Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea,
He
first went to Ireland to the family's new
Irish estates
in 1832
[Mount Merrion 300].
He
spent much of his time in
Mount Merrion
or Wilton,
while his half-brother the
12th Earl
lived in Paris.
His initials "S.H."
were on the iron gates which kept intruders
from the "fruit garden" or orchard at Mount Merrion.
They were still in place on the gates in the mid 20th century
[Mount Merrion 300].
The great wrought iron gates in the rosewalk
originally came from the Fitzwilliam house at
Richmond.
See [Wilkinson, 1925].
He
contributed to the founding of the Catholic Sisters of Mercy convent
beside Booterstown church in 1838.
He
also contributed to the founding of Blackrock Catholic church 1842,
see [Lyng, 2000].
He is remembered, along with the
Duke of Leinster and others,
as one of the few decent Irish landlords
during the Famine.
Peelite politician.
Secretary of State for War 1845-46 (under Sir Robert Peel).
Secretary of State for War 1852-55.
He
started the
Crimean War
(1853-56).
This was a
war against the Russians,
his mother's own people,
and his mother
and his uncle
were alive to see it.
He sent his friend
Florence Nightingale to the Crimea,
and was a champion of her nursing reforms in the war hospitals.
He was a
founder Trustee of NPG 1856.
Secretary of State for War 1859-60 (under Viscount Palmerston).
His 1st cousin's son Arthur Augustus Gibbon worked at War Office also.
He
instigated the building of
St.Stephen's Parochial School,
Northumberland Rd, Dublin (designed think 1856,
opened 1861).
This quaint building survives.
He was
cr Baron Herbert of Lea 15 Jan 1861.
Even though it looked as if he was about to become Earl of Pembroke.
Death, 1861:
He died 2 Aug 1861, age 50 yrs.
He was bur Wilton parish church.
Had he lived another year he would have been 13th Earl of Pembroke.
Elizabeth became a Catholic in 1866.
She was author of
Impressions of Spain in 1866
(pub 1867)
and many other works.
She became a prominent English Catholic writer and philanthropist.
She lived
Herbert House, Belgrave Square, London.
She out-lived her son the 13th Earl.
She died Herbert House, London,
30 October 1911, age 89 yrs.
She was
bur Mill Hill,
London.
Sidney and Elizabeth
had issue:
Statue of Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea, Waterloo Place, London.
From here.
The garden gates at Mount Merrion.
From Mount Merrion 300 exhibition.
Used with permission.
Herbert arms over the front entrance of
Royal City of Dublin Hospital.
Note Herbert motto "UNG JE SERVIRAI".
Photo 2012.
See full size
and other shot.
See street view.
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