Davidson, John Colin Campbell, 1st Viscount Davidson, only son of Sir James Mackenzie Davidson, Kt., M.B., C. M., of London, by Georgiana Barbara Watt, daughter of William Henderson, of Aberdeen; b. Feb. 23, 1889; adm. Jan. 15, 1903 (A); left July 1907; Pembroke Coll. Camb., matric. Michaelmas 1907; B.A. 1910; Private Secretary to several Cabinet Ministers, including the Rt. Hon. A. Bonar Law when Prime Minister, 1910-23; called to the bar at the Middle Temple June 4, 1913; M. P. Herts (Hemel Hempstead Div.) Nov. 1920 - Nov. 1923, and from Oct. 1924; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster June 1923 - Jan. 1924; Financial Secretary to the Admiralty Nov. 1924 - Nov. 1926; Chairman of the Conservative Party organization 1926-30; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1931-7; served in Home Guard in Great War II; Controller of Production, Ministry of Information 1941; C. B. Jan. 1, 1919; C. H. March 25, 1923; P. C. 1928; G. C. V. O. 1935; created a Viscount May 28, 1937; a Governor of the School July 1927; Busby Trustee 1929; president of the Elizabethan Club 1946-49; represented Westminster on Governing Bodies' Assn. 1949-59; m. April 10, 1919, the Hon. Frances Joan, younger daughter of Willoughby, 1st Baron Dickinson; d. 11 Dec. 1970.

ELLIS, WELBORE, 1ST BARON MENDIP, younger son of Welbore Ellis (qv); b. 15 Dec 1713; adm. Jul 1727; KS (Capt. ) 1728; elected to Christ Church, Oxford 1732, matr. 15 Jun 1732, Westminster Student 29 Dec 1732 - resignation 25 Apr 1739; BA 1736; DCL 7 Jul 1773; inherited fortune of his uncle John Ellis (KS 1660, qv) in 1738; Grand Tour (Italy) 1739-40; MP Cricklade 24 Dec 1741-7, Weymouth 1747-61, Aylesbury 1761-8, Petersfield 1768-74, Weymouth 1774-90, Petersfield 29 Apr 1791- 13 Aug 1794; an active and useful member of the House of Commons; a Lord of the Admiralty 1747-55; Vice-Treasurer for Ireland 1755-62; Privy Councillor 20 Mar 1760; Secretary at War 1762-5; Vice-Treasurer of Ireland (again) 1765-6, 1770-7; Treasurer of the Navy 12 Jun 1777 – Apr 1782; Secretary of State for the American Colonies 11 Feb - Mar 1782; created Baron Mendip 13 Aug 1794, with special remainder to his great-nephew Henry Welbore Agar-Ellis, 2nd Viscount Clifden (qv); member, Society of Dilettanti 1740/1; FRS 20 Jun 1745; Trustee of the British Museum 1780; Busby Trustee 25 Mar 1777; was accustomed to boast of having slept both in the Old Dormitory and in the New Dormitory; m. 1st, 18 Nov 1747 Elizabeth, only dau. of Hon. Sir William Stanhope KB MP; m. 2nd, 20 Jul 1765 Anne, eldest dau. of George Stanley, Paultons, Hampshire; d. 2 Feb 1802. Buried in North Transept, Westminster Abbery. DNB.

