William Monson, 1st Viscount Oxenbridge

William John Monson, 1st Viscount Oxenbridge PC (18 February 1829 – 16 April 1898), known as The Lord Monson between 1862 and 1886, was a British Liberal politician. He served as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard between 1880 and 1885 and in 1886 under William Ewart Gladstone.

The Right Honourable The Viscount Oxenbridge PC
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
In office 3 May 1880 – 9 June 1885
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	William Ewart Gladstone
Preceded by	The Lord Skelmersdale
Succeeded by	The Viscount Barrington
In office 10 February 1886 – 20 July 1886
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	William Ewart Gladstone
Preceded by	The Viscount Barrington
Succeeded by	The Earl of Kintore
Personal details
Born	18 February 1829
Died	16 April 1898 (aged 69)
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Hon. Maria Maude (c. 1820–1897)

Background

Monson was the son of William Monson, 6th Baron Monson, and Eliza, daughter of Edmund Larken. The diplomat Sir Edmund Monson, 1st Baronet, was his younger brother.[1] He was educated at Windlesham House School (1838-42), Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford.[1][2]

Political career

Monson was elected Member of Parliament for Reigate in 1858, a seat he held until he succeeded his father in the peerage in 1862 and entered the House of Lords.[3] He served under William Ewart Gladstone as Treasurer of the Household in 1874 and as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard between 1880 and 1885 and in 1886[3] and was sworn of the Privy Council in 1874.[3] In 1886, he was created Viscount Oxenbridge, of Burton in the County of Lincoln.[4] He again held office under Gladstone as Master of the Horse between 1892 and 1894.[3] From 1880 to 1892 he was Chief Liberal Whip in the House of Lords.[5]

He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 2nd Surrey Rifle Volunteer Corps and its successor, the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey), on 18 March 1882.[6]

Family

Lord Oxenbridge married Maria, Dowager Countess of Yarborough, daughter of Cornwallis Maude, 3rd Viscount Hawarden, and widow of Charles Pelham, 2nd Earl of Yarborough, on 7 August 1869. The marriage was childless. She died in December 1897. Lord Oxenbridge only survived her by a few months and died in April 1898, aged 69. As he had no children the viscountcy became extinct on his death, while he was succeeded in the barony by his younger brother, Debonnaire John Monson, 8th Baron Monson.[3]

References

1. Burke's Peerage 2003, page 2741
2. Malden, Henry C. (1902). Muster Roll. Windlesham House, Brighton. A.D. 1837 to 1902 (2nd ed.). Brighton: H. & C. Treacher.
3. The New Extinct Peerage 1884-1971, page 213
4. "No. 25616". The London Gazette. 13 August 1886. p. 3955.
5. Chris Cook and Brendan Keith, British Historical Facts 1830–1900, Macmillan, 1975
6. Army List.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Viscount Oxenbridge