EDGCUMBE, Ernest Augustus, Visct. Valletort (1797-1861), of Mount Edgcumbe, Cornw.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

11 May 1819 - 1826
1826 - 1830
1830 - Dec. 1830
20 Dec. 1830 - 1832

Family and Education

b. 23 Mar. 1797, 2nd s. of Richard Edgcumbe*, 2nd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, by Lady Sophia Hobart, da. of John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire; bro. of William Richard Edgcumbe, Visct. Valletort*. educ. Harrow until 1811; Sandhurst. m. 3 Dec. 1831, Carolina Augusta, da. and coh. of R.-Adm. Charles Feilding, 2s. 1da. suc. fa. as 3rd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe 26 Sept. 1839.

Offices Held

Ensign and lt. 1 Ft. Gds. 1814-19; col. Cornw. militia 1821; col. and militia a.d.c. to William IV 1830-7, to Queen Victoria 1837-57.

Mayor, Lostwithiel 1823, 1830.

Biography

Edgcumbe was educated for the army and served with the Guards at Waterloo. In 1818, on the death of his elder brother, he became heir to the title and gave up the army. His brother was seated on petition at Fowey (5 Mar. 1819) but had meanwhile died and on 24 Mar. he replaced him as a candidate at the ensuing by-election. He was defeated by Mathias Attwood but, as he anticipated, unseated him on petition on 11 May. For the remainder of the session, he gave a silent support to administration, voting with them against Tierney’s censure motion, 18 May, and for the foreign enlistment bill, 10 June 1819. He further voted with them for legislation against sedition, 23 Dec. 1819. He died 3 Sept. 1861.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes