William Annesley, 1st Viscount Glerawly (1710 – 2 September 1770) was an Irish politician and noble.
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Early life
Annesley was born in 1710. He was the sixth of seven sons, and two daughters, born to Elizabeth (née Martin) Annesley and Francis Annesley, MP.
His maternal grandfather was London merchant Sir Joseph Martin. His paternal grandparents were the former Deborah Jones (a daughter of Henry Jones, Bishop of Meath) and Hon. Francis Annesley (the eldest son, by his second wife, of Francis Annesley, 1st Viscount Valentia, and thus his descendants are in the remainder to the title Viscount Valentia).
Career
In 1738, he was a barrister at Dublin. Though not heir male, Annesley succeeded his father in the estate of Castlewellan upon his death in 1750.
Annesley sat as Member of Parliament (MP) in the Irish House of Commons for Midleton between 1741 and 1758. He served as High Sheriff of Down in 1750. In 1758 he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Annesley, and assumed his seat in the Irish House of Lords. He was further honoured when he was made Viscount Glerawly in 1766.