Alexander Hope (British Army officer)

Sir Alexander Hope
Born (1769-12-02)2 December 1769
Died 19 May 1837(1837-05-19) (aged 67)
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Rank General
Commands held 14th Regiment of Foot
Royal Military College, Great Marlow, later at Sandhurst
Battles/wars French Revolutionary Wars
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

General Sir Alexander Hope GCB (2 December 1769 19 May 1837) was a British Army officer who became the last Governor of the Royal Military College while it was at Great Marlow and the first after its move to Sandhurst.

Military career

Born the son of John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun, Alexander Hope was commissioned as an ensign in the 63rd Regiment of Foot in 1786.[1] He commanded the 14th Regiment of Foot at the skirmish at Geldermalsen, the Netherlands, in 1795 during the Flanders Campaign[2] and was severely wounded, losing an arm and being left permanently lame.[3] He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Tynemouth and Cliff Fort in 1797, Lieutenant-Governor of Edinburgh Castle in 1798 and Deputy Assistant Adjutant General to the Forces in Holland in 1799.[4] He became Governor of the Royal Military College in 1812 and, although he stood down as Governor of the College in 1819, he became Governor of the College again in 1824 before he went on to be Lieutenant-Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in 1826.[1]

He was also Member of Parliament for Dumfries Burgh from 1796 to 1800 and for Linlithgowshire from 1800 to 1834.[1]

Family

In 1805 he married Georgiana Brown; they had four sons, including George William Hope and James Robert Hope-Scott, father of James Hope, 1st Baron Rankeillour, and one daughter.[5]

Legacy

The Memorials to Governors in the Chapel of the present-day Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, includes: ″In Memory of Gen. the Honble. Sir Alexander Hope, G.C.B., Colonel 14th Foot. Born 9th Dec, 1769; died 17 May 1837. Commanded the 14th Regiment at Gueldermalsen, 1795 ; wounded. D.A.A.G. to the Forces in Holland, 1799. Twice Special Envoy to the King of Sweden. Governor R.M. College, Great Marlow, 1811-12. Governor of this College, 1812–19, and again, 1824-26. Lieut.-Governor Chelsea Hospital, 1826-37.″[4]

References

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Patrick Miller
Member of Parliament for Dumfries Burghs
17961800
Succeeded by
William Johnstone Hope
Preceded by
John Hope
Member of Parliament for Linlithgowshire
18001801
Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Member of Parliament for Linlithgowshire
18011835
Succeeded by
James Hope
Military offices
Preceded by
Earl Harcourt
Governor of the Royal Military College Sandhurst
18111819
Succeeded by
Sir George Murray
Preceded by
Sir George Murray
Governor of the Royal Military College Sandhurst
18241826
Succeeded by
Sir Edward Paget
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