Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis
Edward James Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (5 November 1818 – 7 May 1891) was a British noble and politician. He was born at The Angel Hotel in Pershore, the eldest son of Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, and Lady Lucy Graham. His younger brother, Sir Percy Egerton Herbert, was also a Member of Parliament.
He went to Eton College and St John's College, Cambridge, where he became president of the University Pitt Club. He earned MA in 1840 and LLD in 1848, and Oxford gave him an honorary DCL. While at Cambridge he played in two first-class cricket matches for the Cambridge Town Club. In 1863 he became High Steward of Cambridge University. He was also President of the Powysland Club, founded in 1867 to study Montgomeryshire.
Powis was elected MP for Shropshire North in 1843 and served until 1848. When his father died, he became the 3rd Earl of Powis and moved to the House of Lords. He was a great-grandson of Clive of India and the grandson of Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis, a former Governor of Madras. In 1875, Prime Minister Disraeli offered him the Viceroyalty of India, but he declined for health reasons. An envelope he kept reportedly read, "Not worth considering - Powis."
From 1889 he was County Alderman for Shropshire and County Councillor for Montgomeryshire. He was Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire from 1877 to 1891 and a Justice of the Peace for Shropshire and Herefordshire.
In the military, he joined the South Salopian Yeomanry Cavalry as a cornet in 1840, became captain in 1848, and commanded as colonel until 1871, when he resigned at age 63.
Powis chaired the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company and the Welshpool Gas Company, which supplied gas lighting to Welshpool.
He died on 7 May 1891 in London at his home 45 Berkeley Square, Mayfair. He was buried at St Mary's Church in Welshpool. He never married, and the earldom passed to his nephew George.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:33 (CET).