Ellenborough, EARL OF

Ellenborough, EARL OF. Edward Law, first Earl of Ellenborough, was eldest son of the first Baron Ellenborough (1750–1818), Chief-justice from 1802 of the King's Bench. Born 8th September 1790, he entered parliament in 1813, held office under several administrations, and in 1841 was appointed Governor-general of India. He received the thanks of parliament in 1843 for his 'ability and judgment' in supporting the military operations in Afghanistan, but his treatment of the civil servants of the Company, and his policy of conciliating the natives by oriental display and proclamations which appeared to sanction idolatry, led to his recall in 1844. Supported by the ministry, he was created Viscount Southam and Earl of Ellenborough, and in 1846 was First Lord of the Admiralty under Peel. In the Derby administration of 1858 he was Minister for India, but the publication of a despatch in which he severely rebuked Viscount Canning forced him to resign in order to avert the overthrow of the government. He afterwards took a frequent and influential part in the debates of the Upper House. In 1863 he expressed strongly his sympathies on behalf of Poland, and in 1864 advocated British intervention in favour of Denmark. Ellenborough died without issue, December 2, 1871, when the barony devolved on a nephew, but the earldom and viscounty became extinct. See History of the Indian Administration of Lord Ellenborough, by Lord Colchester (1874), who also edited his Political Diary, 1828–30 (1881).