| The Lord FitzHardinge | |
|---|---|
Admiral Lord FitzHardinge |
|
| Born | 3 January 1788 |
| Died | 17 October 1867 (aged 79) Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1802 - 1857 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Semiramis HMS Hercules |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
| Other work | Member of Parliament Privy Council |
Admiral Sir Maurice Frederick FitzHardinge Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge, GCB PC, DL (3 January 1788 – 17 October 1867) was a British Royal Navy First Sea Lord and former First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria.
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Berkeley was born illegitimately on 3 January 1788 to Frederick Berkeley, 5th Earl of Berkeley (1745–1867) and Mary Cole (1766–1844).[1] He entered the Royal Navy in 1802.[1] During the Peninsular War, he operated with gunboats on the Tagus reinforcing the Lines of Torres Vedras.[2]
Between 1828 and 1841, Berkeley commanded in succession HMS Semiramis and HMS Hercules.[3] In the Oriental Crisis of 1840 he was involved with HMS Thunderer on the attack of Acre. For this he was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath and received the Naval Gold Medal.[2]
He held the office of Fourth Naval Lord between 1833 and 1835[3] and once again between 1837 and 1839.[3] He held the office of Naval Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria between 1846 and 1849[3] whilst also being the Third Naval Lord between 1846 and 1847 and then Second Naval Lord between 1847 and 1852 during which time he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral.[3] He was appointed First Naval Lord briefly in Spring 1852, then Second Naval Lord in 1853 and First Naval Lord again from 1854 to 1857.[1]
He also held the honorary positions of Vice-Admiral of the Red from 1856, Admiral of the Blue from 1862 and Admiral of the White from 1863.
Throughout his later life he rose in the ranks within the Order of the Bath as a Knight Commander (KCB) in 1855 and finally as a Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in 1861. On 26 February 1861 after inheriting his brother's estates, he unsuccessfully claimed the Barony of Berkeley as being one by tenure of Berkeley Castle. He was created Baron FitzHardinge, of Bristol, of the city and county of the city of Bristol [U.K.] on 5 August 1861.
He was elected several times as a Member of Parliament for Gloucester, but in three separate periods. His first spell in the House of Commons was for just one year as a Whig, between 1831 and 1832.[1] His second was as a Liberal Member, between 1835 and 1837.[1]
In 1841, he returned to parliament again as a Liberal Member for Gloucester, remaining through two more general elections until 1857.[1] He represented Sussex as a Deputy Lieutenant.[2] In 1855, he was appointed as a Privy Councillor in 1855. He died in 1867 at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, aged 79.[1]