PAGET, HENRY WILLIAM, 1ST MARQUIS OF ANGLESEY, eldest son of Henry Paget (formerly Bayly), 1st Earl of Uxbridge, and Jane, only dau. of Very Rev. Arthur Champagné, Dean of Clonmacnoise; b. 17 May 1768; adm. 8 Sep 1777; left 1784; Christ Church, Oxford, matr. 14 Oct 1784; MA 1786; Capt., Staffordshire Militia 12 Dec 1790; raised a company of infantry from his father’s tenantry which became known as the 80th Foot, of which he became Lieut. -Col., (temp. rank) 12 Sep 1793; served with it under Duke of York in Flanders 1794; Lieut., 7th Foot 11 Mar 1795; Capt., 23rd Foot 25 Mar 1795; Maj., 65th Foot 29 May 1795; Lieut. -Col. commandant, 80th Foot 30 May 1795; 16th Light Dragoons 16 Jun 1795; Brevet Col., 3 May 1796; Lieut. -Col., 7th Light Dragoons 6 Apr 1797; commanded cavalry brigade in Duke of York’s expedition to Netherlands 1799; Col., 7th Light Dragoons 16 May 1801 – Dec 1842; Major-Gen., 29 Apr 1802; Lieut. -Gen., 25 Apr 1808; in command of cavalry which covered Sir John Moore’s retreat to Corunna 1808; commanded an infantry division in Walcheren expedition 1809; commanded allied cavalry and horse artillery at battle of Waterloo, where he lost a leg; Gen., 12 Aug 1819; Col., Royal Horse Guards, from 20 Dec 1842; Field Marshal 9 Nov 1846; MP Caernarvon 1790-6, Milborne Port 1796 – Jun 1804, 1806 – Jan 1810; succ. father as 2nd Earl of Uxbridge 13 Mar 1812; created Marquis of Anglesey 4 Jul 1815; supported Tory governments to 1829; Master-Gen. of the Ordnance (with a seat in the Cabinet) 30 Apr 1827 – 29 Jan 1828; Privy Councillor 30 Apr 1827; Lord Lieut., Ireland 27 Feb 1828 – dismissal Jan 1829, for adopting conciliatory attitude to Roman Catholic claims; LLD Trinity Coll. Dublin 6 Mar 1828; reappointed Lord Lieut. Ireland by incoming Whig government 23 Dec 1830, holding post to resignation on health grounds Sep 1833; took Whig whip in House of Lords 1830 onwards; Master-Gen. of the Ordnance (without seat in Cabinet) 8 Jul 1846 – 27 Feb 1852; Lord Lieut., Anglesey, from 28 Apr 1812, and Lord Lieut., Staffordshire, from 3 Feb 1849; GCB 2 Jan 1815; GCH 1816; KG 19 Feb 1818; Busby Trustee 27 May 1820; m. 1st, 25 Jul 1795 Lady Caroline Elizabeth Villiers, third dau. of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey; m. 2nd, 1810 Lady Charlotte Cadogan, divorced wife of Hon. Henry Wellesley (afterwards 1st Earl Cowley), and sister of Hon. William Bromley Cadogan (qv); d. 29 Apr 1854. DNB.

PETTY-FITZMAURICE, HENRY, 3RD MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE, only son of William Petty, 1st Marquis of Lansdowne KG PC, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, and his second wife Lady Louisa Fitzpatrick, sister of John Fitzpatrick, 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory (I) (qv); grandson of John Petty, 1st Earl of Shelburne (qv); b. 2 Jul 1780; at school 1789; up Clapham’s; in school list 1795; still at school 1796; Edinburgh Univ.; Trinity Coll. Oxford, adm. nob. 26 Oct 1798; MA 1801; Hon. LLD 1811; styled Lord Henry Petty to 1809; MP Calne 1802 – Jan 1806, Cambridge Univ. 7 Feb 1806-7, Camelford 1807 – 15 Nov 1809; took Whig whip in House of Commons; Chancellor of the Exchequer 10 Feb 1806 – 31 Mar 1807; Privy Councillor 5 Feb 1806; succeeded half-brother as 3rd Marquis of Lansdowne 15 Nov 1809, and cousin as Earl of Kerry (I) 4 Jul 1818; an active member of the Whig opposition in the House of Lords 1809-27, acting as its de facto leader 1823-7; supported the abolition of the slave trade and the removal of Roman Catholic and Jewish disabilities; led the main body of the Whig Party into coalition in Apr 1827 with the liberal wing of the Tory Party, headed by George Canning, serving in Canning’s cabinet as Minister without Portfolio Apr – Jul 1827 and as Secretary of State for Home Affairs in Canning and Goderich administrations 16 Jul 1827 – Jan 1828; Lord President of the Council in Whig administrations 22 Nov 1830 – Nov 1834, 18 Apr 1835 – Sep 1841 and 6 Jul 1846 – Feb 1852; led Whig peers in House of Lords 1843-55; declined to form government on Lord Derby’s resignation Dec 1852; member of cabinet in Aberdeen and Palmerston administrations Dec 1852 – Feb 1858, without holding any official position; refused offer of a dukedom Sep 1857; Lord Lieut., Wiltshire, from 23 Nov 1827; one of original members of Judicial Committee of Privy Council 14 Aug 1833; KG 5 Feb 1836; FRS 4 Apr 1811; member, Society of Dilettanti 1815; Busby Trustee 18 May 1813; a man of wide social influence and moderate political views; m. 30 Mar 1808 Lady Louisa Emma Fox-Strangways, sister of William Thomas Horner Fox-Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (qv); d. 31 Jan 1863, from the effects of a fall. Memorial bust, Westminster Abbey. DNB.

