William Amherst, 2nd Earl Amherst

Who was William Amherst, 2nd Earl Amherst?

William Pitt Amherst, 2nd Earl Amherst, styled Viscount Holmesdale between 1826 and 1857, was a British peer.

Amherst was born at Lower Grosvenor Street, London, the son of William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst, by his first wife the Honourable Sarah, daughter of Andrew Archer, 2nd Baron Archer. He was educated at Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford. He became known by the courtesy title Viscount Holmesdale when his father was elevated to an earldom in 1826. In 1826 he was returned to parliament as one of two representatives for East Grinstead, a seat he held until 1832, when the constituency was abolished through the Great Reform Act. He never returned to the House of Commons. In 1857 he succeeded his father in the earldom and took his seat in the House of Lords.

Lord Amherst married Gertrude, daughter of the Right Reverend Hugh Percy, in 1834. They had six sons and five daughters. He died at Montreal Park, Sevenoaks, Kent, in March 1886, aged 80, and was succeeded by his eldest son, William. The Countess Amherst died at Rutland Gate, London, in April 1890, aged 75.