The Dorset Yacht coming into Ringsend (Poolbeg lighthouse in the foreground). John Thomas Serres (1759 -1825)
The Hewitt Family of Stillorgan Park (Viscount Lifford)
William Hewitt married Hannah Lewis
William Hewitt, draper of Coventry married Hannah Lewis. He was Mayor of Coventry in 1744.
1 James Hewitt born circa 1712 was called to the bar in 1742. He married Mary Rhys Williams daughter of
the Rev Rhys Williams of Stapleford Abbey, Essex in 1749. He was serjeant at law and Member for the
City of Coventry. Mary died 12 Oct 1765.
1 James Hewitt eldest son born circa 1751 attended Trinity and took holy orders. He married
Henrietta Judith Pomeroy, daughter of Arthur Pomeroy, MP for Kildare and Mary Colley, on
25 Jul 1776 at Newbury in Kildare. He was Serjeant at Law and MP for Belfast. Henrietta died in
1778 and James secondly married Alicia Oliver on 23 Dec 1781. He succeeded his father as 2nd
Viscount in 1787. He was Dean of Armagh between 1796 and his death on 15 Apr 1830 at
Ranfurley House, Rostrevor in his 80th year. His body was repatriated to England and he was
interred at Trinity Church, Coventry.
1 James Hewitt eldest son born circa 1783 married the Hon Mary Anne Maude, sister of
Viscount Hawarden at Clifton in April 1809. He was a commissioner of excise and
succeeded his father as 3rd Viscount in 1830. James returned to Ireland in 1836 to live on
his estate in Donegal. James died 1855.
1 James Hewitt eldest son born 31 Mar 1811 at Merrion Square married Lady Mary
Acheson eldest daughter of the Earl of Gosford in London in July 1835. He
succeeded his father as 4th Viscount in 1855 and died 20 Nov 1887.
2 John Pratt Hewitt took holy orders and married Julia Hamilton, second daughter of Alex
Hamilton of Rutland Square on 19 Oct 1819.
2 William Williams Hewitt second son Lieutenant of the 28th Regt of Foot married Anne Strettell,
daughter of Thomas Strettell of Corke at Carrigrohan Church on 16 Dec 1773. Miss Strettell had a
dowry of 8K. William died at Bath in Jun 1798. Anne died 1 Jul 1828 at Bath. A silver water jug
celebrating their marriage was put up for sale at the Grosvenor House fair in 1976. It was
embossed with the coat of arms of both William's and Anne's families.
1 Mary Hewitt born circa 1775 died at the Mall Clifton on 9 Sep 1863. She was their last
surviving child.
2 Elizabeth Hewitt, youngest daughter married J H Holder of Cerney House, Gloucestershire
on 5 Sep 1808.
3 Joseph Hewitt born circa 1754 was called to the bar in 1776. He was a justice of the Court of the
Kings Bench. He lived at Grafton Street, Kildare Street and Newtown Park. He died in 1794.
4 John Hewitt, fourth son born 16 Dec 1755 took holy orders. He was the rector of St Marks and
Dean of Cloyne when he married Jane Moore second daughter of Dr Moore of Dorset Street
in October 1779. Dr John Hewitt, Dean of Cloyne died at Clifton in May 1804.
James secondly married Ambrosia Bayley, daughter of Rev Charles Bayley of Navestock in 1766. He was
a judge on the Kings bench when is was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland by letters patent on
24 Nov 1767 and his male heirs to the dignity of Baron of Ireland, by the title of Baron Lifford, of
Lifford, in the County of Donegal. His salary to include contingencies was 10K. He resided in Henrietta
Street, Belvedere House and Santry house before taking Stillorgan Park House as his county residence
in 1780. Here they hosted many dinners where the Lord Lieutenant was a regular visitor.
He and his family returned to England in 1780 and rumours abounded that he was to be replaced but
he returned later that year aboard the Lord Lieut’s ship, the Dorset Yacht. He was raised to Viscount
Lifford of Donegal in 1780. He retired in 1788 on a pension of 4K per annum for life with official provision
for his wife and sons. He was responsible for drawing up The Regency Bill of 1789 which was a proposed
Act of Parliament to provide for King George III's eldest son George, Prince of Wales, could act as regent
due to the King's incapacity through mental illness. The legislation wasn't enacted until 1811 as the King
recovered. James died at Sackville Street 28 Apr 1789 aged 76. It was thought he would be buried in
England but by special directions given in his Will he was buried at Christ Church Cathedral. The hearse
was pulled by 6 black horses and the service was conducted by Dr Richard Allott. The Rt Hon Lady
Viscountess Lifford (Ambrosia) died in April 1807 in her 75 year at Chichester and was interred at
Coventry.
5 George Hewitt, youngest son of the 31st Foot died unmarried at Newcastle on 22 Feb 1792.
6 Ambrosia Hewitt died unmarried.
7 Elizabeth Hewitt died unmarried.
2 William Hewitt was born in Coventry in 1719. In 1767 Hewitt was appointed a Commissioner 'for the sale
and disposal of lands in the Ceded Islands on the West Indies'. The work of the Commission was
terminated in 1771 and William returned to England. In 1776 he was appointed Commissioner 'for
adjusting the differences that have arisen or may arise in respect to sales and leases of lands in the islands
of Grenada, the Grenadines, St. Vincent, Dominica and Tobago.' He lost his estates on Dominica when the
island fell to the French in 1778, and was involved in several bankruptcies and left considerable debts. He
died in St Eustatius on 16 May 1781.
