Benjamin Lee Guinness' children and secrets from Ireland’s brewing dynasty
Benjamin Lee Guinness' children, Anne Lee, Arthur Edward, Edward Cecil, and Benjamin Lee Guinness II, have occasionally drawn public attention due to their father’s prominence. From becoming a proud father to a girl, Anne in 1839, to welcoming his lastborn child, Cecil, in 1847, fatherhood was his most fulfilling role.
Source: Original
TABLE OF CONTENTS
key takeaways
- Benjamin Lee Guinness shared all four children with his wife, Elizabeth Guinness.
- His oldest son, Arthur Edward Guinness, was born in 1840 and later died in 1915.
- Benjamin’s son, Edward Cecil Guinness, served as the managing director of the Guinness partnership and company from 1868 to 1889.
Benjamin Lee Guinness' profile summary
Full name | Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, 1st Baronet |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 1 November 1798 |
Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
Date of death | 19 May 1868 |
Age at death | 69 years old |
Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland |
Place of death | London, England, United Kingdom |
Nationality | Irish |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Dark brown |
Father | Arthur Guinness II |
Mother | Anne Lee |
Siblings | Six |
Marital status | Married |
Wife | Elizabeth Guinness |
Children | Four |
Profession | Brewer, politician, philanthropist |
All about Benjamin Lee Guinness' children
According to Guinness' family tree, the famous politician had four children: Arthur, Anne Lee, Cecil, and Benjamin Lee Guinness II, with his wife, Elizabeth Guinness. Here are more details about his four children.
Anne Lee
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- Full name: Anne Lee Plunket, Lady Plunket
- Date of birth: 11 June 1839
- Date of death: 8 November 1889
- Age at death: 50 years old
- Profession: Philanthropist
Anne Lee was the only daughter of Benjamin and his wife, Elizabeth. She followed in her father's footsteps in the philanthropic industry. Anne dedicated herself to charitable work in the Dublin neighbourhood, helping the sick and poor by funding basic medical supplies and Bible sessions.
Thanks to her philanthropic causes, she later established St Patrick's Nursing Home in 1876, which served as a training hub for nurses from the Church of Ireland. The philanthropist married William Plunket in mid-1863. William eventually served as the archbishop of Dublin in the Church of Ireland. The two had four daughters and two sons.
Lady Plunket died in November 1889 at the age of 50 after battling degenerative illness during most of her lifetime. She was laid to rest in the Guinness family vault at Mount Jerome Cemetery.
Arthur Edward
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- Full name: Arthur Edward Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun
- Date of birth: 1 November 1840
- Date of death: 20 January 1915
- Age at death: 74 years old
- Profession: Businessman, politician, philanthropist
Arthur was the firstborn son of Sir Benjamin and Elizabeth. He attended Eton College and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity College Dublin in 1862. Following his father's death in 1868, he became the 2nd Baronet Guinness of Ashford. Arthur won the Conservative representative seat for the City of Dublin in 1868, but held the position for only a year.
The court annulled his election in 1869 because of his election agent's misconduct. The politician regained his seat during the 1874 general election and served until 1880. According to History Extra, in the mid-1870s, Arthur exited his family-owned Guinness company by selling his 50% stake to his brother Edward for £700,000.
Like many members of his family, Arthur gave his resources to numerous public initiatives, including the extension of the city's Coombe Women's Hospital. He passed away in January 1915 at his home at St Anne's, Raheny, and was buried at All Saints Church, Raheny.
Benjamin Lee Guinness II
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Benjamin Lee Guinness II
- Date of birth: 4 August 1842
- Date of birth: 2 February 1900
- Age at death: 57 years old
- Profession: Military captain
Lee is the second son of Sir Benjamin and Elizabeth. He was among Guinness' family heirs and worked as a captain in the Royal Horse Guards. Guinness II exchanged marriage vows with Lady Henrietta Eliza St. Lawrence in 1881. They had two children named Algernon Lee and Kenelm. The military officer passed away in February 1900 at the age of 57.
Edward Cecil
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh
- Date of birth: 10 November 1847
- Date of birth: 7 October 1927
- Age at death: 79 years old
- Profession: Businessman
Cecil is also one of Elizabeth and Benjamin Guinness' sons. He went to Trinity College Dublin, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1870. Two years later, Cecil earned a Master of Arts degree from the same institution. In 1876, he was appointed High Sheriff of Dublin City, and later of County Dublin in 1885.
The businessman succeeded his father as the managing director of the Guinness partnership and company, a role he held until 1889. He later served as the chairman of the board of the Guinness partnership and company for life between 1889 and 1927.
Like his father, Iveagh was also a philanthropist. According to Kids Kiddle, he reportedly donated nearly £1 million to slum clearance and housing projects in London and Dublin. Additionally, in 1898, he allegedly contributed approximately £250,000 to the Lister Institute, the first medical research charity in the United Kingdom.
Cecil was married to his third cousin, Adelaide Maria Guinness, between 1873 and 1916. He died in 1927, aged 79, in London and was laid to rest in Elveden, Suffolk.
FAQs
- Who was Benjamin Lee Guinness? He was an iconic philanthropist, brewer, and politician from Ireland.
- Who was Benjamin Lee Guinness' wife? His wife was Elizabeth Guinness. The two were married between 1837 and 1865.
- How many children did Benjamin Guinness have? He had four children.
- Who are the children in the Guinness family? They are Edward Cecil, Anne Lee, Arthur Edward, and Benjamin Lee Guinness II.
- What happened to Benjamin Guinness' son Benjamin? His son Benjamin passed on in early 1900 at the age of 57.
- Who were the heirs to Guinness? The heirs were Elizabeth and Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness’ four children.
- Is Guinness still owned by the Guinness family? According to Cosmopolitan, Guinness Brewery is owned by a company called Diageo. However, the Guinness family holds a share in Diageo.
- What is the Guinness family's net worth? According to Screen Rant, the Guinness family’s net worth is alleged to be $1.147 billion.
- Where does the Guinness family live now? The Guinness family currently lives in England, United Kingdom, and in Dublin, Ireland.
Benjamin Lee Guinness's children with his wife, Elizabeth, were Benjamin Lee Guinness II, Anne Lee, Arthur, and Edward Cecil Guinness. Grounded in their father's legacy and driven by their vision, the four siblings drove their father's brewery company forward with passion and purpose.
Yen.com.gh published an article on Gillian Anderson's children. Gillian is a mother of three children: a daughter, Piper Maru, from her first marriage to Clyde Klotz, and sons, Oscar and Felix Griffiths, from her relationship with Mark Griffiths.
The article delves into her journey of motherhood, revealing details about her children and how she balances her career with family.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
