Earl of Rosse is a title that has been created twice in the

Peerage of Ireland The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...

, both times for the Parsons family. "Rosse" refers to

New Ross New Ross (, formerly ) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. It is located on the River Barrow, near the border with County Kilkenny, and is around northeast of Waterford. In 2016 it had a population of 8,040 people, making it t ...

in County Wexford.

History

The Parsons were originally an English family from Dishworth ( Diseworth) Grange in Leicestershire; there having been five brothers who settled in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

during the late 16th century. One of the brothers, William Parsons, was created a Baronet in the

Baronetage of Ireland Baronets are a rank in the British aristocracy. The current Baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier but existing Baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland, and Great Britain. Baronetage of England (1611–1705) James I of E ...

of Bellamont in the County of Dublin in 1620 by

James VI & I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...

. The third Baronet was created Viscount Rosse in the Peerage of Ireland in 1681, and the second Viscount was created Earl of Rosse in the Peerage of Ireland in 1718; these titles of the first creation became extinct on the death of the second Earl in 1764. Sir

Lawrence Parsons Laurence or Lawrence Parsons may refer to: * Laurence Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse (1749–1807), Irish peer and politician * Lawrence Parsons, 2nd Earl of Rosse (1758–1841), Irish peer * Lawrence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse (1840–1908), Irish pee ...

, the younger brother of Sir William Parsons, 1st Baronet, settled in Birr, King's County, later known as Parsonstown, and was the ancestor of the younger (Birr) branch of the family. His grandson Laurence Parsons was created a Baronet, of

Birr Castle Birr Castle (Irish: ''Caisleán Bhiorra'') is a large castle in the town of Birr in County Offaly, Ireland. It is the home of the 7th Earl of Rosse and his family, and as such the residential areas of the castle are not open to the publi ...

in King's County, in the Baronetage of Ireland in 1677, but was

attainted In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura was the metaphorical "stain" or "corruption of blood" which arose from being condemned for a serious capital crime (felony or treason). It entailed losing not only one's life, property and heredit ...

by King James II's Parliament in 1689 and sentenced to death. The sentence was never carried out, however. His great-grandson, the third Baronet, and great-great-grandson, the fourth Baronet, both represented King's County in the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a highly restrictive fran ...

. The latter's half-brother Laurence Harman Parsons was in 1792 raised to the

as Baron Oxmantown, with remainder to his nephew Sir Lawrence Parsons, 5th Baronet, who had succeeded his father the fourth Baronet in 1791. In 1795 he was made Viscount Oxmantown in the Peerage of Ireland, with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body, and in 1806 he was even further honoured when he was created Earl of Rosse in the Peerage of Ireland, with similar remainder as for the barony. Lord Rosse sat from 1800 to 1807 as one of the original

Irish Representative Peers In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords. Until 1999, all members of the Peerage of England held the right to ...

in the

British House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster ...

. On his death in 1807 the viscountcy became extinct while he was succeeded in the barony and earldom according to the special remainders by his aforementioned nephew, the 5th Baronet. The latter represented King's County in the

British House of Commons The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 65 ...

and sat in the House of Lords as an Irish Representative Peer between 1809 and 1841. The 2nd Earl's son, the 3rd Earl, was a well-known astronomer and famous for his construction of the giant

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally meaning only an optical instrument using lenses, curved mirrors, or a combination of both to obse ...

the

Leviathan of Parsonstown Leviathan of Parsonstown, or Rosse six-foot telescope, is a historic reflecting telescope of aperture, which was the largest telescope in the world from 1845 until the construction of the Hooker Telescope in California in 1917. The Rosse six-f ...

at his seat Birr Castle. Lord Rosse also sat as Member of Parliament for King's County, was an Irish Representative Peer from 1845 to 1867 – years during which millions of the Irish population died from starvation or emigrated. He was one of the very few who foresaw the consequences of the potato blight and tried to alert the British authorities. He was

Lord Lieutenant of King's County This is a list of those who have served as Lord Lieutenant of King's County. There were lieutenants of counties in Ireland until the reign of James II, when they were renamed governors. The office of Lord Lieutenant was recreated on 23 August 18 ...

from 1831 to 1867 and President of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

from 1849 to 1854. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Earl. He was an Irish Representative Peer between 1868 and 1908 and Lord Lieutenant of King's County between 1892 and 1908. His son, the fifth Earl, was an Irish Representative Peer from 1911 to 1918 and Lord-Lieutenant of King's County from 1908 to 1918. Lord Rosse fought in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

and died from wounds received in action in 1918. the titles are held by his grandson, the seventh Earl, who succeeded his father in 1979. When the present Earl worked for the

United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...

