William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson
William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson, 2nd Duke of Bronte (20 April 1757 – 28 February 1835), was an Anglican
Life
Born in
He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, matriculating in 1774, graduating B.A. 1778, M.A. 1781, D.D. 1802. He was ordained deacon in 1779 and priest in 1781.[2]
He became rector of Brandon Parva in Norfolk in January 1784, and went to sea that year as a naval chaplain on HMS Boreas (commanded by his brother the future Admiral), but obtained his discharge in October 1786 and returned to Brandon Parva. He became rector of Hilborough in 1797, and a prebendary of Canterbury Cathedral in 1803.
William Nelson succeeded by a special remainder, which included his father's and sisters' male issue, to one of Horatio Nelson's baronies (
He was reportedly an ambitious man, and used Nelson's mistress Emma Hamilton's generosity and hospitality when it served his purpose, including hosting his son Horatio at her home during the Eton school holidays, but cut both her and Horatia Nelson, Emma's daughter by Lord Nelson, off after Nelson's death. He did not respect his brother's wishes to look after Horatia.[4]
He moved to Trafalgar Park after Standlynch Park was renamed thus by an Act of Parliament in 1814.
He died without surviving male issue, Horatio (recently made Viscount Trafalgar) having died at the age of 19 of tuberculosis in 1808,
There is a memorial to him in the crypt at St Paul's Cathedral.[5]
Family
Nelson married firstly Sarah Yonge, daughter of Rev. Henry Yonge, on 9 November 1786. They had two children:
- Charlotte Mary Nelson (1787–1873), 3rd Duchess of Bronte, married Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport
- Horatio Nelson (1788–1808), styled Viscount Merton and Viscount Trafalgar[6]
After Sarah's death on 13 April 1828, at the age of 71, Nelson married the much younger Hilare Barlow, daughter of Admiral Sir Robert Barlow, on 26 March 1829.[3]
References
- Lee, Sidney, ed. (1894). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 40. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- ^ Montague-Smith, P.W. (ed.), Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage, Kelly's Directories Ltd, Kingston-upon-Thames, 1968, p.174, Viscount Bridport
- ^ "Nelson, William (NL774W)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ a b "Reverend William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson of Trafalgar and of Merton". thepeerage.com. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ ISBN 9781408430781.
- Sinclair, W.p. 464: London; Chapman & Hall, Ltd; 1909.
- ^ "Nelson, Horatio, Viscount Merton (NL805H)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
External links
Media related to William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson at Wikimedia Commons
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