Lord Adolphus FitzClarence
Lord Adolphus FitzClarence The Courts, Holt | |
---|---|
Born | Bushy Park, Teddington, London, England | 18 February 1802
Died | 17 May 1856 Newburgh Priory, Coxwold, North Yorkshire, England | (aged 54)
Buried | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Navy |
Years of service | 1813–1856 |
Rank | Rear admiral |
Commands held | |
Battles/wars | |
Relations |
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FitzClarence was promoted to commander in 1823 and in quick succession commanded two
In 1830 FitzClarence's father was crowned king. In quick succession FitzClarence was given command of the royal yacht HMY Royal George, created a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order, and appointed Groom of the Robes. He was only occasionally called to captain Royal George. When his father died in 1837, FitzClarence's cousin Victoria took the throne and, to his surprise, allowed FitzClarence to continue in command of the royal yacht, which was replaced with HMY Victoria and Albert. He commanded the new yacht on trips for Victoria and her family, including fleet reviews and diplomatic visits to France. FitzClarence retired from the Royal Navy upon being promoted to rear-admiral in 1853 and died, unmarried, three years later.
Early life
Adolphus FitzClarence was born at Bushy Park, Middlesex, now Greater London, on 18 February 1802. He was the seventh illegitimate child of Prince William, Duke of Clarence and his mistress, the actress Dorothea Jordan. Clarence named most of his children after his siblings. FitzClarence was named for Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge. FitzClarence was especially close with his mother, from whom he inherited a love of the theatre.[Note 1][1][2] In 1808 she described him as:
really the finest child I have ever saw and certainly the handsomest of all mine.[2]
Clarence discarded Jordan in 1811 when put under pressure to marry a foreign princess and produce a legitimate heir.[3] FitzClarence attended a boarding school in Sunbury-on-Thames and then in 1813, with the Napoleonic Wars ongoing, joined the Royal Navy.[1]
Military career
War of 1812
As a first-class volunteer, FitzClarence joined the 98-gun
With the
Mediterranean service
Newcastle was
The majority of the Mediterranean Fleet returned to Britain in the wake of the bombardment, but Tagus and FitzClarence stayed in the Mediterranean, based off the Ionian Islands for much of 1817 to ensure that the plague there did not spread to the mainland. For three months during the summer FitzClarence left Tagus to serve in the flagship in the Mediterranean, HMS Albion. During this period he visited Palermo, Naples, Livorno, and Malta.[8] FitzClarence then returned to Tagus, which in April 1818 sailed to Alexandria, escorting two sons of Slimane of Morocco to Tangier.[9]
Joining the ship for the journey was FitzClarence's brother Captain George FitzClarence, taking British Army dispatches from India to Britain. George remarked on the surprising ability of the FitzClarence brothers to coincidentally meet each other, Adolphus and George having very briefly crossed paths before during the chase of Constitution. Tagus arrived at Malta on 15 May and remained in the Mediterranean until November, when she returned to Britain to be paid off.[9]
FitzClarence left Tagus on 26 December and soon after joined the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Rochfort.[4][10] Also serving in Rochfort was another of FitzClarence's brothers, Midshipman Augustus FitzClarence. Rochfort was designated as the new flagship for the Mediterranean under Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Fremantle, the father of FitzClarence's friend Charles, who would soon also join the ship.[11] FitzClarence's previous captain on Tagus reported to the elder Fremantle that FitzClarence was "promising, but his eye (the most necessary appendage of a Seaman) prevents his being so quick as he should be."[11]
FitzClarence likely had a damaged eye. The politician Sir William Fraser recorded that FitzClarence "was a man of peculiar appearance. Having one eyelid drooping, he held his head at a particular angle."[12] Rochfort arrived in the Mediterranean on 3 March 1819, and in April Fremantle had his son and FitzClarence transferred to the 10-gun sloop HMS Aid. The ship was employed on surveying duties in the Ionian Islands and Adriatic Sea under Commander William Henry Smyth, who Fremantle thought to be a "remarkable good astronomer, draughtsman and surveyor". It was the admiral's hope that by posting the two to Smyth they would improve their navigational skills. FitzClarence returned to Rochfort in July, subsequently visiting Algiers and Tunis as part of Anglo-French efforts to stop Barbary piracy through diplomatic means. In early December Fremantle reported to Clarence that he was "quite satisfied" with both FitzClarence brothers on Rochfort.[11]