, he did not use his title, preferring to be known by his family surname of Parsons. The family seat is

, near Birr,

County Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland ...

Parsons Baronets, of Bellamont (1620)

Sir William Parsons, 1st Baronet of Bellamont Sir William Parsons, 1st Baronet of Bellamont, PC (Ire) ( – 1650), was Lord Justice of Ireland from 1640 to 1643. He also served as Surveyor General of Ireland and was an undertaker in several plantations. He was known as a "land-hunt ...

(1570–1650) * Sir William Parsons, 2nd Baronet of Bellamont (died 1658) grandson of the first baronet * Sir Richard Parsons, 3rd Baronet (–1703) (created Viscount Rosse in 1681)

Viscounts Rosse (1681)

* Richard Parsons, 1st Viscount Rosse (–1703) * Richard Parsons, 2nd Viscount Rosse (died 1741) (created Earl of Rosse in 1718)

Earls of Rosse, First Creation (1718)

Richard Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse Richard Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse (1702 – 21 June 1741), Freemason and a founder-member of the Hell-Fire Club, 2nd Viscount Rosse of Bellamont co. Dublin, Baron Oxmantown, 3rd baronet. Early life An Irish peer, he was born at Twickenham, Mi ...

(died 1741) * Richard Parsons, 2nd Earl of Rosse (–1764)

Parsons Baronets, of Birr Castle (1677)

* Sir Laurence Parsons, 1st Baronet (–1698) *

Sir William Parsons, 2nd Baronet Sir William Parsons, 2nd Baronet (8 June 1661 – 17 March 1741) was an Anglo-Irish politician. Parsons was the son of Sir Laurence Parsons, 1st Baronet and Frances Savage, and succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1698. He was the Member of Par ...

(died 1741) * Sir Laurence Parsons, 3rd Baronet (1707–1756) *

Sir William Parsons, 4th Baronet Sir William Parsons, 4th Baronet of Birr Castle (6 May 1731 – 1 May 1791) was an Irish politician and baronet. He was the son of Sir Laurence Parsons, 3rd Baronet and Mary Sprigge. From 1757 until his death in 1797, Parsons served as member o ...

(1731–1791) * Sir Laurence Parsons, 5th Baronet (1758–1841) (succeeded as Earl of Rosse in 1807)

Earls of Rosse, Second Creation (1806)

* Laurence Harman Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse (1749–1807) *

Lawrence Parsons, 2nd Earl of Rosse Lawrence Parsons, 2nd Earl of Rosse (21 May 1758 – 24 February 1841), known as Sir Lawrence Parsons, Bt, from 1791 to 1807, was an Irish peer. Parsons was the son of Sir William Parsons, 4th Baronet and Mary Clere. He succeeded his father i ...

(1758–1841) *

William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse (17 June 1800 – 31 October 1867), was an Irish astronomer, naturalist, and engineer. He was president of the Royal Society (UK), the most important association of naturalists in the world in the nineteenth ...

(1800–1867) * Lawrence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse (1840–1908) * William Edward Parsons, 5th Earl of Rosse (1873–1918) * Lawrence Michael Harvey Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse (1906–1979) * William Clere Leonard Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl of Rosse (born 1936) The

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

is the present holder's son, Lawrence Patrick Parsons, Lord Oxmantown (born 1969).
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son, the Hon. William Charles Yufan Parsons (born 2008).

