John de Blaquiere

Born on 2 July 1812, John de Blaquiere was the elder son of General William de Blaquiere, 3rd Baron de Blaquiere of Ardkill in the County of Londonderry in the Peerage of Ireland. His mother was Lady Harriet née Townshend, fifth daughter of George, first Marquis Townshend.

He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the 3rd West India Foot.

On 12 November 1851 he succeeded his father, becoming the 4th Baron Blaquiere of Ardkill.

When he retired from the Army in 1854 he was a Captain in the 41st Foot.

He married twice but neither marriage produced any children. On 28 July 1849 he married Anna Christie, daughter of John Christie, at St George’s, Hanover Square. She died on 18 February 1851. On 25 November 1852 at St James’s, Piccadilly, he married secondly the Honourable Eleanor Amelia Joliffe, eldest daughter of Sir William George Hylton Joliffe, later 1st Baron Hilton of Hylton.

John de Blaquiere died, aged 58, on 2 January 1871 at his residence in Stratford Place, Marylebone. He was succeeded by his younger brother, a retired commander in the Royal Navy.

Photographed by Geiser Frères of Algiers.