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| Arms of 1st Baron De Blaquiere |
ANTHONY DE BLAQUIÈRE, a French noble of Guyenne, married Elizabeth de Montiel, and had a son, Florence, who settled at Lozère, Languedoc, and was father of
JEAN DE BLAQUIÈRE (c1676-1753), of Greenwich, Kent, who took refuge in England in consequence of the revocation of the edict of Nantes, in 1685.
This Jean married Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Pierre de Varennes, of The Strand, Westminster, and had issue,
JOHN DE BLAQUIERE (1732-1812), a lieutenant-colonel in the 17th Dragoons, having been appointed principal secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1772, and invested, in 1774, with the Order of the Bath, was created a baronet in 1784, designated of Ardkill, County Londonderry.
Sir John was sworn of the Privy Council in Ireland, and appointed His Majesty's Great Alnager of that kingdom.
He married, in 1775, Eleanor, daughter of Robert Dobson, of Anne's Grove, County Cork, and had issue,
His eldest son and heir,
JOHN, 2nd Baron (1776-1844), of Ardkill, was Alnager and Collector of the Subsidies of Alnage in Ireland, 1797-1817, when the office was abolished.
About 1812 he was a prisoner in France and never established his right to vote.
His lordship died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother,
WILLIAM, 3rd Baron (1778-1851), FRS, a distinguished general in the Army, who married, in 1811, the Lady Harriet Townshend, daughter of George, 1st Marquess Townshend, and had issue,
JEAN DE BLAQUIÈRE (c1676-1753), of Greenwich, Kent, who took refuge in England in consequence of the revocation of the edict of Nantes, in 1685.
This Jean married Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Pierre de Varennes, of The Strand, Westminster, and had issue,
Lewis, died unmarried, 1754;The fifth and youngest son,
Matthew, died in the East Indies;
John Elias, died in infancy;
James, a military officer;
JOHN, of whom hereafter;
Catherine; Jane; Mary; Susanna.
JOHN DE BLAQUIERE (1732-1812), a lieutenant-colonel in the 17th Dragoons, having been appointed principal secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1772, and invested, in 1774, with the Order of the Bath, was created a baronet in 1784, designated of Ardkill, County Londonderry.
Sir John was sworn of the Privy Council in Ireland, and appointed His Majesty's Great Alnager of that kingdom.
He married, in 1775, Eleanor, daughter of Robert Dobson, of Anne's Grove, County Cork, and had issue,
JOHN, his heir;Sir John was elevated to the peerage, in 1800, in the dignity of BARON DE BLAQUIERE, of Ardkill, County Londonderry.
WILLIAM, of whom hereafter;
Edmund, died young;
George (1782-26); m, in 1826, widow of Mr Leigh;
Peter Boyle, ancestor of the 6th Baron;
Anna Maria; Eleanor; Catherine Elizabeth.
His eldest son and heir,
JOHN, 2nd Baron (1776-1844), of Ardkill, was Alnager and Collector of the Subsidies of Alnage in Ireland, 1797-1817, when the office was abolished.
About 1812 he was a prisoner in France and never established his right to vote.
His lordship died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother,
WILLIAM, 3rd Baron (1778-1851), FRS, a distinguished general in the Army, who married, in 1811, the Lady Harriet Townshend, daughter of George, 1st Marquess Townshend, and had issue,
JOHN, his successor;WILLIAM BARNARD, 4th Baron;Rose.
His lordship and Lady Harriet separated in 1814.
The 3rd Baron died at Norwood, Surrey, by shooting himself while suffering from smallpox.
He served in Flanders, at the Cape of Good Hope, and in India; major-general, 1813; lieutenant-general, 1825; general, 1841.
His elder son,
JOHN, 4th Baron (1812-71), married firstly, in 1849, Anna, daughter of John Christie; and secondly, in 1852, Eleanor Amelia, daughter of William, 1st Baron Hylton, though the marriage was without issue.
The titles consequently devolved upon his brother,
WILLIAM, 5th Baron (1814-89), Captain, Royal Navy, who married, in 1862, Anna Maria, daughter of John Wormald, at St. Marylebone Church, Marylebone, London.
His lordship died without issue, and was buried at Brockworth Manor, Gloucestershire.
The 3rd Baron died at Norwood, Surrey, by shooting himself while suffering from smallpox.
He served in Flanders, at the Cape of Good Hope, and in India; major-general, 1813; lieutenant-general, 1825; general, 1841.
His elder son,
JOHN, 4th Baron (1812-71), married firstly, in 1849, Anna, daughter of John Christie; and secondly, in 1852, Eleanor Amelia, daughter of William, 1st Baron Hylton, though the marriage was without issue.
The titles consequently devolved upon his brother,
WILLIAM, 5th Baron (1814-89), Captain, Royal Navy, who married, in 1862, Anna Maria, daughter of John Wormald, at St. Marylebone Church, Marylebone, London.
His lordship died without issue, and was buried at Brockworth Manor, Gloucestershire.
