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 26 May 1788 France
Died	8 February 1877 (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

1. 23 July 1812. The Navy List.
2. The Navy List, 1848.
3. The Navy List, 1856.

Further reading

• O'Byrne, William Richard (1849). " Clifford, Augustus William James".  A Naval Biographical Dictionary. John Murray. Wikisource. 
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Clifford, Augustus William James". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

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