The Lonsdale Baronetcy

JAMES LONSDALE JP DL (1826-1913), of The Pavilion, Armagh City, son of Thomas Lonsdale, of Loughgall, County Armagh, married firstly, in 1846,  Jane, daughter of William Brownlee, and had issue,

JOHN BROWNLEE, his heir;
Thomas;
Mary; Jane.

He wedded secondly, in 1856, Harriet, daughter of John Rolston, without issue.

James Lonsdale was a substantial tenant farmer at Loughgall. In the 1860s, however, he realised that rather than just produce and sell his own butter, it would be much shrewder to buy other farmers’ butter for the English market.

He established butter depots in Armagh and many other parts of Ireland. Ca 1880, he moved the centre of his operations to Manchester and began to import food produce from the Empire. His two sons, John and Thomas, joined him in this enterprise which became very successful financially.

Mr Lonsdale, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1891, was succeeded by his elder son,

JOHN BROWNLEE LONSDALE JP DL (1849-1924), of The Pavilion, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1895, MP for Mid-Armagh, 1899-1918, Lord-Lieutenant of County Armagh, 1920-24, who married, in 1887, Florence, daughter of William Rumney.

Photo Credit: Northern Ireland Assembly

Mr Lonsdale was created a baronet in 1911, designated of Prince's Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and of The Pavilion in the City and County of Armagh.

Sir John was elevated to the peerage in 1918, in the dignity of BARON ARMAGHDALE, of Armagh, County Armagh.

THE PAVILION, Armagh, County Armagh, was a single-storey Regency villa of ca 1805, with very wide Georgian-glazed windows and a splendid portico of four Gothic columns supporting a Classical entablature.

It was built for Captain William Whitelaw Algeo JP, who lived there until his decease in 1845.

The doorway was surmounted by a segmental, pointed fanlight; with a Regency veranda on one side of the portico.

The conservatory was of wood and glass construction, with Georgian astragals obscuring the range behind it.

The Pavilion was demolished ca 1960 to make way for a school.

Memorial at Armagh Cathedral

Lord Armaghdale married Florence Rumney, of Stubbins House, Lancashire, though the marriage was without issue.

The Armaghdales lived latterly at The Dunes, Sandwich Bay, Kent, and had a London residence at Prince's Gardens.

A keen golfer, Lord Armaghdale presented the Lonsdale Cup to the County Armagh Golf Club.

Lord Armaghdale died in 1924 and, without an heir, the barony and baronetcy expired.

Lady Armaghdale died at 13 Prince's Gardens, London, in 1937.

First published in July, 2010.