Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere. Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere, known as Lord Francis Leveson-Gower until 1833, was a British politician, writer, traveller and patron of the arts.
Ellesmere Island, a major island in Nunavut, the Canadian Arctic, was named after him. Ellesmere was born at 21 Arlington Street, Piccadilly, London, on 1 January 1800, the third son of George Leveson-Gower and his wife, Elizabeth Gordon who was 19th Countess of Sutherland in her own right.
He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, and then held a commission in the Life Guards, which he resigned on his marriage. In October 1803 his father became Marquess of Stafford, having shortly before inherited the considerable wealth of Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, whose will provided that the Bridgewater estates should next pass to Francis, rather than his elder brother George.
Egerton entered Parliament in 1822 as member for the pocket borough of Bletchingley in Surrey, a seat he held until 1826. He afterwards sat for Sutherland between 1826 and 1831, and for South Lancashire between 1835 and 1846.
In 1835, a parliamentary sketch-writer said of his performance in the Commons: He hardly ever speaks, and then but very indifferently His voice is harsh and husky and not very strong. There is no variety either in it or in his gesture. Both are monotonous in a high degree. He is much respected by his own party, both fo
Ellesmere Island, a major island in Nunavut, the Canadian Arctic, was named after him. Ellesmere was born at 21 Arlington Street, Piccadilly, London, on 1 January 1800, the third son of George Leveson-Gower and his wife, Elizabeth Gordon who was 19th Countess of Sutherland in her own right.
He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, and then held a commission in the Life Guards, which he resigned on his marriage. In October 1803 his father became Marquess of Stafford, having shortly before inherited the considerable wealth of Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, whose will provided that the Bridgewater estates should next pass to Francis, rather than his elder brother George.
Egerton entered Parliament in 1822 as member for the pocket borough of Bletchingley in Surrey, a seat he held until 1826. He afterwards sat for Sutherland between 1826 and 1831, and for South Lancashire between 1835 and 1846.
In 1835, a parliamentary sketch-writer said of his performance in the Commons: He hardly ever speaks, and then but very indifferently His voice is harsh and husky and not very strong. There is no variety either in it or in his gesture. Both are monotonous in a high degree. He is much respected by his own party, both fo
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