People

Hon. Albert Denison Somerville Denison

Rear Admiral, R.N. 1835 - 1903

Albert Denison Somerville was the second son of Hon. Albert Denison Conyngham, 1st Baron Londesborough (b. 21 Oct 1805, d. 15 Jan 1860)

He entered the Navy in 1851,and obtained his commission in 1856. In June the following year her served at the destruction of the Fatshan flotilla of war junks, receiving the China medal with the Fatahan clasp, and two months later was raised to the rank of lieutenant. It was when serving in China in 1856 that he preformed an act of great gallantry, which won for him the medal of the Royal Humane Society. A marine had fallen out of a boat into the Canton River and had sunk. Young Denison plunged into the water after him, and diving where the marine had been seen to disappear, succeeded in rescuing him.

He took service from 29 October 1859 in Fawn (Sloop), serving first in Australia, then in West Indies. Made up to Commander 24 August 1866. Transferred to Gun vessel Cormorant and took command from 22 June 1869 serving in China to 1870. Commanded Corvette Zebra from 1870 until paying off at Hong Kong on 30 April 1873. Promoted to Captain 18 September 1873 and Commanded (from commissioning at Sheerness) Sloop Encounter to China until 1883. He retired in 1881 with the rank of captain, and in 1889 was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral on the retired list.

Rear-Admiral Denison married Louisa, daughter of Mr Antonio Fabris, of Springcroft, Beckenham, in 1873. During his retirement he had the honour of being visited at Woodside by the late Queen (Victoria) and also by the King, when Prince of Wales (King Edward VII).

He had lived in the village for over 20 years since his retirement from the Royal Navy and had been actively involved with various groups in the area; he also paid for the replacement of the wooden bell tower at St Edmunds Church in 1886.

The death of Hon. Albert D S Denison took place on the Wednesday 2 September at Woodside. He was aged 67.

The Funeral

The funeral took place on Monday afternoon (7 September). As reported in the County Press, the late Admiral being laid to rest in the pretty little churchyard of the parish in which he had loved to dwell since his retirement from the service over 20 years previously, and appropriately enough in full view of the entrance to the leading Navel port. The body was enclosed in a polished oak coffin, which was borne on an open hearse with the initial "D" on either side of the funeral car. The coffin was wrapped in the white ensign, with the late Admiral's cocked hat and sword resting on top, surrounded by a wealth of floral tributes.

The Rector of Wootton, Rev. Dr. D. R. Colman and the Vicar of Havenstreet together with a surpliced choir [white linen vestment worn over a cassock] met the cortege at the entrance of the churchyard proceeded the coffin to the chancel, in which the body rested during the service. The service was chorally rendered, the hymns being "Thine for ever", "Now the labourer's task is o'er", and "Peace, perfect peace".

The chief mourners were: The Hon. Henry Charles Denison, the Hon. Conyngham Albert Denison, the Hon. Lady Grey-Egerton, sister, Sir Bryan Egerton, Mr Gerald Otho Fitzgerald, Mr Eildyr B Herbert, Mr Robert Fabris, Dr. G R Stilwell, Mr R L Hoson, Mr C R Glanville and Dr. A Banks. H.R.H. Princess Henry of Battenburg was represented by her equerry, Col. the Hon. F Colbourne. The deceased Admiral's only son, Lieut. E W Denison R.N. is away on Foreign Service on the Cambrian at Monte Verde, and the Earl of Londesborough (nephew of the deceased), who is staying in Scotland, was not well enough to undertake the long journey to the Island.

The household servants present were, Mr & Mrs W Taylor, Mrs Ritchie, Miss Hughes, Miss Hensley, Miss Kelleway, Mr H Taylor and Mr L Flux. A contingent of the Fishbourne Coastguards under Chief-boatman Perrin was also in the procession. There was also a large presence of the community and representives of various organisations.

He had three daughters. They were Daisy, wife to Robert Lockhart Hobson, Esq. Ivy, wife of Herbert Guy Sturges Mitchison. Lily, wife of Reginald Marsh Everett, Esq. They were declared Honourable if their father had survived his great nephew.

