JOHN BLIGH (c1617-66), of London, and Rathmore, County Meath, third son of William Bligh, merchant of Plymouth, agent of the Adventurers for the Forfeited Estates in 1641, acquired lands in County Meath assigned to him by a deed in chancery, 1654.
This gentleman was commissioner for auditing arrears of customs and excise, 1648-63, and MP for Athboy in the first parliament after the Restoration.
John Bligh married Catherine, sister of the Rt Rev William Fuller, Lord Bishop of Lincoln, and was succeeded by his only surviving son,
THE RT HON THOMAS BLIGH (1654-1710), of Rathmore, County Meath, MP for Rathboy, 1692-3, County Meath, 1695-1710, and of the Privy Council to QUEEN ANNE, who wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel James Naper, of Loughcrew, in the same county, leaving, with other issue, a son,
JOHN BLIGH (1687-1728), MP for Trim, 1709-13, Athboy, 1713-21, who espoused, in 1713, the Lady Theodosia Hyde, then only daughter and heir of Edward, 3rd Earl of Clarendon, by Catherine, Baroness Clifton, and had issue,
THE RT HON THOMAS BLIGH (1654-1710), of Rathmore, County Meath, MP for Rathboy, 1692-3, County Meath, 1695-1710, and of the Privy Council to QUEEN ANNE, who wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel James Naper, of Loughcrew, in the same county, leaving, with other issue, a son,
JOHN BLIGH (1687-1728), MP for Trim, 1709-13, Athboy, 1713-21, who espoused, in 1713, the Lady Theodosia Hyde, then only daughter and heir of Edward, 3rd Earl of Clarendon, by Catherine, Baroness Clifton, and had issue,
George, died in infancy;EDWARD, his heir;JOHN, succeeded his brother;Mary; Anne; Theodosia.
Mr Bligh was elevated to the peerage, in 1721, in the dignity of Baron Clifton, of Rathmore, and Viscount Darnley.
His lordship was further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1725, as EARL OF DARNLEY.
He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,
EDWARD, 2nd Earl (1715-47), who had previously inherited the English barony of CLIFTON on the decease of his mother, 1722.
His lordship died unmarried, and the honours devolved upon his brother,
JOHN, 3rd Earl (1719-81), who espoused, in 1766, Mary, daughter and heir of John Stoyte, of Street, County Westmeath, barrister, and had issue,
JOHN, 4th Earl (1767-1831), who married, in 1791, Elizabeth, thgird daughter of the Rt Hon William Brownlow, of Lurgan, County Armagh, and had issue,
As His Majesty's (legitimate) issue became extinct in 1807, with His Eminence the Cardinal Duke of York, and as that personage was the last heir male of the STUARTS, the Earl of Darnley put forward his claim as heir general, being descended from Catherine, sister of the 6th Duke.
The petition was referred to the House of Lords, but their lordships came to no decision about it.
His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,
EDWARD, 5th Earl (1795-1835), who wedded, in 1825, Emma Jane, daughter of Sir Henry Parnell Bt, and had issue,
JOHN, 6th Earl (1827-96), Hereditary High Steward of Gravesend and Milton.
During the 1641 Rebellion, the town of Athboy, County Meath, was captured by Owen Roe O'Neill.
His lordship was further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1725, as EARL OF DARNLEY.
He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,
EDWARD, 2nd Earl (1715-47), who had previously inherited the English barony of CLIFTON on the decease of his mother, 1722.
His lordship died unmarried, and the honours devolved upon his brother,
JOHN, 3rd Earl (1719-81), who espoused, in 1766, Mary, daughter and heir of John Stoyte, of Street, County Westmeath, barrister, and had issue,
JOHN, his successor;His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,
Edward, General in the army;
William;
Mary; Theodosia; Catherine.
JOHN, 4th Earl (1767-1831), who married, in 1791, Elizabeth, thgird daughter of the Rt Hon William Brownlow, of Lurgan, County Armagh, and had issue,
EDWARD, his successor;This nobleman presented, in 1829, a petition to the King, claiming the dukedom of LENNOX, as heir of line of Charles, 6th Duke of Lennox and 4th Duke of Richmond, at whose death, in 1672, CHARLES II was served His Grace's heir.
John Duncan;
Mary; Elizabeth.
As His Majesty's (legitimate) issue became extinct in 1807, with His Eminence the Cardinal Duke of York, and as that personage was the last heir male of the STUARTS, the Earl of Darnley put forward his claim as heir general, being descended from Catherine, sister of the 6th Duke.
The petition was referred to the House of Lords, but their lordships came to no decision about it.
His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,
EDWARD, 5th Earl (1795-1835), who wedded, in 1825, Emma Jane, daughter of Sir Henry Parnell Bt, and had issue,
JOHN, his successor;His lordship, Lord-Lieutenant of County Meath, was succeeded by his eldest son,
Edward Vesey;
another son;
Elizabeth Caroline; a daughter.
JOHN, 6th Earl (1827-96), Hereditary High Steward of Gravesend and Milton.
- John Stuart Bligh, 6th Earl (1827-96);
- Edward Henry Stuart Bligh, 7th Earl (1851–1900);
- Ivo Francis Walter Bligh, 8th Earl (1859–1927);
- Esme Ivo Bligh, 9th Earl (1886–1955);
- Peter Stuart Bligh, 10th Earl (1915–80);
- Adam Ivo Stuart Bligh, 11th Earl (b 1941).
The heir apparent is the present holder's only son, Ivo Donald Bligh, styled Lord Clifton (b 1968).
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| Darnley Estate Office |
During the 1641 Rebellion, the town of Athboy, County Meath, was captured by Owen Roe O'Neill.
With Cromwell and the collapse of the Rebellion, much of the land ownership passed to adventurers from England.
In 1694, the town's 'lands and commons' and several other denominations of land were erected into a manor and granted to Thomas Bligh, MP for Athboy, who had earlier purchased almost 3,000 acres in the area of Athboy.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Darnleys planned and carried out the development of Athboy, giving it the form which prevails today.
It was not until 1909, under the 1903 Wyndham Act, that Francis Walter, 8th Earl, auctioned the town of Athboy.
The Darnley estate office was finally closed in 1948.
Today the erstwhile Darnley estate office on the main street is the Darnley Lodge Hotel.
Former Seats - Cobham Hall, near Gravesend, Kent; Rathmore, County Meath.
Former London residence ~ 46 Berkeley Square, W1
First published in July, 2012.
In 1694, the town's 'lands and commons' and several other denominations of land were erected into a manor and granted to Thomas Bligh, MP for Athboy, who had earlier purchased almost 3,000 acres in the area of Athboy.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Darnleys planned and carried out the development of Athboy, giving it the form which prevails today.
It was not until 1909, under the 1903 Wyndham Act, that Francis Walter, 8th Earl, auctioned the town of Athboy.
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| Darnley Lodge Hotel (Image: Tripadvisor) |
Today the erstwhile Darnley estate office on the main street is the Darnley Lodge Hotel.
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| Cobham Hall |
Cobham Hall came into the family through the Stuarts, having been granted, by JAMES I, to Ludowick Stuart, 1st Duke of Richmond and 2nd Duke of Lennox, after the attainder of Henry, Lord Cobham, for his concern in Raleigh's conspiracy.
Former London residence ~ 46 Berkeley Square, W1
First published in July, 2012.
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