Two weeks later the admiral died in Naples.[11] Rochfort returned home with Fremantle's family in February 1820, but FitzClarence stayed in the Mediterranean by transferring to the 40-gun frigate HMS Glasgow, whose captain became commander-in-chief in the wake of Fremantle's death.[4][13] Glasgow initially served off the Ionian Islands before being stationed off Naples when it was thought that Austria might invade the nation. The ship paid off at Portsmouth in March 1821.[13]
Lieutenant
FitzClarence was promoted to
Euryalus was subsequently sent on several diplomatic missions, first visiting Naples in November to give a portrait as a gift to
First commands
FitzClarence's first command came on 9 January 1824 when he joined the 10-gun
Still only twenty-two years old, FitzClarence was promoted to
Return to the Mediterranean
FitzClarence sailed Ariadne to the Mediterranean in June, carrying money for the treasuries of
Continuing the trend of meeting his siblings in the course of his naval duties, in May FitzClarence transported his sister Amelia FitzClarence through the Adriatic alongside Lucius Cary, 10th Viscount Falkland, who she would marry three years later. FitzClarence continued to command Ariadne in the Mediterranean until 28 September when he was superseded. He thus missed his second naval battle, the Battle of Navarino taking place three weeks later. FitzClarence returned to Britain as a passenger in the 46-gun frigate HMS Seringapatam. He arrived at Portsmouth just as his father, who had been made Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, was making an inspection of the fleet and as such was visited by him before leaving the ship.[14]
Diplomatic and escort duties
FitzClarence received his next command, of the 28-gun frigate HMS Challenger, in December. The ship sailed from Portsmouth in March 1828 to join the Lisbon Station, protecting British interests as Portugal headed towards the opening of the Liberal Wars. There was little for the British force to do and the ships returned to Britain in May.[14] Challenger was then ordered to Canada in June, where she conveyed the new Governor General of Canada, Sir James Kempt, from Halifax to Quebec. FitzClarence then took on board the previous holder of that office, George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, and escorted him home to Scotland.[4][14] On 28 August Clarence, who was soon to leave his post as Lord High Admiral, used his influence to have FitzClarence given command of the 42-gun frigate HMS Pallas.[14][16]
FitzClarence swapped commands with his old friend Charles Fremantle, with the latter taking command of Challenger. Continuing the relationship between the FitzClarences and Fremantles, Charles' younger brother Midshipman Stephen Grenville Fremantle had been serving under FitzClarence on Challenger, and transferred with him to Pallas.[14] With the Liberal Wars having begun, in December Pallas was sent with several other ships to preserve the Liberal-controlled Azores from a Miguelist expedition sailing from Britain to attack them. FitzClarence was senior British officer on the blockade until Pallas returned to Plymouth in February 1829.[17]
Upon his arrival, the Admiralty demanded a report from FitzClarence over two news articles about his service off the Azores that had appeared in The Times without the Admiralty's prior knowledge of the events. The first of these articles suggested that FitzClarence had failed to stop an American merchant ship from breaking the blockade and landing 300 Portuguese soldiers, and the second reported that FitzClarence and three of his men had been wounded by Portuguese soldiers over a water supply dispute while ashore. FitzClarence argued in his report to the Admiralty that both Times articles were grossly exaggerated.[17]
Later in the year FitzClarence again acted as escort to Dalhousie, who had been appointed
Royal favours
George IV died on 26 June and FitzClarence's father took the throne as William IV. FitzClarence was given command of the royal yacht HMY Royal George on 22 July and became Groom of the Robes two days later.[1][4][17] Despite his new role with Royal George, FitzClarence had one last duty to complete in Pallas, sailing for Halifax in the same month to bring home his sister Mary Fox and her husband Charles Richard Fox.[4][17] The ship returned to Portsmouth on 8 September and FitzClarence left the command a day later.[17]
As illegitimate children FitzClarence and his nine siblings had held, and would continue to hold, controversial positions within British society; with their father now the monarch they took advantage, requesting of him new titles, official positions, and money. On 24 May 1831 William granted FitzClarence the rank of a younger son of a