His Will & Bequests are listed in the Illustrated London News dated 7 November 1903.
The will (dated May 21, 1901) of Admiral, the Hon. Albert Denison Somerville Denison, of Woodside, Wootton, Isle of Wight, who died on Sept. 2, has been proved by the Hon. Harold Albert Denison, the brother, and Gerald Otho Fitzgerald, the value of the property being sworn at £14085. After stating that his daughters are provided for, the testator gives £100 each to his executors, and the residue of his property to his son, Ernest William Denison.

Denison – Conyngham – Londesborough

The family tree of the Denison’s has been extracted from a number of sources as listed below.

General Sir Henry Conyngham, 1st Marquess Conyngham was born on 26 December 1766 at London, England.1 He was the son of Francis Pierpoint Conyngham, 2nd Baron Conyngham of Mount Charles and Elizabeth Clements.1 He married Elizabeth Denison, daughter of Joseph Denison and Elizabeth Butler, on 5th July, 1794 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Covent Garden, London, England.2 He died on 28th December, 1832 at age 66 at Hamilton Place, London, England, after a lingering illness.2 He was buried on 4th January, 1833 at Patrixbourne, Kent, England.2 His will was probated in June 1833.2

General Sir Henry Conyngham, 1st Marquess Conyngham succeeded to the title of 3rd Baron Conyngham of Mount Charles, co. Donegal [I., 1781] on 22nd May, 1787.1 He was invested as a Fellow, Society of Antiquaries (F.S.A.) on 1st May, 1789.1 He was created 1st Viscount Conyngham of Mount Charles, co. Donegal [Ireland] on 6th December, 1789.1 He was created 1st Earl Conyngham [Ireland] on 27th December, 1797.1 He was created 1st Viscount Mount Charles [Ireland] on 27th December, 1797.1 He held the office of Representative Peer [Ireland] between 1801 and 1832.1 He was invested as a Knight, Order of St. Patrick (K.P.) on 22 January 1801.1 He held the office of Governor of County Donegal between 1803 and 1831.1 He gained the rank of Major-General in 1808.1 He held the office of Custos Rotulorum of County Clare between 1808 and 1832.1 He gained the rank of Lieutenant-General in 1812.1 He was created 1st Earl of Mount Charles [Ireland] on 15th January, 1816.1 He was created 1st Viscount Slane [Ireland] on 15th January, 1816.1 He was created 1st Marquess Conyngham [Ireland] on 15th January, 1816.1 He was invested as a Knight Grand Cross, Hanoverian Order (G.C.H.) in 1821.1 He held the office of Lord Steward of the Household between 1821 and 1830.2 He was created 1st Baron Minster of Minster Abbey, co. Kent [U.K.] on 17th July, 1821.2 He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) on 10th December, 1821.2 He was Judge of the Court of the King's Palace.2 He was Judge of the Marshalsea Court.2 He held the office of Constable of Windsor Castle between 1829 and 1832.2 He gained the rank of General in 1830.1 He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.3

Elizabeth Denison was born circa 1769.4 She was the daughter of Joseph Denison and Elizabeth Butler.1&3 She married General Sir Henry Conyngham, 1st Marquess Conyngham, son of Francis Pierpoint Conyngham, 2nd Baron Conyngham of Mount Charles and Elizabeth Clements, on 5th July, 1794 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Covent Garden, London, England.3 She died on 11 October 1861 at Bifrons, Canterbury, Kent, England.3 Her will was probated on 30th December, 1861, under £200,000.4

As a result of her marriage, Elizabeth Denison was styled as Viscountess Conyngham of Mount Charles on 5th July, 1794. From 5th July, 1794, her married name became Conyngham. As a result of her marriage, Elizabeth Denison was styled as Countess Conyngham on 27th December, 1797. As a result of her marriage, Elizabeth Denison was styled as Marchioness Conyngham on 15th January, 1816. She and George IV Hanover, King of the United Kingdom were associated before 1821.3

Children of General Sir Henry Conyngham, 1st Marquess Conyngham and Elizabeth Denison

• Lady Elizabeth Henrietta Conyngham4 d.24th August, 1839
• Lady Maria Harriet Conyngham +5 d.3rd December, 1843
• Henry Francis Conyngham, Earl of Mount Charles6 b. 6th April, 1795, d. 26th December, 1824
• General Sir Francis Nathaniel Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham+6 b. 11th June, 1797, d. 17th July, 1876
• Albert Denison Conyngham, 1st Baron Londesborough+4 b. 21st October, 1805, d. 15th January, 1860

Albert Denison Denison, 1st Baron Londesborough, KCH, FRS, FSA (21st October, 1805 – 15th January, 1860) was a British politician and diplomat, known as Lord Albert Conyngham from 1816-49.

