John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor, FRS FSA (ca. 1753 – 1 June 1821), was a Welsh art-collector and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

from 1777 to 1796.

Biography

John Campbell was born ca. 1753, the son of

Pryse Campbell Pryse Campbell (1727 – 14 December 1768), was a Scottish politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardigan Boroughs, Inverness-shire and Nairnshire. He was also the Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty and Lord Commissioner of th ...

of Stackpole Court, Pembrokeshire, and Sarah (née Bacon). His siblings were Sarah, George, Alexander and Charles Campbell. He was sent to board at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

, Berkshire (1763–67) and afterwards studied at

Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...

(1772). His father died in 1768, so when his grandfather died in 1777 John inherited Stackpole Court in Pembrokeshire, his grandfather's other estates in Pembrokeshire and Nairn, and a mineral-producing estate in Cardiganshire; these lands and mines made him a rich man. From 1777 to 1780 he was

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

Nairnshire The County of Nairn (also called Nairnshire) ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Narann) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. The county was used for local administration until the county council, based at the county t ...

. He became

for Cardigan Boroughs from a by-election in June 1780 until he stood down at the 1796 British general election. From 1780 he was Governor of Milford Haven. Between 1783 and 1788 Campbell visited Italy and Sicily, where he bought antiquities from Fr. John Thorpe,

Henry Tresham Henry Tresham (c.1751 – 17 June 1814) was an Irish-born British historical painter active in London in the late 18th century. He spent some time in Rome early in his career, and was professor of painting at the Royal Academy of Arts in London ...

James Durno James Durno (c.1745–1795) was a British historical painter who spent most of his career in Rome. Life Durno was born in around 1745, the son of a brewery proprietor who lived the later part of his life in an area of West London then known as th ...

and Thomas Jenkins, commissioned paintings of archaeological sites in Naples and Sicily from Xavier della Gatta, Tito Lusieri,

and Louis Ducros, and bought sculptures from the young

Canova Antonio Canova (; 1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822) was an Italian Neoclassical sculptor, famous for his marble sculptures. Often regarded as the greatest of the Neoclassical artists,. his sculpture was inspired by the Baroque and the cl ...

(but never received them). In 1788 Campbell bought from

Giovanni Volpato Giovanni Volpato (1735–1803) was an Italian engraver. He was also an excavator, dealer in antiquities and manufacturer of biscuit porcelain figurines. Biography Giovanni Volpato was born in Bassano del Grappa (then in the state of Venice). ...

the celebrated Lante Vase, now at

Woburn Abbey Woburn Abbey (), occupying the east of the village of Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the family seat of the Duke of Bedford. Although it is still a family home to the current duke, it is open on specified days to visitors, ...

in Bedfordshire. He also began a collection of 'Etruscan' (i.e. ancient Greek) vases from Nola and other southern Italian sites, and had further examples sent to him after his return to Britain, including the 'Campbell

Krater A krater or crater ( grc-gre, , ''kratēr'', literally "mixing vessel") was a large two-handled shape of vase in Ancient Greek pottery and metalwork, mostly used for the mixing of wine with water. Form and function At a Greek symposium, krat ...

' excavated at Lecce in 1790. He also continued to acquire architectural and sculptural fragments and casts. Campbell established a museum in his house in Oxford Street, London, which had an art-historical rather than decorative intention, and was hailed by the sculptor,

John Flaxman John Flaxman (6 July 1755 – 7 December 1826) was a British sculptor and draughtsman, and a leading figure in British and European Neoclassicism. Early in his career, he worked as a modeller for Josiah Wedgwood's pottery. He spent several ye ...

, as 'excellent news for the arts'. In 1794 Campbell became a

Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

and in 1795 a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

. As a Parliamentarian, Campbell was at first a Whig and a supporter of Lord North. In debates on the North Atlantic slave trade he supported the abolitionists. He became a supporter of the younger Pitt's war policy. As a landowner he was an active improver - draining the Castlemartin Corse and creating Bosherton lakes. His generosity to the poor was proverbial. He gave up his seat in the House of Commons for one in the House of Lords when created Baron Cawdor of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke on 21 June 1796. In 1797 he was the commander of the

Pembrokeshire Yeomanry The Pembroke Yeomanry was a regiment of the British Army formed in 1794. It saw action in the Second Boer War, the First World War and the Second World War. Its lineage is maintained by 224 (Pembroke Yeomanry) Transport Squadron, part of 157 (We ...

