Sir Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Baronet, 20th Knight of Kerry, CVO, JP, DL (5 February 1844 - 22 October 1916) was an Anglo-Irish nobleman, landowner, soldier and yachtsman.
Life
editHe was born on 5 February 1844, the eldest son of Sir Peter FitzGerald, 1st Baronet, 19th Knight of Kerry, and his wife, Julia Hussey, daughter of Peter Hussey. He succeeded his father to the baronetcy—in addition to the illustrious knighthood of Kerry—in 1880.[1]
FitzGerald was commissioned as an officer in the Rifle Brigade in 1863. He fought in the Third Anglo-Ashanti War in which he served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Sir Archibald Alison. He remained with his regiment until 1883, by which time he gained the rank of Captain. He later also served as equerry to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught.
On 4 October 1882, FitzGerald married Amelia Catherine Bischoffsheim, daughter of prosperous banker Henri Louis Bischoffsheim. They had three children.[2] Throughout his life, FitzGerald was an enthusiastic yachtsman, member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and owned several vessels including The Satanita, a winning racing cutter.[3]
In 1909 FitzGerald acquired Buckland House, a grand Georgian mansion near Farringdon, Berkshire, where on one occasion he hosted King Edward VII.[4] Following his wife's death in 1947, she bequeathed the property to their grandson Major Richard Wellesley, in which family the estate remains.[2] He died at Buckland on 22 October 1916 aged 72.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Burke's Peerage". burkespeerage.com. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
- ^ a b C.F.J. Hankinson (ed.). Debretts Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage (1949), p. 1099.
- ^ "FitzGerald, Sir Maurice, Bart". National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
- ^ Kelly's Directories, ltd. "Berkshire". Kelly's directory of Berkshire, Bucks and Oxon. p. 54.
- ^ The Southdown Flock Book. Southdown Sheep Society. 1920.