WESTENRA, Warner William (1765-1842), of Rossmore, co. Monaghan.

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

Constituency

Dates

1801 - 6 Aug. 1801

Family and Education

b. 14 Oct. 1765, 1st s. of Henry Westenra, MP [I], of Rathleague, Queen’s Co. by Harriet, da. and coh. of Col. John Murray, MP [I], of co. Monaghan, sis. of Elizabeth, Baroness Rossmore [I]. educ. Oswestry; Trinity, Dublin 1783. m. (1) 3 Oct. 1791, Mary Anne (d. 12 Aug. 1807), da. of Charles Walsh of Walsh Park, co. Tipperary, 4s. 1da.; (2) 3 June 1819, Lady Augusta Charteris Wemyss, da. of Francis, styled Lord Elcho. suc. Robert Cunninghame, 1st Baron Rossmore [I] by spec. rem. as 2nd Baron 6 Aug. 1801; cr. Baron Rossmore [UK] 7 July 1838.

Offices Held

MP [I] 1800.

Lt. 86 Ft. 1796; lt.-col. King’s Co. militia 1798.

Custos rot. co. Monaghan 1805, ld. lt. 1831-d.

Biography

Westenra, whose father had sat for the borough, came in for the county of Monaghan on the interest of his uncle Lord Clermont and with Castle approval on a vacancy in 1800. He was heir to the title of another uncle, Lord Rossmore, like whom he supported the Union and who also gave him his interest. Westenra succeeded to the title after only seven months at Westminster, during which he supported government. He spoke in favour of the Irish martial law bill, 12 and 16 Mar. 1801, to prevent a recurrence of atrocities ‘the mere recital of which would cause every man of feeling to shudder’, which he had witnessed in the south of Ireland in a military capacity.

With a pension of £400 p.a. for life bestowed on him by the Duke of Richmond, he desired to be a representative peer, like his predecessor in the title. His ambition had long been disappointed when in February 1820, on the eve of the election, he urged Lord Liverpool’s administration to give him satisfaction. He boasted of ‘the resources I now possess in Scotland, in Monaghan and in the King’s County, where I feel my influence second to no person, to support his Majesty’s government’, and complained about the loss (through the Act of Union) of ‘three votes out of four in the senate of my country’. The chief secretary believed that Rossmore would contemplate opposition if not satisfied, but government ignored the threat. He died 10 Aug. 1842.

Dublin SPO 515/85/8; Add. 38283, ff. 73, 75; 40298, f. 34.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: Arthur Aspinall

Notes