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From: "Jean R." <>
Subject: [Irish-in-UK] Plantation of Ulster -- LONDONDERRY/STEWART landedfamily
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 10:01:25 -0800

LONDONDERRY (STEWART) landed family and political magnates in Co. Down from
the 18th century initially received land in Co. Donegal during the
plantation of Ulster. Robert STEWART (1739-1821) purchased the Co. Down
estate in 1744, his failure to acquire with it political control of the
borough of Newtownards created a celebrated legal dispute. (Newtown Act of
1748). He was MP for Co. Down 1771-83. In their long rivalry with the
Hillsborough/Downshire family for dominance of country politics, the
STEWARTs initially enjoyed the support of the independent and dissenting
interest. By the 1790s, however, Robert STEWART had abandoned
Presbyterianism and became a government supporter, advancing in the peerage
from BARON LONDONDERRY in 1789 to MARQUIS of LONDONDERRY in 1816. His son
VISCOUNT CASTLEREAGH was returned for Co. Down as a Whig champion in 1790,
but went on to become a key figure in successive Tory ministries.

CASTLEREAGH's brother Charles William (1778-1854), the 3rd MARQUIS, served
with distinction in the revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, and was
ambassador to Austria (1814-23). He married LADY FRANCES VANE TEMPEST,
heiress to land, and to what became highly profitable collieries, in Co.
Durham. Thereafter the family were to divide their time between residences
at Wynard Hall (Durham), Holdernesse House, later Londonderry House, in Park
Lane, London, and Mount Stewart in Co. Down, begun by the 1st MARQUIS in
1804.

The 6th MARQUIS, CHARLES VANE-TEMPEST-STEWART (1852-1915), was lord
lieutenant of Ireland 1886-9. His wife Theresa (1856-1919) was president
from 1912 of the Ulster Women's Unionist Council.

Charles, 7th MARQUIS (1878-1949), was chairman of the standing committee of
the Ulster Unionist Council during the home rule crisis 1912-14. He was a
junior minister for aviation 1919-21, resigning to enter the Senate of the
new Northern Ireland parliament and become minister for education. In 1923
he introduced an education bill intended to provide for non-denominational
primary schooling. Concerned opposition from Protestant churches and the
Orange Order forced the government to include compulsory Bible instruction,
ensuring that Catholics would reject the state schools, which in consequence
became de facto denominational . LONDONDERRY returned to British politics
as secretary of state for air (1931-5). His wife, EDITH (1879-1959) was a
leading society hostess and an advocate of women's suffrage. During the
First World War she founded the Women's Legion. In the 1930s both MARQUIS
and MARCHIONESS showed a degree of sympathy towards Nazi Germany.

-- "The Oxford Companion to Irish History," ed. S. J. CONNOLLY

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