LOWTHER, WILLIAM, 1ST EARL OF LONSDALE, eldest son of Rev. Sir William Lowther, Bart., Rector of Swillington, Yorks., and Anne, eldest dau. of Rev. Charles Zouch, Vicar of Sandal, Yorks.; b. 29 Dec 1757; at Felsted Sch. 1769-71; adm. 26 Mar 1771; Trinity Coll. Cambridge, adm. fellow commoner 25 Jan 1776, matr. 1776; MP Carlisle 1780-4, Cumberland 1784-90, Rutland 1796-1802; succ. father as 2nd baronet 15 Jun 1788; Ensign, 80th Foot 17 May 1794; Brevet Lieut. -Col., 1 Jan 1800; succ. cousin as 2nd Viscount Lowther 24 May 1802; Col., Royal Cumberland Militia 24 May 1802 – still 1820; Lord Lieut., Cumberland and Westmorland, from 26 Jun 1802; created Earl of Lonsdale 7 Apr 1807; KG 18 Jul 1807; a patron of the fine arts; Wordsworth dedicated his poem The Excursion to him in Jul 1814; DL Yorkshire West Riding 1796, Rutland 1797; FSA (by 1831); m. 12 Jul 1781 Lady Augusta Fane, dau. of John Fane, 9th Earl of Westmorland (qv), and his first wife; d. 19 Mar 1844. DNB (s. v. William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale).

SOMERSET, FITZROY JOHN HENRY, 1ST BARON RAGLAN, youngest son of Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort (qv); b. 30 Sep 1788; adm. 1 Feb 1802 (Clapham); in school list 1803; Cornet, 4th Light Dragoons 9 Jun 1804; Lieut., 30 May 1805; Capt., 6th Garrison Battn., 5 May 1808; 43rd Foot 18 Aug 1808; Brevet Maj., 9 Jun 1811; Brevet Lieut. -Col., 27 Apr 1812; Capt. and Lieut. -Col., 1st Foot Guards 25 Jul 1814; Col. in the Army and ADC to Prince Regent 28 Aug 1815; Major-Gen., 27 May 1825; Col., 53rd Foot 19 Nov 1830 – May 1854 [check]; Lieut. -Gen., 28 Jun 1838; Col., Royal Horse Guards, from 8 May 1854; Gen., 20 Jun 1854; Field-Marshal 5 Nov 1854; served with Wellington in Peninsular War; wounded at battle of Busaco; lost right arm at battle of Waterloo; Secretary to Embassy, Paris 1814, Minister Plenipotentiary there Jan – Mar 1815; Secretary to Master-Gen. of the Ordnance 1815-27; MP Truro 1818-20, 1826 – Mar 1829; Military Secretary, War Office Jan 1827 – Sep 1852; Master-Gen. of the Ordnance 30 Sep 1852 – May 1855; Commander-in-Chief of British Troops in Crimea from 1854; Privy Councillor 16 Oct 1852; created Baron Raglan 20 Oct 1852; KCB 2 Jan 1815; GCB 24 Sep 1852; DCL Oxford 1834; m. 6 Aug 1814 Lady Emily Harriet Wellesley Pole, second dau. of William Wellesley Pole, 3rrd Earl of Mornington PC, Master of the Mint; d. in camp before Sevastopol 28 Jun 1855. DNB.

