William Duncombe, 1st Earl of Feversham

Who was William Duncombe, 1st Earl of Feversham?

William Ernest Duncombe, 1st Earl of Feversham, known as The Lord Feversham between 1867 and 1868, was a British Conservative politician.

Duncombe was the son of William Duncombe, 2nd Baron Feversham, and his wife Lady Louisa Stewart. He was elected to the House of Commons for East Retford in 1852, a seat he held until 1857, and then represented the North Riding of Yorkshire between 1859 and 1867. The latter year he succeeded his father in the barony and entered the House of Lords. In 1868 he was created Viscount Helmsley, of Helmsley in the North Riding of the County of York, and Earl of Feversham, of Ryedale in the North Riding of the County of York.

Lord Feversham married Mabel Violet, daughter of Sir James Graham, 2nd Baronet, in 1851. They had seven children, including Hermione Wilhelmina Duncombe who became Duchess of Leinster.

He died in January 1915, aged 85, and was succeeded in his titles by his grandson Charles, his son and heir apparent William Duncombe, Viscount Helmsley, having predeceased him. Lady Feversham died only seven months after her husband.