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John Ponsonby (politician)

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A portrait of Ponsonby
Ponsonby's townhouse in Henrietta Street, Dublin

John Ponsonby, PC (Ire) (29 March 1713 – 16 August 1787) was an Anglo-Irish politician.

Biography

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Ponsonby was the second son of Brabazon Ponsonby, who was created the Earl of Bessborough in 1739, and his first wife, Sarah Margetson Colvill. He was the grandson of William Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Duncannon.[1]

In 1739, Ponsonby entered the Irish House of Commons for Newtownards, becoming its speaker in 1756. He also served as First Commissioner of the Revenue and he became a member of the Privy Council of Ireland in 1746.[2] In 1761, Ponsonby was elected for County Kilkenny and Armagh, and sitting for the former. In 1768, he stood also for Gowran and Newtownards, and in 1776 for Carlow, but chose each time County Kilkenny, which he represented until 1783. Subsequently, Ponsonby was again returned for Newtownards and sat for this constituency until his death in 1787.

Belonging to one of the great families which at this time monopolized the government of Ireland, Ponsonby was one of the principal "undertakers," men who controlled the whole of the king's business in Ireland, and he retained the chief authority until George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend became lord-lieutenant in 1767. Then followed a struggle for supremacy between the Ponsonby faction and the party dependent on Townshend, one result of this being that Ponsonby resigned the speakership in 1771.[2]

He married in 1743 Lady Elizabeth Cavendish, daughter of the 3rd Duke of Devonshire, a connection which was of great importance to the Ponsonbys.[2] (His older brother, William Ponsonby, 2nd Earl of Bessborough, had married the Duke's eldest daughter in 1739.) His sons, William Ponsonby, 1st Baron Ponsonby of Imokilly, and George Ponsonby, were also politicians of distinction. His daughter Catherine married Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Shannon, and was mother to Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. pp. 360–361. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  2. ^ a b c  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Ponsonby, John s.v.". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 62.
Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Newtownards
1739–1760
With: Sir John Vesey, 2nd Bt 1739–1750
Chambre Brabazon Ponsonby 1750–1760
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for County Kilkenny
1761–1783
With: James Agar 1761–1776
Hon. Edmund Butler 1776–1779
Joseph Deane 1779–1783
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Armagh Borough
1761
With: Robert Cuninghame
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Gowran
1768–1769
With: James Agar
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Newtownards
1768–1769
With: Thomas Le Hunt
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Carlow
1776
With: John Prendergast
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Newtownards
1783–1787
With: George Lowther 1783–1785
Sir William Morres, 3rd Bt 1785–1787
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Irish House of Commons
1756–1771
Succeeded by