John Clavering (British Army officer)

Sir John Clavering
Born bapt. 1722
Died 30 August 1777 (aged 55)
Allegiance  Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch British Army
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands held Indian Army
Battles/wars Seven Years' War
Awards Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath

Lieutenant General Sir John Clavering KB (bapt. 1722 – 30 August 1777) was an army officer and diplomat.

Military career

Baptised in Lanchester, County Durham, England in 1722, Clavering was the younger son of Sir James Clavering Bt and Catherine Yorke,[1] and younger brother of Sir Thomas Clavering, 7th Baronet.[2] He was commissioned as ensign in the Army in 1736, and was a captain of the Coldstream Guards by 1753.[1]

During the Seven Years' War, Clavering served in the West Indies, commanding the attack on Guadeloupe, in 1759.[1] In 1762, he obtained a colonelcy on the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot.[1] Promoted to Lieutenant General, in 1770, Clavering was appointed as governor of Landguard Fort.[1] In 1773, Clavering travelled to India as a member of the Council of Bengal. In 1774, shortly after Warren Hastings was appointed Governor General, Clavering was appointed as Commander in Chief in India.[2]

He was created a Knight of the Bath in 1775. He died at Calcutta, India,[2] and is buried there in South Park Street Cemetery.[3]

Family

Clavering was married twice; firstly (in 1756) he married Lady Diana West, daughter of John West, 1st Earl De La Warr. Lady Diana died in 1766. In 1772, Clavering married his cousin, Catherine Yorke.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 T. H. Bowyer, ‘Clavering, Sir John (bap. 1722, d. 1777)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 accessed 26 May 2008
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Peerage website
  3. The South Park Street Cemetery, Calcutta, published by the Association for the Preservation of Historical Cemeteries in India, 5th ed., 2009
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir John Sebright
Colonel of the 52nd Regiment of Foot
1762–1777
Succeeded by
Cyrus Trapaud
Preceded by
Robert Armiger
Governor of Landguard Fort
1770–1776
Succeeded by
Hon. Alexander Mackay
Preceded by
Alexander Champion
Commander-in-Chief, India
1774–1777
Succeeded by
Giles Stibbert
Preceded by
Robert Monckton
Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed
1776–1777
Succeeded by
Sir John Mordaunt