STRATFORD, EDWARD, second Earl of Aldborough (d. 1801), was the eldest son of John Stratford of Baltinglass, by his wife Martha, daughter and coheiress of Benjamin O'Neal, archdeacon of Leighlin, co. Carlow. John Stratford was the grandson of Robert Stratford who came to Ireland before 1660, and is said to have sprung from a younger branch of the Stratfords of Warwickshire (Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. viii. 376, 424). John Stratford was created Baron of Baltinglass in 1763, Viscount Aldborough in 1776, and Viscount Amiens and Earl of Aldborough, shortly before his death on 29 June 1777.
Edward Stratford was widely known for his ability and eccentricity, which caused him to be termed the ‘Irish Stanhope.’ He was an ardent whig, and was elected member for Taunton to the British parliament in 1774, but was unseated with his colleague, Nathaniel Webb, on petition, on 16 March 1775, for bribery and corrupt practices. After that he represented Baltinglass in the Irish parliament until his father's death (Members of Parliament, ii. 154, App. p. xli; Commons' Journals, xxxv. 18, 146, 200). On 29 May 1777, while still Viscount Amiens, he was elected a member of the Royal Society. On 3 July 1777 the university of Oxford conferred on him the honorary degree of D.C.L. He built Stratford Place and Aldborough House in London, and in Ireland he founded the town of Stratford-upon-Slaney, besides greatly improving the borough of Baltinglass. He voted in favour of the union with England in 1800, and received compensation for the disfranchisement of Baltinglass (Cornwallis Correspondence, iii. 322). He died on 2 Jan. 1801 at Belan in Wicklow, and was buried in the vault of St. Thomas's Church, Dublin. He was twice married. His first wife, Barbara, daughter of Nicholas Herbert of Great Glemham, Suffolk, son of Thomas Herbert, eighth earl of Pembroke [q. v.], died on 11 April 1785, and on 24 March 1788 he married Anne Elizabeth, only daughter of Sir John Henniker, bart. (afterwards Lord Henniker). She brought him a fortune of 50,000l., which enabled him to free his estates from encumbrances. After his death his widow married George Powell in December 1801, and died on 14 July 1802. As Lord Aldborough died without children, his title and estates descended to his brother, John Stratford. Lord Aldborough was the author of ‘An Essay on the True Interests of the Empire,’ Dublin, 1783, 8vo.
[Gent. Mag. 1801, i. 90, 104; Ann. Reg. 1801, p. 63; Walker's Hibernian Magazine, 1801, p. 155; G. E. C[okayne]'s Peerage, i. 68; Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, ed. Archdall, iii. 338; Thomson's Hist. of the Royal Society, App. p. lvi; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1715–1886.]
STRATFORD, JOHN de (d. 1348), archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Stratford-on-Avon, where he and his brother Robert de Stratford [q. v.] held property. His parents were called Robert and Isabella. Ralph de Stratford [q. v.], bishop of London, was his kinsman, possibly his nephew (Anglia Sacra, i. 374). To the elder Robert de Stratford is attributed the foundation in 1296 of the chapel of the guild at Stratford and of the almshouses in connection therewith. John de Stratford was educated at Merton College, Oxford. He graduated as doctor of civil and canon law before 1311, when he was a proctor for the university in a suit against the Dominicans at the Roman court. Afterwards he received some position in the royal service, perhaps as a clerk in the chancery, for in 1317 and subsequent years he was summoned to give advice in parliament (Parl. Writs, II. ii. 1471). He was also official of the bishop of Lincoln before 20 Dec. 1317, when he received the prebend of Castor at Lincoln. He was likewise parson of Stratford-on-Avon, which preferment he exchanged on 13 Sept. 1319 for the archdeaconry of Lincoln. At York he held a canonry, and Edward II granted him the prebend of Bere and Charminster at Salisbury, to which, however, he was never admitted. Archbishop Walter Reynolds [q. v.] made him dean of the court of arches, and from December 1321 to April 1323 he was employed on the business of Scotland at the papal curia (Fœdera, ii. 462–515). His colleague, Reginald de Asser, bishop of Winchester, died at Avignon on 12 April 1323, and, though the king directed him to use his influence on behalf of Robert Baldock, Stratford contrived to obtain a papal bull in his own favour, and he was consecrated bishop of Winchester by the cardinal bishop of Albano on 22 June (Chron. Edward I and Edward II, i. 305; Murimuth, p. 39; Birchington, p. 19; Fœdera, ii. 518, 525, 531–3). Edward II in wrath dismissed Stratford from his office, and on his return to England refused to recognise him as bishop and withheld the temporalities of his see till 28 June 1324 (ib. ii. 557). Even then he had to purchase favour by a bond for 10,000l. (Parl. Writs, II. ii. 258); payment was, however, not exacted, and Stratford was soon restored to favour. On 15 Nov. 1324, and again on 5 May 1325, Stratford was commissioned to treat with France, and it was by his advice that Edward permitted Queen Isabella to go to the French court (Fœdera,