Born Hon. Albert Denison Conyngham, he was the third son of the 1st Earl Conyngham and his wife Elizabeth née Denison. He was educated at Eton and was an officer in the Royal Horse Guards before joining the diplomatic service. In 1824, he was Attaché to Berlin, Vienna in 1825 and Secretary of the Legation to Florence in 1828 and Berlin from 1829-31.

Conyngham was knighted in 1829 and in 1835 he was elected as Liberal Member of Parliament for Canterbury, a seat he held until 1841 and again from 1847-50. From 1844-45, he had been First President of the British Archaeological Association and sometime Vice-Admiral of the Yorkshire Coast.

In 1849, he changed his surname to Denison under the terms of the will of his maternal uncle, William Joseph Denison and was created Baron Londesborough a year later. In 1851, he bought The Monarch of the Glen for £840.[1]

The barony was inherited by the late Earl's second cousin once removed, the sixth Baron. He was the son of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Albert Denison Somerville Denison, second son of the first Baron. On his death this line of the family failed, and the title passed to his first cousin, the seventh Baron. He was the only son of Commander the Hon. Conyngham Albert Denison, fourth son of the first Baron. When he died this line of the family also failed. He was succeeded by his first cousin, the eighth Baron. He was the only son of the Hon. Harold Albert Denison, fifth son of the first Baron. As of 2010[update] the title is held by his only son, the ninth Baron, who succeeded in 1968. As a male-line descendant of the first Marquess Conyngham, he is also in remainder to this peerage and its subsidiary titles.

Family

On 6th July, 1833, Londesborough had married Hon. Henrietta Weld-Forester (a daughter of the 1st Baron Forester) and they had six children:

• Hon. William Henry Forester (1834-1900)
• Hon. Albert Denison Somerville (1835-1903)
• Hon. Henrietta Elizabeth Sophia (d. 1924), married Sir Phillip Egerton, 11th Baronet and had issue.
• Hon. Selina Camerina Charlotte (d. 1852)
• Hon. Isabella Maria (d. 1856)
• Hon. Augusta Elizabeth (d. 1887), married the 3rd Baron Wrottesley and had issue.

Londesborough's first wife died in 1841 and on 21st December, 1847, he married Ursula Bridgeman (a daughter of R.-Adml. Hon. Charles Bridgeman) and they also had six children:

• Hon. Henry Charles (1849-1936)
• Hon. Conyngham Albert (1851-1938)
• Hon. Harold Albert (1856-1949)
• Hon. Evelyn Albert (1859-1883)
• Hon. Ursula Elizabeth (d. 1880)
• Hon. Albertina Agnes Mary (d. 1929), married the 1st Baron Treowen and had issue.

Death

Lord Londesborough died in 1860 and his title was inherited by his eldest son, William, who was later created Earl of Londesborough in 1887. His second wife later married Lord Otho FitzGerald.

Citations – Sir Henry Conyngham

[S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume I, page 303. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.

[S3409] Caroline Maubois, "re: Penancoet Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 2nd December, 2008. Hereinafter cited as "re: Penancoet Family."

[S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume III, page 412.

[S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume III, page 413.

Citations – Elizabeth Denison

[S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume III, page 411. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.

[S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume III, page 412.

[S18] Matthew H.C.G., editor, Dictionary of National Biography on CD-ROM (Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1995). Hereinafter cited as Dictionary of National Biography.

& 7. [S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 879. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.

[S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume I, page 303.

[S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume III, page 413.

Albert Denison, 1st Baron Londesborough, Wikipedia.org

Sources:
The Illustrated London News, 7th November 1903 pg 708
Isle of Wight County Press, 7th & 12th September 1903

Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Londesborough

This page was last edited on: 26th January, 2022 17:50:26

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