Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, KP, GCVO, FRS (November 10 1847 - October 7 1927) was an Irish philanthropist and businessman. He was born in Dublin, the third son of Sir Benjamin Guinness, 1st Baronet, and younger brother of Arthur Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun. Educated at Trinity College Dublin, graduating BA in 1870, he served as Sheriff of Dublin in 1876, and nine years later became the city's High Sheriff. That same year, he was created a baronet on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Ireland.
In 1891 Guinness was created Baron Iveagh, of Iveagh in the County of Down. He was appointed a Knight of St Patrick in 1895, and ten years later was advanced in the Peerage of the United Kingdom to Viscount Iveagh. Elected to the Royal Society in 1906, he was two years later elected Chancellor of Dublin University, and in 1910 was appointed GCVO. He was finally in 1919 created Earl of Iveagh and Viscount Elveden, of Elveden in the County of Suffolk.
Lord Iveagh was manager of the Guinness company until 1889, subsequently becoming the chairman of the board. Like his father and brother a generous philanthropist, he contributed almost £1 million to slum clearance and housing projects, among other causes. After his death in 1927 at Grosvenor Place, London, he was buried at Elveden, Suffolk, leaving his house and estate of Kenwood, Hampstead, to the nation, along with its large collection of works of art.
Preceded by:
New Creation
| Earl of Iveagh
| Followed by:
Rupert Edward Cecil Lee Guinness
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