Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis, (7 March 1754 – 16 May 1839), known as the Lord Clive between 1774 and 1804, was a British 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 1774 to 1794 when he was raised to the

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks. Peerages include: Australia * Australian peers Belgium * Belgi ...

as Baron Clive.

Early life

Powis was the eldest son of

Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, (29 September 1725 – 22 November 1774), also known as Clive of India, was the first British Governor of the Bengal Presidency. Clive has been widely credited for laying the foundation of the British ...

("Clive of India"), and Margaret born Maskelyne. He was born at Queen Square,

Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural, intellectual, and educational institutions. Bloomsbury is home of the British Museum, the largest mus ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, and he was educated 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 ...

and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

Political career

Clive succeeded his father as Baron Clive of Plassey co Clare in 1774. However, as this was an

Irish peerage The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisio ...

, it did not entitle him to a seat in the

British House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in ...

(although it did entitle him to a seat in the

Irish House of Lords The Irish House of Lords was the upper house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from medieval times until 1800. It was also the final court of appeal of the Kingdom of Ireland. It was modelled on the House of Lords of England, with membe ...

). At the 1774 general election he was elected as

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

Ludlow Ludlow () is a market town in Shropshire, England. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and in relation to Wales. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road which bypasses the town. The t ...

, a seat he held until 1794. He was a member of the Board of Agriculture in 1793. On 13 August 1794, Clive was created Baron Clive, of Walcot in the County of Shropshire, in the

Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself r ...

, and consequently took his seat in the House of Lords. Almost certainly this was a belated act of contrition by the Crown for the lack of recognition to his father. Clive had a distinguished career in India where he was

Governor of Madras This is a list of the governors, agents, and presidents of colonial Madras, initially of the English East India Company, up to the end of British colonial rule in 1947. English Agents In 1639, the grant of Madras to the English was finalized be ...

from 1798 to 1803, returning home to the thanks of both Houses of Parliament. On 14 May 1804, he was further created Baron Powis of Powis Castle co Montgomery, Baron Herbert of Chirbury co. Salop, Viscount Clive of Ludlow co. Salop, and Earl of Powis co. Montgomery, a revival of the title which had become extinct on the death of his brother-in-law,

George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis George Edward Henry Arthur Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis (7 July 1755 – 16 January 1801), styled Viscount Ludlow until 1772, was a British peer. Early life Herbert was born at Finchley, Middlesex, the son of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis, by ...

, in 1801. Edward Clive also served as

Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire. Before the English Civil War, the lieutenancy of Shropshire was always held by the Lord Lieutenant of Wales, but after the Restoration, its lieutenants were appointed sep ...

from 1775 to 1798 and from 1804 to 1839 and as

Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire The following is a list of people who have held the title of Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire. After 1761, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Montgomeryshire. The office was abolished on 31 March 1974 and replaced by the Lord Li ...

from 1804 to 1830. He was Recorder of the boroughs of

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...

in 1775, and

in 1801. He was colonel of the Shropshire Militia in 1775 and of the South Shropshire Militia in 1809;R. G. Thorne
CLIVE, Edward, 2nd Baron Clive (1754-1839), of Walcot, Salop.
in ''The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820'', 1986. along with the other

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

colonels he was granted brevet rank as colonel in the

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 ...

in 1794.

Family

Before his elevation to the Earldom of Powis, he married Lady Henrietta Herbert, daughter of

Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis Henry Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis PC (before 9 April 1703Baptism date. – 10 September 1772), known as Henry Herbert until 1743 and as The Lord Herbert of Chirbury between 1743 and 1748, was a British peer and politician. Background A me ...

, in 1784. Their children were: * Lady Henrietta Antonia Herbert (d. 1835); married

Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet (25 October 1772 – 6 January 1840) was a Welsh landowner and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1794 to 1840. Biography Williams-Wynn was the son of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet ...

. *

Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, KG (22 March 1785 – 17 January 1848), styled Viscount Clive between 1804 and 1839, was a British peer and Tory politician. He was the grandson of Clive of India. Early life Edward was born on 22 March 1 ...

(1785–1848) * Lady Charlotte Florentia Herbert (1787–1866); married

Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland (20 April 178511 February 1847), styled Earl Percy until 1817, was a British aristocrat and Tory politician who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland under the Duke of Wellington from 1829 to 1830. Backg ...

, and was the governess of the future

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

. * Robert Henry Clive (1798–1854); a politician. Lord Powis lived at Walcot Hall, an estate purchased by his father from the Walcot family in 1764. Lady Powis died on 3 June 1830, aged 71. Lord Powis survived her by nine years and died at his London home, 45

Berkeley Square Berkeley Square is a garden square in the West End of London. It is one of the best known of the many squares in London, located in Mayfair in the City of Westminster. It was laid out in the mid 18th century by the architect William Kent ...

, on 16 May 1839, aged 85. He was buried at Bromfield Parish Church, near his

Oakly Park Oakly Park, Bromfield, Shropshire, England is a country house dating from the 18th century. In the early 19th century, the house was restored and extended by Charles Robert Cockerell, Surveyor to the Bank of England for his friend Robert Henry ...

property. His obituary in the ''Annual Register'' calls him: :''Remarkable for his physical vigour, and though he spent some years in India and lived freely, he might be seen, when about eighty, digging in his garden at six o'clock in the morning in his shirt sleeves. He was apparently well the day before his death.''

References

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External links

* , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Powis, Edward Clive, 1st Earl of 1754 births 1839 deaths Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Clive, Edward Clive, 2nd Baron Clive, Edward Clive, 2nd Baron Clive, Edward Clive, 2nd Baron Clive, Edward Clive, 2nd Baron Earls of Powis Peers of Great Britain created by George III Lord-Lieutenants of Montgomeryshire Lord-Lieutenants of Shropshire Lords Lieutenant of Ireland Clive, Edward Clive, 2nd Baron Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom

Edward Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...

People educated at Eton College