John Beresford, 5th Marquess of Waterford

Background

Beresford was the eldest son of John Beresford, 4th Marquess of Waterford, by his wife Christiana Leslie, daughter of Colonel Charles Leslie and sister of Sir John Leslie, 1st Baronet, of Castle Leslie, Glaslough, County Monaghan. He was the elder brother of Lord Charles Beresford, Lord William Beresford, and Lord Marcus Beresford.

Beresford was an avid sportsman: as with the rest of his family, he was very fond of hunting, racing and shooting. In his youth he rode to hounds with his infamous uncle, the 3rd Marquess of Waterford. He was educated at Eton, after which he was commissioned into the Household cavalry. In 1859, he became known as the Earl of Tyrone after his father succeeded to the marquessate.

Career

Lord Tyrone gained the rank of Captain in the 1st Life Guards. It was said he was "one of the handsomest officers that ever wore the uniform of the Household Brigade".

Lord Waterford was returned to Parliament for County Waterford in 1865, a seat he held until the following year, when he succeeded his father in the marquessate and took his seat in the House of Lords. In 1868 he was made a Knight of the Order of St Patrick. He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Waterford in 1874, which he remained until his death, and was admitted to the Irish Privy Council in 1879. In 1885 he was sworn of the British Privy Council and appointed Master of the Buckhounds under Lord Salisbury, a post he held until the fall of the Conservative administration in early 1886.

In humour

W. S. Gilbert refers to Lord Waterford as "reckless and rollicky" in Colonel Calverley's song "If You Want A Receipt For That Popular Mystery" from the Gilbert and Sullivan opera Patience.

Family

Lord Waterford eloped with Florence Grosvenor Rowley, wife of John Vivian and married her on 9 August 1872. She died on 4 April 1873, along with her stillborn child. He married secondly, Lady Blanche Somerset, daughter of Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort, on 21 July 1874. The second Lady Waterford suffered from a severe illness which left her an invalid. She had a special carriage designed to carry her around the estate at Curraghmore. Lord Waterford and his second wife had four children:

Henry de la Poer Beresford, 6th Marquess of Waterford (1875–1911)

Lady Mary Beresford (1877–1877), died in infancy

Lady Susan de la Poer Beresford, twin sister of Lady Mary (1877–1947), married Major Hon. Hugh Dawnay, son of Hugh Dawnay, 8th Viscount Downe and had issue, including Maj-Gen Sir David Dawnay

Lady Clodagh Beresford (1879–1957), married Hon. Claud Anson, son of Thomas Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield and had issue

He owned 66,000 acres including 39,000 in Waterford and 26,000 in Wicklow.

Lord Waterford committed suicide in October 1895, aged 51, and was succeeded in the marquessate by his only son, Henry. Many national newspapers expressed their sorrow at Lord Waterford's suicide, especially given his position in society.