3 John Hewitt born circa 1725 died unmarried in 1794.
4 Joseph Hewitt youngest son born circa 1726. He resigned at Clerk of the Peace of Stratford on Avon in
1789. Of Coventry he died in his 89th year in July 1813.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – April 2020
William Hewitt married Hannah Lewis
William Hewitt, draper of Coventry married Hannah Lewis. He was Mayor of Coventry in 1744.
1 James Hewitt born circa 1712 was called to the bar in 1742. He married Mary Rhys Williams daughter of
the Rev Rhys Williams of Stapleford Abbey, Essex in 1749. He was serjeant at law and Member for the
City of Coventry. Mary died 12 Oct 1765.
1 James Hewitt eldest son born circa 1751 attended Trinity and took holy orders. He married
Henrietta Judith Pomeroy, daughter of Arthur Pomeroy, MP for Kildare and Mary Colley, on
25 Jul 1776 at Newbury in Kildare. He was Serjeant at Law and MP for Belfast. Henrietta died in
1778 and James secondly married Alicia Oliver on 23 Dec 1781. He succeeded his father as 2nd
Viscount in 1787. He was Dean of Armagh between 1796 and his death on 15 Apr 1830 at
Ranfurley House, Rostrevor in his 80th year. His body was repatriated to England and he was
interred at Trinity Church, Coventry.
1 James Hewitt eldest son born circa 1783 married the Hon Mary Anne Maude, sister of
Viscount Hawarden at Clifton in April 1809. He was a commissioner of excise and
succeeded his father as 3rd Viscount in 1830. James returned to Ireland in 1836 to live on
his estate in Donegal. James died 1855.
1 James Hewitt eldest son born 31 Mar 1811 at Merrion Square married Lady Mary
Acheson eldest daughter of the Earl of Gosford in London in July 1835. He
succeeded his father as 4th Viscount in 1855 and died 20 Nov 1887.
2 John Pratt Hewitt took holy orders and married Julia Hamilton, second daughter of Alex
Hamilton of Rutland Square on 19 Oct 1819.
2 William Williams Hewitt second son Lieutenant of the 28th Regt of Foot married Anne Strettell,
daughter of Thomas Strettell of Corke at Carrigrohan Church on 16 Dec 1773. Miss Strettell had a
dowry of 8K. William died at Bath in Jun 1798. Anne died 1 Jul 1828 at Bath. A silver water jug
celebrating their marriage was put up for sale at the Grosvenor House fair in 1976. It was
embossed with the coat of arms of both William's and Anne's families.
1 Mary Hewitt born circa 1775 died at the Mall Clifton on 9 Sep 1863. She was their last
surviving child.
2 Elizabeth Hewitt, youngest daughter married J H Holder of Cerney House, Gloucestershire
on 5 Sep 1808.
3 Joseph Hewitt born circa 1754 was called to the bar in 1776. He was a justice of the Court of the
Kings Bench. He lived at Grafton Street, Kildare Street and Newtown Park. He died in 1794.
4 John Hewitt, fourth son born 16 Dec 1755 took holy orders. He was the rector of St Marks and
Dean of Cloyne when he married Jane Moore second daughter of Dr Moore of Dorset Street
in October 1779. Dr John Hewitt, Dean of Cloyne died at Clifton in May 1804.
James secondly married Ambrosia Bayley, daughter of Rev Charles Bayley of Navestock in 1766. He was
a judge on the Kings bench when is was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland by letters patent on
24 Nov 1767 and his male heirs to the dignity of Baron of Ireland, by the title of Baron Lifford, of
Lifford, in the County of Donegal. His salary to include contingencies was 10K. He resided in Henrietta
Street, Belvedere House and Santry house before taking Stillorgan Park House as his county residence
in 1780. Here they hosted many dinners where the Lord Lieutenant was a regular visitor.
He and his family returned to England in 1780 and rumours abounded that he was to be replaced but
he returned later that year aboard the Lord Lieut’s ship, the Dorset Yacht. He was raised to Viscount
Lifford of Donegal in 1780. He retired in 1788 on a pension of 4K per annum for life with official provision
for his wife and sons. He was responsible for drawing up The Regency Bill of 1789 which was a proposed
Act of Parliament to provide for King George III's eldest son George, Prince of Wales, could act as regent
due to the King's incapacity through mental illness. The legislation wasn't enacted until 1811 as the King
recovered. James died at Sackville Street 28 Apr 1789 aged 76. It was thought he would be buried in
England but by special directions given in his Will he was buried at Christ Church Cathedral. The hearse
was pulled by 6 black horses and the service was conducted by Dr Richard Allott. The Rt Hon Lady
Viscountess Lifford (Ambrosia) died in April 1807 in her 75 year at Chichester and was interred at
Coventry.
5 George Hewitt, youngest son of the 31st Foot died unmarried at Newcastle on 22 Feb 1792.
6 Ambrosia Hewitt died unmarried.
7 Elizabeth Hewitt died unmarried.
2 William Hewitt was born in Coventry in 1719. In 1767 Hewitt was appointed a Commissioner 'for the sale
and disposal of lands in the Ceded Islands on the West Indies'. The work of the Commission was
terminated in 1771 and William returned to England. In 1776 he was appointed Commissioner 'for
adjusting the differences that have arisen or may arise in respect to sales and leases of lands in the islands
of Grenada, the Grenadines, St. Vincent, Dominica and Tobago.' He lost his estates on Dominica when the
island fell to the French in 1778, and was involved in several bankruptcies and left considerable debts. He
died in St Eustatius on 16 May 1781.
3 John Hewitt born circa 1725 died unmarried in 1794.
4 Joseph Hewitt youngest son born circa 1726. He resigned at Clerk of the Peace of Stratford on Avon in
1789. Of Coventry he died in his 89th year in July 1813.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – April 2020