The titles reverted to his first cousin once removed,
WILLIAM BARNARD, 6th Baron (1856-1920), who wedded, in 1888, Lucinne, daughter of George Desbarats, of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; the marriage, however, was without issue, when the titles expired.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S LODGE, Phoenix Park, Dublin, was surrounded by 62 acres of parkland and was completed in 1776.
It was purchased by HM Government in 1782 and became the official residence of the Chief Secretary until 1922, when it became US Ambassador's residence.
I have written an article about the Chief Secretary's Lodge HERE.
PORTLEMAN HOUSE (or Port Loman), near Mullingar, County Westmeath, former residence of the 1st Baron de Blaquiere, was an 18th century house of three storeys and six bays.
It was built on rising ground above Lough Owel. The grounds comprised eight acres.
The main entrance was in a pillared recess; elaborate curved staircase. It is now demolished.
Blaquiere was the fifth son of Jean de Blaquiere, a French merchant who had emigrated to England in 1732, and his wife Marie Elizabeth de Varennes. He at first served in the Army, in the 18th Dragoons (later the 17th Dragoons), where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
In 1771 Blaquiere was appointed Secretary of Legation at the British Embassy in Paris, a post he held until 1772. The latter year Lord Harcourt, HM Ambassador in Paris, was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Blaquiere joined him as Chief Secretary for Ireland.
He became a Privy Counsellor the same year and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Bath two years later.
Blaquiere was to remain Chief Secretary until Harcourt's resignation in January, 1777. He had been elected to the Irish House of Commons for Old Leighlin in 1773, a seat he held until 1783.
After a few months for Enniskillen in 1783, he sat then for Carlingford from 1783-90; for Charleville from 1790-98; and for Newtownards from 1798 till the Act of Union in 1801.
In 1784 Blaquiere was created a baronet, of Ardkill in the County of Londonderry; and in 1800 he was raised to the peerage as 1st Baron de Blaquiere, of Ardkill in the County of Londonderry.
Lord de Blaquiere also sat as MP for Rye from 1801-02 and for Downton from 1802-06.
I HAVE BEEN so far unable to find any record of the de Blaquieres owning a residence in County Londonderry, despite the name Ardkill being in their territorial title.
It is, perhaps, more likely that they simply owned land.
The Ardkill estate, Clondermot, County Londonderry, by marriage: The estate was bought for him by Alexander Tompkins, of Prehen, County Londonderry, father of Maria Tompkins (wife of Robert Dobson), and grandfather of Eleanor Dobson, the 1st Barons' wife.
First published in May, 2016.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S LODGE, Phoenix Park, Dublin, was surrounded by 62 acres of parkland and was completed in 1776.
It was purchased by HM Government in 1782 and became the official residence of the Chief Secretary until 1922, when it became US Ambassador's residence.
I have written an article about the Chief Secretary's Lodge HERE.
*****
PORTLEMAN HOUSE (or Port Loman), near Mullingar, County Westmeath, former residence of the 1st Baron de Blaquiere, was an 18th century house of three storeys and six bays.
It was built on rising ground above Lough Owel. The grounds comprised eight acres.
The main entrance was in a pillared recess; elaborate curved staircase. It is now demolished.
*****
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR JOHN BLAQUIERE, BARONET, KCB, 1ST BARON DE BLAQUIERE
Blaquiere was the fifth son of Jean de Blaquiere, a French merchant who had emigrated to England in 1732, and his wife Marie Elizabeth de Varennes. He at first served in the Army, in the 18th Dragoons (later the 17th Dragoons), where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
In 1771 Blaquiere was appointed Secretary of Legation at the British Embassy in Paris, a post he held until 1772. The latter year Lord Harcourt, HM Ambassador in Paris, was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Blaquiere joined him as Chief Secretary for Ireland.
He became a Privy Counsellor the same year and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Bath two years later.
Blaquiere was to remain Chief Secretary until Harcourt's resignation in January, 1777. He had been elected to the Irish House of Commons for Old Leighlin in 1773, a seat he held until 1783.
After a few months for Enniskillen in 1783, he sat then for Carlingford from 1783-90; for Charleville from 1790-98; and for Newtownards from 1798 till the Act of Union in 1801.
In 1784 Blaquiere was created a baronet, of Ardkill in the County of Londonderry; and in 1800 he was raised to the peerage as 1st Baron de Blaquiere, of Ardkill in the County of Londonderry.
Lord de Blaquiere also sat as MP for Rye from 1801-02 and for Downton from 1802-06.
*****
I HAVE BEEN so far unable to find any record of the de Blaquieres owning a residence in County Londonderry, despite the name Ardkill being in their territorial title.
It is, perhaps, more likely that they simply owned land.
The Ardkill estate, Clondermot, County Londonderry, by marriage: The estate was bought for him by Alexander Tompkins, of Prehen, County Londonderry, father of Maria Tompkins (wife of Robert Dobson), and grandfather of Eleanor Dobson, the 1st Barons' wife.
First published in May, 2016.
2 comments :
Our family of Blaquiere Talbot of Stone Castle in Kent is descended from Marie De Blaquiere (1727-1820) the sister of Baron John De Blaquiere (1732-1812).
Richard Talbot
Vancouver Island
There is a grave in West Norwood Cemetery marked William Lord De Blaquiere F.R.S.
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