His Grace
The Duke of Grafton
KG
Portrait by Thomas Lawrence, c. 1814-31
Member of Parliament
for Cambridge University
In office
1784–1811
Preceded bySir James Mansfield
Succeeded byThe Viscount Palmerston
Member of Parliament
for Thetford
In office
1782–1784
Preceded byCharles FitzRoy-Scudamore
Succeeded byGeorge Jennings
Personal details
Born
George Henry FitzRoy

(1760-01-14)14 January 1760
London, England
Died28 September 1844(1844-09-28) (aged 84)
Euston, Suffolk, England
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1784)​
Children
Parent(s)Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton
The Hon. Anne Liddell
Charlotte Maria Waldegrave (c. 1800) by Charles Wilkin
Garter-encircled arms George Henry FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton, KG

George Henry FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton, KG (14 January 1760 – 28 September 1844), styled Earl of Euston until 1811, was a British peer and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1782 to 1811 when he succeeded to the Dukedom.

Early life

Euston was the son of Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, and his wife, Anne Lidell.[1] He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge,[2] where he became a close friend of the William Pitt the Younger. He married Lady Charlotte Maria Waldegrave (1761–1808), daughter of James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave, on 16 November 1784 at Navestock, Essex.

Political career

From 1782 to 1784, Euston was Member of Parliament for Thetford, and in 1784, he and Pitt were elected as MPs for Cambridge University. Euston held that seat until he succeeded his father in the dukedom in 1811.[3] Euston used his position in parliament to advocate for Britain having friendly relations with the newly created United States.[4]

He succeeded his father as Colonel of the West Suffolk Militia on 2 June 1780 at the age of 20 and retained the command until 1808.[5][6] He was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Northamptonshire on 9 May 1803.[7][8] He also succeeded his father as Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk on 3 July 1790.

He was appointed a Knight of the Garter (K.G.) in 1834.

Family

Grafton died on 28 September 1844 and was succeeded by his son Henry. He and his wife Charlotte had eleven children:

References

  1. ^ Matthew Kilburn, ‘Fitzpatrick , Anne, countess of Upper Ossory [other married name Anne FitzRoy, duchess of Grafton] (1737/8–1804)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Oct 2008 accessed 23 March 2017
  2. ^ "Fitzroy, George Henry, Lord Euston (FTSY776GH)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. ^ "FITZROY, George Henry, Earl of Euston (1760-1844)". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  4. ^ Building the American Nation by Jerome R. Reich.
  5. ^ War Office, A List of the Officers of the Militia, the Gentlemen & Yeomanry Cavalry, and Volunteer Infantry of the United Kingdom, 11th Edn, London: War Office, 14 October 1805/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-84574-207-2.
  6. ^ London Gazette, 8 March 1808.
  7. ^ "No. 15666". The London Gazette. 14 January 1804. p. 63.
  8. ^ "FITZROY, George Henry, Earl of Euston (1760-1844)". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  9. ^ Buried at St James's Church, Piccadilly, on 29 April 1797. Source: The Register Book for Burials. In the Parish of St James in Westminster in the County of Middlesex. 1754-1812. 29 April 1797.

External links

Parliament of Great Britain Preceded byCharles FitzRoy-ScudamoreRichard Hopkins Member of Parliament for Thetford 1782–1784 With: Richard Hopkins Succeeded bySir Charles KentGeorge Jennings Preceded byLord John TownshendJames Mansfield Member of Parliament for Cambridge University 1784–1801 With: William Pitt the Younger 1784–1801 Succeeded byParliament of the United Kingdom Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byParliament of Great Britain Member of Parliament for Cambridge University 1801–1811 With: William Pitt the Younger 1801–1806Lord Henry Petty 1806–1807Sir Vicary Gibbs 1807–1811 Succeeded bySir Vicary GibbsThe Viscount Palmerston Military offices Preceded by3rd Duke of Grafton Colonel of the West Suffolk Militia 1780–1808 Succeeded bySir William Parker, 7th Baronet Honorary titles Preceded by3rd Duke of Grafton Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk 1790–1844 Succeeded byThe Earl of Stradbroke Peerage of England Preceded byAugustus FitzRoy Duke of Grafton 1811–1844 Succeeded byHenry FitzRoy
Wikimedia Commons has media related to George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton.
Dukes of Grafton
Authority control databases
Categories