Baron Kensington

Portrait of Henry Rich, 1st Baron Kensington, Anthony van Dyck , 1640 , National Portrait Gallery (London)

Coat of arms of the Rich family, Barons Kensington and Earls of Holland

Baron Kensington is a hereditary title, created three times in British history ( 1623 - Peer of England , 1776 - Peer of Ireland , 1886 - Peer of the United Kingdom ).

First Creation (1623)

For the first time, the title of Baron Kensington in the system of the Peers of England was created on September 24, 1623 for the Hon. Henry Rich (1590-1649). He was the youngest son of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick (1559–1619). Henry Rich was a member of the House of Commons from Leicester (1610-1621), served as captain of the Yemeni Guard (1617-1632), horse (1628), Lord Lieutenant Berkshire (1628-1643) and Mildsex (1628-1643). In 1624, the title of Earl of Holland ( Pearst of England ) was created for him. His son, Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Holland (c. 1620–1675), in 1673 after the death of his cousin, inherited the title of 5th Earl of Warwick. In 1759, after the death of Edward Rich, 5th Baron Kensington, 5th Earl of Holland and 8th Earl of Warwick (1695-1759), the Baron's title was interrupted.

Second Creation (1776)

Lady Elizabeth Rich, the only daughter of Robert Rich, 5th Earl of Warwick (1620–1675), married Francis Edwards (d. 1725), a Member of the House of Commons from Haverfordwest (1722–1725), who owned extensive land in Pembrokeshire , Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire . Their son, William Edwards (1711–1801), represented Haverfordwest in the House of Commons for more than fifty years (1747–1784, 1786–1800, 1800–1801). He inherited wealthy family estates (including Holland House in Kensington , which was sold to Henry Fox in 1768 ) in connection with the death of the last Earl of Warwick and Holland in 1759 . On July 20, 1776, the title of Baron Kensington was created for him in the Irish Peer system . He was succeeded by his son, William Edwards, 2nd Baron Kensington (1777–1852), who also represented Haverfordwest in Parliament (1802–1818). The son of the 2nd Baron, William Edwards, 3rd Baron Kensington (1801-1872), served as Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire (1861-1872). He was succeeded by his son, William Edwards, 4th Baron Kensington (1835–1896).

Third Creation (1886)

Caricature of William Edwards, 4th Baron Kensington, by Leslie Ward, Vanity Fair Magazine , 1878

William Edwards, 4th Baron Kensington, a member of the Liberal Party , served in the House of Commons from Haverfordwest in 1868–1885 , served as Comptroller of the Court (1880–1885), captain of the Yemeni Guard (1892–1895), the liberal chief “whip” in The House of Lords in the government of William Gladstone (1892–1896) and Lord Lieutenant Pembrokeshire (1872–1896). On March 13, 1886, the title of Baron Kensington from Kensington in Middlesex County ( United Kingdom Peerstvo ) was created for him, which gave him and his descendants an automatic seat in the House of Lords. His eldest son, William Edwards, 5th Baron Kensington (1868-1900), participated in the Second Boer War and died of wounds received in battle in June 1900 . His younger brother, Hugh Edwards, 6th Baron Kensington (1873-1938) became his successor. He had the rank of colonel of the reserve army , participated in the Second Boer War and the First World War | First World War. As of 2013, the title holder was his grandson, Hugh Ivor Edwards, 8th Baron Kensington (born 1933 ), who became his uncle's successor in 1981 .