General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

the Honourable ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...

John Fitzwilliam (1714 – 31 July 1789) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer.

Biography

He was baptised on 28 March 1714, the third son of

Richard Fitzwilliam, 5th Viscount Fitzwilliam Richard FitzWilliam, 5th Viscount FitzWilliam, PC (Ireland) (c. 1677 – 6 June 1743), of Mount Merrion in Dublin, was an Irish nobleman and politician. Origins He was the only son of Thomas FitzWilliam, 4th Viscount FitzWilliam by his first ...

and his wife Frances, daughter of Sir John Shelley, 3rd Baronet. In 1724 he attended

Westminster School (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

,Mary M. Drummond
FITZWILLIAM, Hon. John (1714-89), of Merrion, co. Dublin, and Richmond, Surr.
in ''

The History of Parliament The History of Parliament is a project to write a complete history of the United Kingdom Parliament and its predecessors, the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of England. The history will principally consist of a prosopography, in w ...

: the House of Commons 1754-1790'' (1964). Online version accessed 26 January 2013. and he served as a

page of honour A Page of Honour is a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It requires attendance on state occasions, but does not now involve the daily duties which were once attached to the office of page. The on ...

to the Prince of Wales, later King George II. Fitzwilliam entered the Army as a

cornet The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a sopr ...

in the Royal Horse Guards on 20 April 1732, and was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

in 1739. In 1745 he was made a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, with the rank of

lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

in the Army,

Richard Cannon Richard Cannon (1779–1865) was a compiler of regimental records for the British Army. Career On 1 January 1802 Cannon was appointed to a clerkship at the Horse Guards, and attained the grade of first-clerk in 1803. Under a Horse Guards order ...

, ''Historical Record of the Fifth, or Princess Charlotte of Wales's Regiment of Dragoon Guards'' (1839
pages 92-93
and in 1746 he was made a groom of the bedchamber to the Duke of Cumberland. He served on Cumberland's staff in Flanders in 1747, and in 1754 was returned to Parliament on the prince's interest as member for New Windsor. St Mary Magdalene's, Richmond, Fitzwilliam Ledger stone

St Mary Magdalene's, Richmond, Fitzwilliam Ledger stone

On 12 November 1755 Fitzwilliam was made

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the 2nd (The Queen's Royal) Regiment of Foot,Richard Cannon, ''Historical Record of the Second, or Queen's Royal Regiment of Foot'' (1838
page 36
and he was promoted to

major-general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in June 1759. On 27 November 1760 he was transferred to the colonelcy of the 2nd Irish Horse, and he was promoted to

lieutenant-general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

the following year. The Duke of Cumberland died in 1766, and Fitzwilliam did not stand in the general election of 1768. He was promoted to

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

in 1778. On 17 October 1751 Fitzwilliam married Barbara, widow of William Cavendish and daughter of Edward Chandler, Bishop of Durham; they had no children.Patrick Cracroft-Brennan
FitzWilliam, Viscount (I, 1629 - 1833)
in ''Cracroft's Peerage'' (2012). Accessed 26 January 2013.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzwilliam, John 1714 births 1789 deaths Younger sons of viscounts People educated at Westminster School, London British MPs 1754–1761 British MPs 1761–1768 Royal Horse Guards officers 5th Dragoon Guards officers Grenadier Guards officers British Army personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession Queen's Royal Regiment officers Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British Army generals