, who defeated Napoleon's troops in the

Last invasion of Britain The Battle of Fishguard was a military invasion of Great Britain by Revolutionary France during the War of the First Coalition. The brief campaign, on 22–24 February 1797, is the most recent landing on British soil by a hostile foreign force ...

.E. H. Stuart-Jones, ''The Last Invasion of Britain'' (1950) In 1800 Cawdor sold the contents of his Museum. Several items were sold to the architect, Sir

John Soane Sir John Soane (; né Soan; 10 September 1753 – 20 January 1837) was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. The son of a bricklayer, he rose to the top of his profession, becoming professor of architecture at the R ...

. In 1804 he added to his extensive land-holdings by inheriting John Vaughan's estates at

Golden Grove, Carmarthenshire Golden Grove ( cy, Gelli Aur) is a mansion and estate in the Local government in Wales, Welsh county of Carmarthenshire, located southwest of Llandeilo. History There have been three mansions on the estate. The first was built in 1560 by the Va ...

. In 1808 he was Mayor of Carmarthen. Lord Cawdor died on 1 June 1821, at Bath and was buried at

Bath Abbey The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is a parish church of the Church of England and former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in the 7th century, it was reorganised in the 10th ...

. On 28 July 1789 he had married Lady Isabella Caroline Howard – daughter of

Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle (28 May 1748 – 4 September 1825) was a British peer, statesman, diplomat, and author. Life He was the son of Henry Howard, 4th Earl of Carlisle and his second wife Isabella Byron. His mother was a ...

and Margaret Caroline Leveson-Gower. They had two children: *

John Frederick Campbell, 1st Earl Cawdor John Frederick Campbell, 1st Earl Cawdor (8 November 1790 – 7 November 1860) was a British peer and MP. He was born the son of John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor and Lady Caroline Howard and educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, gradua ...

(1790–1860), married Elizabeth Thynne, daughter of the 2nd Marquis of Bath *

Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

Hon. George Pryse Campbell (1793–12 August 1858), married on 13 October 1821 Charlotte Gascoyne, daughter of

Isaac Gascoyne Isaac Gascoyne (21 August 1763 – 26 August 1841) was a British Army officer and Tory politician. He was born at Barking, London Essex on 21 August 1763, the third son of Bamber Gascoyne (senior) and Mary Green and was educated at Felsted Sc ...

. A portrait of John Campbell was made by

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter, specialising in portraits. John Russell said he was one of the major European painters of the 18th century. He promoted the "Grand Style" in painting which depend ...

(1778; now in

Cawdor Castle Cawdor Castle is a castle in the parish of Cawdor in Nairnshire, Scotland. It is built around a 15th-century tower house, with substantial additions in later centuries. Originally a property of the Calder family, it passed to the Campbells in t ...

, Nairn); a miniature of him by

Richard Cosway Richard Cosway (5 November 1742 – 4 July 1821) was a leading English portrait painter of the Georgian and Regency era, noted for his miniatures. He was a contemporary of John Smart, George Engleheart, William Wood, and Richard Crosse. ...

is in the National Galleries of Scotland.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cawdor, John Campbell, 1st Baron 1753 births 1821 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge British art collectors

John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor, FRS FSA (ca. 1753 – 1 June 1821), was a Welsh art-collector and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1777 to 1796. Biography John Campbell was born ca. 1753, the son of Pryse Campbell of Stackpole ...

Barons in the Peerage of Great Britain

Cawdor Cawdor ( gd, Caladair) is a village and parish in the Highland council area, Scotland. The village is south-southwest of Nairn and east of Inverness. The village is in the Historic County of Nairnshire. History The village is the location o ...

Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Welsh constituencies Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Scottish constituencies British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 British MPs 1784–1790 British MPs 1790–1796 Mayors of places in Wales 18th-century Scottish people 19th-century Scottish people Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London

Biography

Further reading

References