About Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds
Lived 1798 – 1859 (aged 60). Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds was a British politician.
Francis George Godolphin D'Arcy D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds (21 May 1798 – 4 May 1859), styled Earl of Danby from birth until 1799 and Marquess of Carmarthen from 1799 until 1838, was a British peer and politician.
Early life Osborne was the son of George Osborne, 6th Duke of Leeds, and his wife, Charlotte Townshend. His younger brother was Lord Conyers George Thomas William Osborne (1812–1831) and his sister was Lady Charlotte Mary Anne Georgiana Osborne (d. 1836), the wife of Sackville Lane-Fox, MP (the third son of James Fox-Lane, MP, of Bramham Park). Among her extended maternal family was her uncle Captain Lord James Townshend.
Career As Marquess of Carmarthen, he held the parliamentary seat of Helston from 1826 to 1830 and on 2 July 1838, was summoned to the House of Lords in his father's barony of Osborne. A few weeks later, he inherited his father's dukedom; and added the name of D'Arcy to his surname by Royal Licence in 1849.
Personal life On 24 April 1828, he married Louisa Catherine Hervey-Bathurst (née Caton; 1793–1874). She was the widow of Sir Felton Hervey-Bathurst, 1st Baronet, and the third daughter and co-heiress of Richard Caton of Maryland. Louisa had three sisters, Marianne (the wife of Robert Patterson, and, after his death, Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley), Elizabeth (the wife of George Stafford-Jerningham, 8th Baron Stafford), and Emily (the wife of John McTavish).
The couple had no children and, upon the duke's death on 4 May 1859, his titles passed to other members of his family – the dukedom of Leeds went to his first cousin, the 2nd Lord Godolphin, whereas the baronies of Darcy de Knayth and Conyers went to his nephew, Sackville Lane-Fox, along with the Portuguese countship of Mértola.
The Duke was a greater lover of outdoor pursuits. During the 1840s and early 1850s, he traveled yearly to Het Loo in the Netherlands to participate in falconry with the Royal Loo Hawking Club, of which he was an early member. The Club's president, Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, was a close personal friend of the Duke's. In 1843, when Prince Alexander visited England and Scotland, the 7th Duke of Leeds composed his itinerary and hosted him at his Scottish estate Mar Lodge near Braemar.
The 7th Duke of Leeds and his wife are buried in the Osborne family chapel at All Hallows Church, Harthill, South Yorkshire.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds?
British politician (1798-1859)
When was Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds born?
Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds was born on 21 May 1798 in London.
When did Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds die?
Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds died on 4 May 1859 in London.
What was Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds's occupation?
Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds was a politician.
What nationality was Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds?
Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds was British.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds
· DBpedia: Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds. https://biography.guide/francis-d-arcy-osborne-7th-duke-of-leeds/
MLA: "Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/francis-d-arcy-osborne-7th-duke-of-leeds/.
Chicago: "Francis D'Arcy-Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/francis-d-arcy-osborne-7th-duke-of-leeds/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:03 UTC