Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough


Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough , styled the Viscount Duncannon from 1758–1793, was an Anglo-Irish peer.

Background

Ponsonby was the eldest son of Viscount Duncannon and Lady Caroline Cavendish, daughter of The 3rd Duke of Devonshire. He succeeded to his father's titles in 1793. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, and obtained the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Civil Law.
As Viscount Duncannon, he sat in the House of Commons as member for Knaresborough from 1780 until his succession to his father's earldom. He was a Lord of the Admiralty in 1782-83.

Reputation

Bessborough usually made a favourable first impression: quiet, but with "the most mild and amiable manner". On the other hand, he was a notoriously bad husband, alternating between neglecting Henrietta and insulting her in public. While there were arguably faults on both sides – she was also addicted to gambling and had numerous love affairs – society in general judged him to be the greater offender.

Marriage and issue

On 27 November 1780, he had married Lady Henrietta Spencer, second daughter of John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer. The marriage was notoriously unhappy. Bessborough began divorce proceedings in 1790, but under intense pressure from his relatives dropped them. They had four children:
In 1821, Lady Bessborough died suddenly of a "chill" caught while travelling in Italy. Her husband outlived her by more than 20 years, dying at Canford House, Dorset, in 1844.