Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond

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Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond and Lennox KG (9 December 1764 – August 28, 1819) was a British soldier and politician and Governor General of British North America. He was born at Gordon Castle, near Thirsk, Scotland and died near Perth, Ontario, Canada. His father was General Lord George Lennox, the younger son of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond.

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[edit] Cricket

Lennox was a keen cricketer. He was an accomplished right-hand bat and a noted wicket-keeper. He was a founder member of the Marylebone Cricket Club. In 1786, together with the Earl of Winchilsea, Lennox offered Thomas Lord a guarantee against any losses Lord might suffer on starting a new cricket ground. This led to Lord opening his first cricket ground in 1787. Although Lord's Cricket Ground has since moved twice, Lennox' and Winchilsea's guarantee provided the genesis of the best-known cricket ground in the world, a ground known as the Home of Cricket.

Nearly always listed as the Hon. Colonel Charles Lennox in contemporary scorecards, Lennox had 55 recorded first-class appearances from 1784 to 1800 and played a few more games after that.

[edit] Army captain

Lennox became an army captain in 35th Regiment of Foot at the age of 23 in 1787. In 1789 he was involved in a duel with Frederick, Duke of York, who had accused him of ungentlemanly behaviour. A few months later he was involved in another duel, and later in the year he married Lady Charlotte Gordon, daughter of the 4th Duke of Gordon. In 1794 and 1795 he participated in naval engagements against the French in the West Indies and Gibraltar, but was sent home when he came into conflict with his superiors. He was also MP for Sussex, succeeding his father, from 1790 until he succeeded to the dukedom.

[edit] Family

He had fourteen children:

[edit] Duke

He became the 4th Duke of Richmond on December 29, 1806, after the death of his uncle, Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond. In April 1807 he became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He remained in that post until 1813, with Arthur Wellesley (the later Duke of Wellington) as his secretary. He participated in the Napoleonic Wars and in 1815 he was in command of a reserve force in Brussels, which was protecting that city in case Napoleon won the Battle of Waterloo. On June 15, the night before the Battle of Quatre Bras, he held a ball for his fellow officers. Although he observed the battle the next day, as well as Waterloo on June 18, he did not participate in either.

[edit] Governor General of Canada

In 1818 he was appointed Governor General of Upper Canada. While visiting the territory in 1819, he was bitten by a pet fox, and died of rabies on August 28 of that year. His title was inherited by his son, Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond.

See also: List of Governors General of Canada

[edit] After death

The towns of Richmond, Ontario and Richmond, Quebec were named after him after his death. According to tradition, the town of Richmond Hill, Ontario was also named after him, as he was said to have passed through the then village during his visit in 1819.

[edit] References


[edit] Cricket References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Lord George Henry Lennox
Lord Pelham of Stanmer		 Member for Sussex
with Lord Pelham of Stanmer 1790–1801,
John Fuller 1801–1806
1790–1806		 Succeeded by
John Fuller
Charles William Wyndham
Political offices
Preceded by
The Duke of Bedford		 Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
1807–1813		 Succeeded by
The Viscount Whitworth
Preceded by
The Duke of Norfolk		 Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
1816–1819		 Succeeded by
The Earl of Egremont
Preceded by
Sir John Coape Sherbrooke		 Governor General of British North America
1818–1819		 Succeeded by
The Earl of Dalhousie
Preceded by
Charles Lennox		 Duke of Richmond and Lennox
1806–1819		 Succeeded by
Charles Lennox
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