and politician.
Early life and family
He was the son of Thomas Taylour, 1st Earl of Bective, whom he succeeded in 1795. The 1st Marquess of Headfort was married to Mary Quin, the daughter of George Quin and Caroline Cavendish and the granddaughter of Valentine Quin and Mary Widenham. Valentine Quin was the son of the 1st Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl (1752–1824), who was also 1st Viscount Mount-Earl,[1] and whose son Lord George Quin married Lady Georgiana Charlotte, the daughter of George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer.
Headfort's elopement in 1803 with the wife of Reverend C. D. Massey produced a lawsuit, 10,000 pounds damages and, for the plaintiff, one of John Philpot Curran's most famous speeches.[2]
Career
Taylour represented Kells in the Irish House of Commons from 1776 to 1790. Subsequently he sat as Member of Parliament for Longford Borough until 1794 and then for Meath until 1795, when he succeeded his father as earl. He became Marquess of Headfort in 1800 and was appointed a Knight of the Order of St Patrick on 15 May 1806.[3]
References
- ↑ Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1237.
- ↑ The Complete Peerage, Volume VI, page 427, note (a).
- ↑ Rayment, Leigh. "Knights of the Order of St Patrick". Retrieved 2008-12-13.
| Parliament of Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Pepper Thomas Moore |
Member of Parliament for Kells 1776–1790 With: Thomas Moore 1776–1781 Hon. Hercules Taylour 1781–1790 |
Succeeded by Hon. Hercules Taylour Hon. Thomas Pakenham |
| Preceded by Hon. Thomas Pakenham Henry Stewart |
Member of Parliament for Longford Borough 1790–1794 With: Hon. Hercules Rowley 1790–1791 Henry Stewart 1791–1794 |
Succeeded by Thomas Pepper Henry Stewart |
| Preceded by Hercules Langford Rowley Hamilton Gorges |
Member of Parliament for Meath 1794–1795 With: Hamilton Gorges |
Succeeded by Hon. Clotworthy Taylor Hamilton Gorges |
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
| New creation | Marquess of Headfort 1800–1829 |
Succeeded by Thomas Taylour |
| Preceded by Thomas Taylour |
Earl of Bective 1795–1829 | |