FitzClarence's command of Royal George was almost completely nominal, as the ship only very rarely left Portsmouth. In 1832 and 1833 Royal George's tender Emerald was used by Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent, and her daughter Princess Victoria, the heir to the throne, for trips to North Wales, but Adolphus was not included on these. The elder Victoria took pains to have her daughter avoid William's illegitimate children, who she believed would "contaminate" her with their company. FitzClarence was instead given other small jobs to complete, such as in 1832 escorting the model frigate Royal Louisa to be presented to Frederick William of Prussia at Potsdam. In 1834 FitzClarence completed his only major service in Royal George herself, taking his stepmother Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen to Holland and back. William never used the yacht during his reign.[18]
FitzClarence took command of the yacht
Accession of Victoria
Victoria succeeded William on 20 June 1837.[18] FitzClarence lost his position as Lord of the Bedchamber. As an illegitimate child of the former monarch FitzClarence did not expect to retain any of his privileged roles or positions within the British establishment, but Victoria kept him on in command of Royal George and continued to pay the allowance that his uncle George IV had first given him.[1][21] Victoria reported that he:
burst into tears, and said it was unexpected, for [he and his siblings] did not dare to hope for anything.[1]
Victoria made use of Royal George more often than had FitzClarence's father and his family. She made her first visit to the yacht on 28 February 1842 during a visit to the fleet at Portsmouth, and made use of the ship in August to travel from Woolwich to Leith to begin a tour of Scotland. The voyage was a poor one for Royal George, having to be uncomfortably towed most of the way by two steamships as the wind was against them. Victoria chose to return to Woolwich in a steamship instead of Royal George, and soon afterwards decided to replace the vessel.[18]
FitzClarence was appointed captain of the replacement royal yacht, the
Later royal yacht service
Victoria used the royal yacht again in October 1844 to review a combined Anglo-French fleet at Spithead in honour of a visit from Louis Philippe. In June the following year FitzClarence commanded Victoria and Albert at Spithead again, as Victoria made a review of the Experimental Squadron there. Victoria and Albert then used the yacht to travel to Germany later in the year, and made a second visit to Le Tréport. The subsequent years of FitzClarence's career were spent commanding the yacht on various cruises for Victoria and her family around Ireland and mainland Europe; he was appointed a naval aide-de-camp to Victoria in 1848.[1][19]
FitzClarence continued with the royal yacht into the next decade, being appointed a
FitzClarence continued as an aide-de-camp to Victoria, and after a long illness died at Newburgh Priory on 17 May 1856, aged fifty-four. He never married.[1][19] Victoria commented upon hearing of his death that:
he positively killed himself by living too well. He was only 54, though he looked quite 10 or 12 years older.[21]
Money had been an issue for FitzClarence throughout most of his life, and his remaining funds were insufficient to pay his debts, funeral expenses, and legacies.[21] He was interred in the chancel of St. Michael's Church, Coxwold.[22]
Notes and citations
Notes
- gentleman's club, the Garrick Club.[1]
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Reynolds (2004).
- ^ a b Beauclerk-Dewar & Powell (2008), p. 160.
- ^ Owen (1997), p. 41.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m O'Byrne (1849), p. 361.
- ^ a b Owen (1997), p. 46.
- ^ a b c d Owen (1997), p. 47.
- ^ Owen (1997), pp. 47–48.
- ^ a b Owen (1997), p. 48.
- ^ a b Owen (1997), p. 49.
- ^ Owen (1997), pp. 49–50.
- ^ a b c d Owen (1997), p. 50.
- ^ Fraser (1891), p. 16.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Owen (1997), p. 51.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Owen (1997), p. 52.
- ^ Winfield (2014), p. 809.
- ^ Winfield (2014), p. 578.
- ^ a b c d e f Owen (1997), p. 53.
- ^ a b c d e f g Owen (1997), p. 54.
- ^ a b c d e Owen (1997), p. 55.
- ^ Ziegler (1973), p. 319.
- ^ a b c Beauclerk-Dewar & Powell (2008), p. 162.
- ^ "Seventy Coxwold Sundays" (PDF). amkirby.co.uk. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
References
- Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter; Powell, Roger (2008). Royal Bastards: Illegitimate Children of the British Royal Family. Stroud: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7524-4668-4.
- Fraser, William (1891). Disraeli and His Day. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, & Co.
- A Naval Biographical Dictionary. London: John Murray. p. 361.
- Owen, Hugh (February 1997). "'I Shall Make Five Sons of Mine Fight for their King and Country': The Naval Sons of William IV and Mrs Jordan". .
- Reynolds, K. D. (2004). "FitzClarence, Lord Adolphus". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- Winfield, Rif (2014). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817–1863: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-169-4.
- SBN 06-014788-1.