Augustus Clifford

Admiral Sir Augustus Clifford Bt Kt CB MP


Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
In office 25 July 1832 – 8 February 1877
Monarch	William IV Queen Victoria
Preceded by	Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt
Succeeded by	Sir William Knollys
Personal details
Born	Augustus William James Clifford (1788-05-26)26 May 1788 France
Died	8 February 1877(1877-02-08) (aged 88) Palace of Westminster Westminster, Middlesex United Kingdom
Spouse(s)	Lady Elizabeth Frances Townshend (1813-1862; her death)
Relations	The Duke of Devonshire (Father) Lady Elizabeth Foster (Mother)
Children	William John Cavendish Clifford
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Knight Bachelor Baronet
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1800-1866
Rank	Admiral of the Red

Admiral Sir Augustus William James Clifford, 1st Baronet Kt CB MP (26 May 1788 – 8 February 1877) was a British Royal Navy officer, court official, and usher of the Black Rod.

Personal life

Clifford was born in France in 1788, the illegitimate son of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire (and 7th Baron Clifford) (1748–1811), and Lady Elizabeth Foster (1759–1824), daughter of Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol. Not long after his birth, his mother brought him to England, to be wet-nursed by Louisa Augusta Marshall, wife of the Revd John Marshall, curate at Clewer, near Windsor, Berkshire. Clifford was educated at Harrow School, 1796-99. His parents married in 1809, their respective spouses having died.

He married, on 20 October 1813, Lady Elizabeth Frances Townshend (2 August 1789 – 10 April 1862 Nice), sister of John Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend. Each of his sons, Capt William RN, Robert and Charles succeeded their father in turn as the second, third and fourth (and final) baronets.

Clifford was a patron of the arts, and formed a unique collection of paintings, sculpture, etchings, engravings, and bijouterie. He died at his residence in the House of Lords in 1877.

Naval career

Clifford entered the Royal Navy as a midshipman in May 1800, and was promoted to a lieutenancy in 1806. He served at the reduction of Ste. Lucie and Tobago in 1803, and throughout the operations in Egypt during 1807. He was at the capture of a convoy in the Bay of Rosas in 1809 (for which he received a medal) and in the operations on the coast of Italy 1811–12.

After this, as captain,^[1] he was for many years actively employed in naval duties, being several times mentioned in the London Gazette for his courage in cutting-out expeditions and on other occasions. For some time he was engaged in attendance on the Lord High Admiral, the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV. Clifford recommissioned HMS Herald on 27 May 1826 to carry the Duke of Devonshire on an embassy to Russia. In 1828, in another vessel, Clifford took Lord William Bentinck out to India as governor-general. This was his last service afloat; he was not actively employed after 1831.

He reached the rank of rear-admiral 23 March 1848,^[2] vice-admiral 27 September 1855,^[3] Admiral of the Blue 7 November 1860, and Admiral of the Red 1864, becoming retired admiral 31 March 1866.

Political career

He was Member of Parliament for Bandon 1818–20; for Dungarvan, 1820–2; and again for Bandon from 23 July 1831 to 3 Dec. 1832. He was nominated a Commander of the Order of the Bath on 8 December 1815, knighted on 4 August 1830, and created a baronet on 4 August 1838. His half-brother, the 6th Duke of Devonshire (then Lord Chamberlain), appointed him on 25 July 1832 Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, which office he held, much to his satisfaction, until his death. On various occasions between 1843 and 1866 he acted as deputy lord great chamberlain of England, in the absence of Lord Willoughby d'Eresby.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Augustus Clifford

16. William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire

8. William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire

17. Hon. Rachel Russell

4. William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, Prime Minister of Great Britain

18. John Hoskins

9. Catherine Hoskins

19. Catherine Hale

2. William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire

20. Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington

10. Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington

21. Juliana Noel

5. Charlotte Boyle, 6th Baroness Clifford

22. William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax

11. Lady Dorothy Savile

23. Lady Mary Finch

1. Adm. Sir Augustus Clifford, 1st Baronet, of the Navy

24. John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol

12. John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey

25. Elizabeth Felton

6. Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol

26. Brig.-Gen. Nicholas Lepell

13. Mary Lepell

27. Mary Brooke

3. Lady Elizabeth Hervey

28. Sir Robert Davers, 2nd Baronet, of Rougham

14. Sir Jermyn Davers, 4th Baronet, of Rougham

29. The Hon. Mary Jermyn

7. Elizabeth Davers

30. Rev. Edward Green

15. Margaretta Green

31. Margaret

References

↑ 23 July 1812. The Navy List.
↑ The Navy List, 1848.
↑ The Navy List, 1856.

External links

Portraits of Sir Augustus William James Clifford, 1st Bt at the National Portrait Gallery, London
Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Augustus Clifford

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William Sturges Bourne	Member of Parliament for Bandon 1818 – 1820	Succeeded by James Bernard, Viscount Bernard
Preceded by George Walpole	Member of Parliament for Dungarvan 1820 – 1822	Succeeded by George Lamb
Preceded by Francis Bernard, Viscount Bernard	Member of Parliament for Bandon 1831 – 1832	Succeeded by William Smyth Bernard
Government offices
Preceded by Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt	Black Rod 1832–1877	Succeeded by Sir William Knollys
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
New title	Baronet of the Navy 1838–1877	Succeeded by William, 2nd Baronet

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