William Ormsby-Gore, 2nd Baron Harlech

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William Richard Ormsby-Gore, 2nd Baron Harlech (March 3, 1819 – June 26, 1904) was an Anglo-Irish peer who had served as a Member of Parliament. Ormsby-Gore was from a Shropshire family and attended Eton College; after leaving, he enlisted in the British Army and became a Major in the 13th Light Dragoons. Ormsby-Gore married Emily Seymour who was the sister of the 5th Marquess of Hertford.

In the 1841 election Ormsby-Gore was elected unopposed as a Conservative Party MP for County Sligo. In 1852 there was a contest for the seat and he was defeated by a nationalist-inclined Liberal candidate. He returned to Parliament in a by-election on May 17, 1858 as MP for Leitrim. Ormsby-Gore bought an estate at Derrycarne near Dromod and went on to rise to high office in the county: he became High Sheriff there for 1865, and was appointed as HM Lord Lieutenant in 1878.

On January 14, 1876 Ormsby-Gore's elder brother John was created Baron Harlech. As he was childless, the Peerage was created with a 'special remainder' to his younger brother, meaning that he was made heir presumptive of the Peerage should the 1st Baron die without legitimate children. This was an unusual procedure and it was determined at the time that the last such case had been 45 years before. As it happened, the 1st Baron died on June 15, 1876.

Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by: John Ormsby-Gore	Baron Harlech 1876–1904	Succeeded by: George Ormsby-Gore