Frederick Ponsonby, 6th Earl of Bessborough

Earl of Bessborough
Earl of Bessborough
	The 6th Earl of Bessborough
Born	11 September 1815
Died	11 March 1895 (aged 79)
Father	John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough
Mother	Lady Maria Fane

Frederick George Brabazon Ponsonby, 6th Earl of Bessborough (11 September 1815 – 11 March 1895), was an Anglo-Irish peer who played first-class cricket 1834–56 for Surrey, Cambridge Town Club (aka Cambridgeshire), Cambridge University (CUCC) and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

Background and education

Ponsonby was born in Marylebone, the third son of John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough, and his wife Lady Maria Fane. He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1837 he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn, and was called to the Bar in 1840.^[1] He inherited the earldom on 28 January 1880 when his elder brother died without a male heir.

Cricket

Throughout his cricket career, Bessborough was known as the Hon. Frederic Ponsonby. He played at both Harrow and Cambridge University, batting right-handed. He was an active player until about 1845, after which, due to an arm injury, he could only play sporadically.^[2] Ponsonby was a founder of Surrey County Cricket Club and was elected its first vice-president. He was also a founder of I Zingari, and of the Old Stagers amateur theatre company.

Government

He chaired the Bessborough commission on the working of the 1870 Irish Land Act, set up by the second Gladstone administration in June 1880.^[3] The commission made radical proposals for increasing the rights of tenants in Ireland.

Personal life

Lord Bessborough died at Westminster on 11 March 1895. He never married, and was succeeded in the earldom by his younger brother, Walter.

He owned 35,000 acres, mostly in Kilkenny and Carlow.^[4]

References

^ "Ponsonby, the Hon. Frederick George Brabazon (PNSY834FG)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ "Obituaries in 1895". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. 1896. Retrieved 13 September 2024 – via ESPNcricinfo.
^ "No. 24869". The London Gazette. 30 July 1880. pp. 4210–4211.
^ The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland

External links

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Bessborough
Frederick Ponsonby at ESPNcricinfo

Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by John Ponsonby	Earl of Bessborough 1880–1895	Succeeded by Walter Ponsonby
	Viscount Duncannon 1880–1895
	Baron Bessborough 1880–1895
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by John Ponsonby	Baron Ponsonby of Sysonby 1880–1895	Succeeded by Walter Ponsonby
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by John Ponsonby	Baron Duncannon 1880–1895	Succeeded by Walter Ponsonby

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[1] "Ponsonby, the Hon. Frederick George Brabazon (PNSY834FG)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

[2] "Obituaries in 1895". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. 1896. Retrieved 13 September 2024 – via ESPNcricinfo.

[3] "No. 24869". The London Gazette. 30 July 1880. pp. 4210–4211.

[4] The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland

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v t e I Zingari
The club	First-class cricketers First-class matches Somerset Cricket Museum
Founders	John Loraine Baldwin Frederick Ponsonby, 6th Earl of Bessborough Spencer Ponsonby-Fane Richard Penruddocke Long