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Lot Essay
See front cover illustration (detail)
What little information is known about Emily appears in the notes to lot 425.
The Earl of Belfast, later 3rd Marquis of Donegall, was born in London on 10th February 1797, the eldest child of the 2nd Marquis. Educated at Eton and Oxford, he served briefly in the 7th Hussars from 1821 to 1823, although his main occupation until succeeding his father was as a Member of Parliament. M.P. for Carrickfergus 1818-20, for Belfast 1820-30, for Antrim 1830-37, and again for Belfast 1837-38, he was also Vice-Chamberlain to the King's Household from 1830 to 1834 and a Privy Councillor. Lord Lieutenant of County Antrim from 1841 until his death, he was also Colonel of the Antrim Militia (1841-81), Militia A.D.C. to Queen Victoria (1847-83) and Captain of the Queen's Yeomen of the Guard (1848-52). The holder of several other military appointments, the Marquis was created a Knight of St. Patrick in 1857 and died at Brighton in October 1883.
A highly influential early member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, Lord Belfast was appointed its first Vice-Commodore in 1827 and held this position until 1846, by which time he had succeeded his father as Marquis of Donegall. His importance to the R.Y.S. is acknowledged in the Squadron's own history (publ. 1985) in which Ian Dear, its author, writes:
'......the energy with which that gentleman pursued the club's interests soon helped it into its unassailable position as the country's premier yacht club. From having a new club button designed, to being involved in negotiating with the Admiralty for a warrant to fly the White Ensign, Lord Belfast had a finger in every pie, for members were as particular about how they were dressed as they were about the code of signals with which they had wrestled for so many years.'
This deep involvment with practically every aspect of the club's activities, coupled with Lord Belfast's privileged position as Vice-Chamberlain to the King's Household, brought the altogether unexpected reward of the grant of 'Royal' status to the club by King William IV in 1833. There is ample evidence that this recognition was largely thanks to Lord Belfast alone and it is difficult to overestimate his influence on yachting affairs in this period.
In all, Lord Belfast owned five yachts, the first three of which were racing cutters named after female members of his family. The earliest was the Therese, 121 tons. She was followed by the Harriet, 96 tons and named after his wife, and lastly came the Louisa. Originally of 139 tons, Louisa was later lengthened bringing her tonnage up to 162 and she was sold to the 1st Earl of Durham when Emily and Waterwitch came into their own. Although Lord Belfast gave up competitive racing in 1834 when he sold Waterwitch, he remained Vice-Commodore of the R.Y.S. for a further twelve years before becoming Commodore in 1847 upon the death of Lord Yarborough. By now Marquis of Donegall, his tenure as Commodore was both brief as well as controversial and, after resigning the post in August 1848, he quietly withdrew from the sport in which he had once played such a prominent part.
What little information is known about Emily appears in the notes to lot 425.
The Earl of Belfast, later 3rd Marquis of Donegall, was born in London on 10th February 1797, the eldest child of the 2nd Marquis. Educated at Eton and Oxford, he served briefly in the 7th Hussars from 1821 to 1823, although his main occupation until succeeding his father was as a Member of Parliament. M.P. for Carrickfergus 1818-20, for Belfast 1820-30, for Antrim 1830-37, and again for Belfast 1837-38, he was also Vice-Chamberlain to the King's Household from 1830 to 1834 and a Privy Councillor. Lord Lieutenant of County Antrim from 1841 until his death, he was also Colonel of the Antrim Militia (1841-81), Militia A.D.C. to Queen Victoria (1847-83) and Captain of the Queen's Yeomen of the Guard (1848-52). The holder of several other military appointments, the Marquis was created a Knight of St. Patrick in 1857 and died at Brighton in October 1883.
A highly influential early member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, Lord Belfast was appointed its first Vice-Commodore in 1827 and held this position until 1846, by which time he had succeeded his father as Marquis of Donegall. His importance to the R.Y.S. is acknowledged in the Squadron's own history (publ. 1985) in which Ian Dear, its author, writes:
'......the energy with which that gentleman pursued the club's interests soon helped it into its unassailable position as the country's premier yacht club. From having a new club button designed, to being involved in negotiating with the Admiralty for a warrant to fly the White Ensign, Lord Belfast had a finger in every pie, for members were as particular about how they were dressed as they were about the code of signals with which they had wrestled for so many years.'
This deep involvment with practically every aspect of the club's activities, coupled with Lord Belfast's privileged position as Vice-Chamberlain to the King's Household, brought the altogether unexpected reward of the grant of 'Royal' status to the club by King William IV in 1833. There is ample evidence that this recognition was largely thanks to Lord Belfast alone and it is difficult to overestimate his influence on yachting affairs in this period.
In all, Lord Belfast owned five yachts, the first three of which were racing cutters named after female members of his family. The earliest was the Therese, 121 tons. She was followed by the Harriet, 96 tons and named after his wife, and lastly came the Louisa. Originally of 139 tons, Louisa was later lengthened bringing her tonnage up to 162 and she was sold to the 1st Earl of Durham when Emily and Waterwitch came into their own. Although Lord Belfast gave up competitive racing in 1834 when he sold Waterwitch, he remained Vice-Commodore of the R.Y.S. for a further twelve years before becoming Commodore in 1847 upon the death of Lord Yarborough. By now Marquis of Donegall, his tenure as Commodore was both brief as well as controversial and, after resigning the post in August 1848, he quietly withdrew from the sport in which he had once played such a prominent part.