Line of Succession

* ''James Parsons'' ** Ulster

'' Sir William Parsons of Bellamont, 1st Baronet (d. c. 1649/50)'' *** ''Richard Parsons (d. a. 1642)'' **** Ulster

''Sir William Parsons, 2nd Baronet (d. 1658)'' ***** Coronet of a British Viscount

''Richard Parsons, 1st Viscount Rosse (c. 1656—1702/3)'' (remainder to great-grandfather) ****** Coronet of a British Earl

(d. 1741)'' ******* Coronet of a British Earl

''Richard Parsons, 2nd Earl of Rosse (b. 1718—1764)'' ** ''Sir Laurence Parsons (d. 1628)'' *** ''William Parsons (d. 1653)'' **** Ulster

''Sir Laurence Parsons, of Birr Castle, 1st Baronet (c. 1637—1698)'' ***** Ulster

''Sir William Parsons, 2nd Baronet (d. 1740/1)'' ****** ''William Parsons (d. bef. 1740)'' ******* Ulster

''Sir Laurence Parsons, 3rd Baronet (1707—1756)'' ******** Ulster

(1731—1791)'' ********* Coronet of a British Earl

'' Laurence Parsons, 2nd Earl of Rosse (1758—1841)'' Rep. peer from 1809, taking the

Earl of Normanton Earl of Normanton is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1806 for Charles Agar, 1st Viscount Somerton, Archbishop of Dublin. He had already been created Baron Somerton, of Somerton in the County of Kilkenny, in 1795 and Visco ...

's room; the Earl of Caledon followed. ********** Coronet of a British Earl

(1800—1867)'' Rep. peer from 1845, taking the Earl of Limerick's room; Lord Dunboyne followed. *********** Coronet of a British Earl

'' Lawrence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse (1840—1908)'' Rep. peer from 1868, taking Lord Farnham's room; Lord Ashtown followed. ************ Coronet of a British Earl

'' William Edward Parsons, 5th Earl of Rosse (1873—1918)'' Rep. peer from 1911, taking the 3rd Lord Bellew's room; Lord Charlemont followed. ************* Coronet of a British Earl

'' Laurence Michael Harvey Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse (1906—1979)'' ************** Coronet of a British Earl

William Clere Leonard Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl of Rosse (b. 1936) *************** (1) Lawrence Patrick Parsons, ''Lord Oxmantown'' (b. 1969) **************** (2) ''Hon.'' William Charles Parsons (b. 2008) *************** (3) ''Hon.'' Michael John Finn Parsons (b. 1981) ************** ''Hon. Desmond Oliver Martin Parsons (1938—2010)'' *************** (4) Rupert Alexander Michael Parsons (b. 1966) *************** (5) Desmond Edward Richard Parsons (b. 1968) *********** '' Hon. Richard Clere Parsons (1851—1923)'' ************ ''Arthur David Clere Parsons (1881—1955)'' ************* ''Arthur Christopher Parsons (1919—1999)'' ************** (6) Sir John Christopher Parsons (b. 1946) *************** (7) Michael Reginald Parsons (b. 1983) *************** (8) David Guy Parsons (b. 1985) **************** (9) Reginald John Vernon Parsons (b. 2014) ************* (10) Norman Charles Parsons (b. 1925) ************ '' Rev. Canon Richard Edward Parsons (1888—1971)'' ************* ''Reverend Desmond John Parsons (1925—2014)'' ************** (11) Benedict Desmond Drummond Parsons (b. 1969) ********** ''Hon. Laurence Parsons (1805—1894)'' *********** ''Reverend Randolph Cecil Parsons (1852—1941)'' ************ ''John Cecil Lawrence Parsons (1905—1978)'' ************* (12) Michael Charles Parsons (b. 1950) ******** Coronet of a British Earl

'' Laurence Harman Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse (1749—1807)'' Rep. peer from 1801, the Earl of Kingston followed.

Notes

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, *Malcomson, A.P.W. (editor), ''Calendar of the Rosse Papers'' (2008). Dublin: Irish Manuscripts Commission . *
History of the Parsons family

External links

Birr Castle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosse Noble titles created in 1806 Earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland Noble titles created in 1718 Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland People from Birr, County Offaly Peerages created with special remainders 1718 establishments in Ireland