John FitzGibbon, 2nd Earl of Clare

The Earl of Clare

John FitzGibbon, 2nd Earl of Clare KP GCH PC (10 July 1792 – 18 August 1851) was the son of John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare and his wife, Anne, sister of Thomas Whaley (politician). He succeeded to the titles of Baron FitzGibbon in the Peerage of Great Britain and Earl of Clare in the Irish Peerage in 1802.

Biography

FitzGibbon was educated at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford, graduating in 1812. From 1820 to 1851, he was active in estate management when not in public office, and from 1820 onwards was active in the House of Lords. In 1830 he became a Privy Councillor, and later the same year was appointed Governor of Bombay, serving until 1835.

In 1835 he was invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order, was a member of the Royal Asiatic Society from 1839 and invested as a Knight of St Patrick in 1845. He was Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Limerick from 1846 to 1849 and afterwards Lord Lieutenant of the City of Limerick for the remainder of his life.

He married Elizabeth Burrell, daughter of Peter Burrell, 1st Lord Gwydwyr.^[1] His and his wife's remains are deposited in Catacomb B [Vault63] in Kensal Green Cemetery, London where his cap of maintenance may be seen inside the vault.

He was also known to have been a great friend of Lord Byron while attending Harrow School. (Byron had claimed to love him "ad infinitum" and said that he could never hear the word "Clare" without "a murmur of the heart".^[2])

References

1. [http://www.thepeerage.com/p12529.htm#i125284 The Peerage.com
2. O'Brien, Edna (2009), Byron in Love: A Short Daring Life; W.W. Norton & Co., pg 18.