George Forbes, 7th Earl of Granard

He was the son of Major-General George Forbes, Viscount Forbes, and his wife, the Viscountess Forbes (née Frances Mary Territt); he succeeded his grandfather as Earl of Granard in 1837. He was educated at Eton.

Granard became the lieutenant-colonel commandant of the 9th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, and was appointed honorary colonel of the Westmeath Militia on 29 May 1878.[1] He was made a Knight of St Patrick in 1857.

Granard was President of the British Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1875 until his death, and was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Papal Order of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a member of the Senate of the Royal University of Ireland. Lord and Lady Granard converted to Roman Catholicism in 1869.[2]

By his first marriage to Jane Colclough Morgan on 2 June 1858, Granard had two daughters:

• Lady Adelaide Jane Frances Forbes (21 Aug 1860 – 18 November 1942), married Lord Maurice FitzGerald.
• Lady Sophia Maria Elizabeth Forbes (21 Jan 1862 – 7 November 1942), married Sir Henry Grattan-Bellew, 3rd Baronet.

By his second marriage to the Honourable Frances Mary Petre, daughter of William Petre, 12th Baron Petre, on 4 September 1873, he had eight children:

• Lady Margaret Mary Theresa Forbes (died 19 May 1965), married Capt. Hon. George Savile, son of John Savile, 4th Earl of Mexborough
• Bernard Arthur William Patrick Hastings Forbes, 8th Earl of Granard (1874–1948)
• Hon. Fergus Reginald George Forbes (20 January 1876 – 18 February 1876)
• Capt. Hon. Reginald George Benedict Forbes (25 June 1877 – 20 May 1908)
• Lady Eva Mary Margaret Forbes (25 June 1877 – 1968)
• Col. Hon. Donald Alexander Forbes (3 September 1880 – 2 August 1938), married Mary Doreen Lawson and had issue
• Lt.-Col. Hon. Bertram Aloysius Forbes (26 May 1882 – 5 August 1960)
• Capt. Hon. Fergus George Arthur Forbes (26 May 1882 – 23 August 1914), killed in World War I

• "thePeerage.com". Retrieved 14 December 2008.

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Granard