Earl Amherst
Earl Amherst (/ ˈæmərst /), of Arracan in the East Indies, was a hereditary British title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom .
Award
The title was created on December 19, 1826 for William Amherst, 2nd Baron Amherst , on the occasion of his retirement as Governor General of India . Along with the earliest title, he was given the subordinate title Viscount Holmesdale , in the County of Kent .
From his uncle, Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst , he had inherited the title of Baron Amherst , of Montreal in the County of Kent, in 1797 , which was given to him on September 6, 1788 in the Peerage of Great Britain with the special addition that in the absence of male descendants of his own he could also be passed on to his nephew William. Jeffrey Amherst had distinguished himself in the French and Indian War and was raised for it on May 20, 1776 to Baron Amherst , of Holmesdale in the County of Kent. This title was granted to him without any special addition and expired on his death in 1797.
The later 3rd Earl inherited the title 4th Baron Amherst prematurely on April 17, 1880 through Writ of Acceleration .
The Earldom and Barony of 1788 finally became extinct when the 5th Earl died on March 4, 1993.
List of Barons and Earls Amherst
Barons Amherst, first and second awards (1766 and 1788, respectively)
- Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst (1717–1797) (barony of 1766 expired)
- William Amherst, 2nd Baron Amherst (1773–1857) (promoted to Earl Amherst in 1826 )
Earls Amherst (1826)
- William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst (1773-1857)
- William Amherst, 2nd Earl Amherst (1805-1886)
- William Amherst, 3rd Earl Amherst (1836–1910)
- Hugh Amherst, 4th Earl Amherst (1856–1927)
- Jeffrey Amherst, 5th Earl Amherst (1896-1993)
See also
- Baron Amherst of Hackney (1892)
Literature and web links
- Charles Kidd: Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Debrett's Ltd, London 2014, ISBN 0-9929348-2-6 .
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page