John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
(1835-1910), Politician, Lord President of the Council and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; ex-officio Trustee of the National Portrait GallerySitter in 38 portraits
A Whig politician who played a prominent role in Liberal politics for almost forty years. Elected MP in 1857, he came to the fore in 1867 during the Second Reform Act which, unlike many in his party, he supported. He was a member of successive Liberal governments, and a member of the cabinet in all except the first. Irish politics came to be a major preoccupation of his political career. As Lord Lieutenant (Viceroy) of Ireland, Spencer was given the difficult task of carrying out the provisions of the Irish Land Acts. In 1892 he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. His shipbuilding programme and steps to improve naval defences were of immense value when the First World War broke out.
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by Samuel Cousins, after Henry Tanworth Wells
mezzotint, mid 19th century
NPG D42010
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer ('Statesmen No. 53.
by Carlo Pellegrini
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 2 July 1870
NPG D43438
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by Joseph Brown, after Henry Tanworth Wells
stipple engraving, 1878 or after
NPG D20721
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by Joseph Brown, after Henry Tanworth Wells
stipple engraving, 1878 or after
NPG D42012
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by Joseph Brown, after Henry Tanworth Wells
stipple engraving, 1878 or after
NPG D9944
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by Riddle & Couchman, published by The Pictorial World, after London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
chromolithograph, published 31 March 1883
NPG D42011
"The Cabinet Council, 1883" (Gladstone and 13 colleagues)
by Théobald Chartran ('T')
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 27 November 1883
NPG D44149
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by Gerald Philip Robinson, published by Thomas Agnew & Sons Ltd, after Frank Holl
mezzotint, published 1 February 1890 (1888)
NPG D42009
"Mixed Political Wares: Methodical & Methodist, Babble and Bluster and Faithful & Faddist"
by Sir Leslie Ward
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 3 December 1892
NPG D44623
Key to Private View of the Old Masters Exhibition, Royal Academy, 1888
after Henry Jamyn Brooks
photograph, 1919 or after
NPG D42236
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by Alexander Bassano
half-plate glass negative, 1883
NPG x96414
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by George Charles Beresford
dry-plate glass negative, 1903
NPG x6592
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by George Charles Beresford
dry-plate glass negative, 1903
NPG x6593
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by Unknown photographer
albumen carte-de-visite
NPG Ax38677
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
albumen cabinet card
NPG x17090
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
carbon print
NPG x26529
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
carbon print
NPG x26530
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
carbon print
NPG x26531
Related People
- Sarah Lyttelton (née Spencer), Lady Lyttelton (aunt)
- George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (grandfather)
- Lavinia Spencer (née Bingham), Countess Spencer (grandmother)
- John Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer (uncle)
- Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer (father)
- Charlotte Frances Frederica Spencer (née Seymour), Countess Spencer (wife)
- Lady Sarah Isabella Spencer (sister)
- Sir Robert Cavendish Spencer (uncle)
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.