The Memoirs of Admiral Lord BeresfordBeresford, Charles William De la Poer Beresford, Baron
History
The Memoirs of Admiral Lord Beresford
Beresford, Charles William De la Poer Beresford, Baron
Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Great Britain -- History, Naval -- 19th century
A collateral branch of the De Pohers, or Powers, was the Barons of
Donoyle, or Dunhill, the ruins of whose castle remain to this day. It
was stoutly defended against Cromwell by the Baroness; and, according
to tradition, was betrayed into the hands of the enemy by the
lieutenant of her garrison. These Powers were then transplanted to
Connaught, and their estates were forfeited. Another collateral branch
was the Powers of Knockbrit, county Tipperary. In the year 1789, to
Edmund Power and his wife, who was a daughter of "Buck" Sheehy, was
born Marguerite, who became Lady Blessington. It seems that her
father, "Buck" Power, dissipated his fortune, as the mode was in those
days; that he compelled his daughter to marry one Captain Farmer, who
ill-treated her; that Mrs. Farmer left her husband, came to London with
her brother, was painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence, and, after Farmer's
death, married Lord Blessington. Here is a link with my Lord Byron.
The relation of the De la Poer Beresfords with the Delavals of
Seaton-Delaval in Northumberland, consists in the marriage of Sir Henry
de la Poer, second Marquess {xxvii} (1772-1826), with Lady Susanna
Carpenter, who was the granddaughter of Lord Delaval. Her mother,
daughter of Lord Delaval, married George, second Earl of Tyrconnel.
The Lady Tyrconnel was famed for her beauty. The portrait of her
daughter, Lady Susanna, now at Curraghmore, represents a singularly
beautiful, fair-haired creature, delicately featured, blue-eyed. The
Delavals would seem to have been a high-spirited, reckless, and
spendthrift race. Extravagant entertainments were devised at their
house of Seaton-Delaval, which was built by Sir John Vanbrugh,
playwright and architect. The actor Foote was a friend of the family;
they were devoted to amateur theatricals; and Garrick once lent Drury
Lane Theatre to them. The Delavals were singularly addicted to
practical jokes; a tendency to the same diversion has reappeared in
later generations. Lord Delaval's only son died young, and the title
expired. There is a picture of the sturdy, brown-haired lad at
Curraghmore. It is worth noting that an ancestor of Lady Susanna, and,
therefore, of Lord Charles Beresford, was a naval officer of some
distinction. George Delaval, vice-admiral of the Red, was present at
the action fought off Cape Barfleur in May 1692.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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