Maurice Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge

Admiral The Right Honourable

The Lord FitzHardinge

GCB, PC, DL
Admiral Lord FitzHardinge
Born(1788-01-03)3 January 1788
Died17 October 1867(1867-10-17) (aged 79)
Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Navy
Years of service1802–1862
RankAdmiral
CommandsHMS Semiramis
HMS Thunderer
Battles / warsPeninsular War
Oriental Crisis
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Other workMember of Parliament
Privy Council

Admiral Maurice Frederick FitzHardinge Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge, GCB, PC, DL (3 January 1788 – 17 October 1867) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he commanded gunboats on the Tagus, reinforcing the Lines of Torres Vedras, in Autumn 1810 during the Peninsular War and, as a captain, he served on the coast of Syria taking part in the capture of Acre in November 1840 during the Oriental Crisis. He also served as Whig Member of Parliament for Gloucester and became First Naval Lord in the Aberdeen ministry in June 1854 and in that role focussed on manning the fleet and in carrying out reforms and improvements in the food, clothing, and pay of seamen.

Early career

The fifth-rate HMS Hydra in which Berkeley served as a junior officer

Born the illegitimate son of Frederick Berkeley, 5th Earl of Berkeley, and his wife Mary Berkeley (née Cole), Berkeley entered the Royal Navy in June 1802.[1] Promoted to lieutenant on 9 July 1808, he joined the fifth-rate HMS Hydra on the east coast of Spain and then commanded gunboats on the Tagus, reinforcing the Lines of Torres Vedras, in Autumn 1810 during the Peninsular War.[2] Promoted to commander on 19 December 1810, he was given command of the sixth-rate HMS Vestal.[1] After being promoted to captain on 7 June 1814 and, having become a Deputy Lieutenant of Sussex on 18 June 1824,[3] he took command of the fifth-rate HMS Semiramis, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Cork in May 1828.[4]

Entering politics, Berkeley became Whig Member of Parliament for Gloucester in the 1831 general election.[1] He resigned his seat in April 1833[5] following his appointment as Fourth Naval Lord in the Grey ministry that month and remained in office until December 1834.[6] He successfully became Member of Parliament for Gloucester again at the 1835 general election[7] but, although he secured his old job as Fourth Naval Lord back again in the Second Melbourne ministry in July 1837, he was defeated at the 1837 general election.[1] He remained in office as Fourth Sea Lord but became concerned over reductions in manning and resigned in March 1839.[6]

Returning to sea, Berkeley was given command of the second-rate HMS Thunderer in January 1840 and served on the coast of Syria taking part in the capture of Acre in November 1840 during the Oriental Crisis. For this he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath and received the Naval Gold Medal.[2]

At the 1841 general election Berkeley returned to Parliament as Member for Gloucester again and, while still serving in Parliament, he became the Third Naval Lord in the First Russell ministry in July 1846.[6] He was also appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 17 November 1846.[8]

Senior command

Berkeley Castle, home of the Berkeley family, where Lord FitzHardinge died

Berkeley went on to be Second Naval Lord in the same ministry in December 1847 and, having been promoted to the rank of rear-admiral on 30 October 1849,[9] he briefly became First Naval Lord in the same ministry in February 1852 but left office when the Government fell from power the following month.[6] He became Second Naval Lord in the Aberdeen ministry in January 1853 and First Naval Lord in the same ministry in June 1854.[1] As First Naval Lord he focussed on manning the fleet and in carrying out reforms and improvements in the food, clothing, and pay of seamen.[10] Having been advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 5 July 1855,[11] become a member of the Privy Council on 13 August 1855[12] and been promoted to vice-admiral on 21 October 1856,[13] he lost his seat in Parliament at the 1857 general election and resigned as First Naval Lord suffering from ill health in November 1857.[6]

On 26 February 1861, after inheriting his brother's estates, Berkeley unsuccessfully claimed the Barony of Berkeley as being one by tenure of Berkeley Castle.[1] He was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 28 June 1861[14] and was created Baron FitzHardinge, of the city and county of Bristol on 3 August 1861.[15] He was promoted to full admiral on 15 January 1862[16] and died at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire on 17 October 1867.[1]

Family

In 1823 Berkeley married Lady Charlotte Lennox, daughter of Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond; after his first wife died he married Lady Charlotte Moreton, daughter of Thomas Reynolds-Moreton, 1st Earl of Ducie in 1834.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Lambert, Andrew (2004). "Berkeley, Sir Maurice Frederick Fitzhardinge, first Baron Fitzhardinge (1788–1867)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2219. Retrieved 1 January 2013. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ a b Dod, pp. 115–116
  3. ^ "No. 18039". The London Gazette. 26 June 1824. p. 1037.
  4. ^ a b "William Loney RN". Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  5. ^ "No. 19038". The London Gazette. 12 April 1833. p. 707.
  6. ^ a b c d e Sainty, J C (1975). "'Lord High Admiral and Commissioners of the Admiralty 1660–1870', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4: Admiralty Officials 1660–1870". pp. 18–31. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  7. ^ "No. 19229". The London Gazette. 13 January 1835. p. 60.
  8. ^ "No. 20667". The London Gazette. 17 November 1846. p. 4660.
  9. ^ "No. 21037". The London Gazette. 13 November 1849. p. 3387.
  10. ^ "Committee moved for – vol 145 cc956-85". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 May 1857. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  11. ^ "No. 21743". The London Gazette. 10 July 1855. p. 2655.
  12. ^ "No. 21762". The London Gazette. 14 August 1855. p. 3082.
  13. ^ "No. 21937". The London Gazette. 4 November 1856. p. 3576.
  14. ^ "No. 22524". The London Gazette. 28 June 1861. p. 2689.
  15. ^ "No. 22536". The London Gazette. 6 August 1861. p. 3272.
  16. ^ "No. 22591". The London Gazette. 21 January 1862. p. 335.

Sources

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Gloucester
1831–1833
With: Edward Webb 1831–1832
John Philpotts 1832–1833 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Gloucester
1835–1837
With: Henry Thomas Hope 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Gloucester
1841–1857
With: John Philpotts 1841–1847
Henry Thomas Hope 1847–1852
William Philip Price 1852–1857 		Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded by Fourth Naval Lord
1833–1835 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Fourth Naval Lord
1837–1839 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Third Naval Lord
1846–1847 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Second Naval Lord
December 1847 – February 1852 		Succeeded by
Preceded by First Naval Lord
February 1852 – March 1852 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Second Naval Lord
January 1853— June 1854 		Succeeded by
Preceded by First Naval Lord
June 1854 – November 1857 		Succeeded by
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baron FitzHardinge
1861–1867 		Succeeded by