HOBHOUSE, JOHN CAM, 1ST BARON BROUGHTON, eldest son of Sir Benjamin Hobhouse, Bart. , MP, and his first wife Charlotte, dau. of Samuel Cam, Chantry House, near Bradford, Wilts. ; b. 27 Jun 1786; adm. 27 Jan 1802 (Clapham); in school list May 1803; left 1803; Trinity Coll. Cambridge, adm. pens. 18 Oct 1803, matr. Easter 1806; Hulsean Prize 1808; BA 1808; MA 1811; founded the Cambridge Whig Club; when at Cambridge became an intimate friend of Lord Byron, with whom he travelled in Greece and the Mediterranean in 1809-10; adm. Middle Temple 4 Feb 1806; a partner in firm Whitbread & Co. , brewers; contested Westminster as Radical candidate at 1819 by-election; imprisoned in Newgate Prison for breach of privilege 14 Dec 1819 – 19 Jan 1820; MP (Radical, subsequently Whig) Westminster 1820-33, Nottingham 1834-47, Harwich 1848-51; active member of Greek Committee in London 1823; succeeded father as 2nd baronet 15 Aug 1831; Secretary at War 1 Feb 1832 – Apr 1833; Privy Councillor 23 Feb 1832; Chief Secretary for Ireland 28 Mar – 17 May 1833; Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests 19 Jul – 31 Dec 1834; President, Board of Control 29 Apr 1835 – Sep 1841, Jul 1846 – Feb 1852; created Baron Broughton 26 Feb 1851; GCB 23 Feb 1852; as Byron’s executor, advised the destruction of Byron’s Memoirs 1824, and as Byron’s best man drew up a reply to Lady Byron’s Remarks 1830; FRS 19 May 1814; member, Society of Dilettanti 1839; one of founders of Geographical Society 1830; is said to have invented the phrase “His Majesty’s Opposition”; his Commonplace Book when at the School, containing the themes set, extracts from books, and occasional translations, is in the British Library, Additional MSS; author, Recollections of a Long Life, 1865, and other works; m. 26 Feb 1828 Lady Julia Hay, youngest dau. of George Hay, 7th Marquis of Tweeddale (S); d. 3 Jun 1869. DNB.

GIBBON, EDWARD, only son of Edward Gibbon (qv), and his first wife; b. 27 Apr 1737; adm. Jan 1747/8 (Porten's); left Aug 1750, on account of ill-health; Magdalen Coll. Oxford, adm. fellow commoner 3 Apr 1752; received into Roman Catholic church 8 Jun 1752, but returned to Protestantism at Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1753; became attached to Susanne Curchod (afterwards Mme Necker), but at his father’s wish the engagement was broken off; adm. to Academy, Lausanne 1 Dec 1756; officer in Hampshire Militia 12 Jun 1759-70; author, Essai sur l’Etude de la Litterature, 1761; met John Baker Holroyd (afterwards Lord Sheffield) at Lausanne 1764; in Italy 1764-5; the idea of writing on the decline and fall of the Roman Empire first occurred to him when in Rome on 15 Oct 1764; author, Mémoires Littéraires de la Grande Bretagne, 1767-8, jointly with his Swiss friend Deyverdun; author, Critical Observations on the Sixth Book of the Aeneid, 1770, attacking Warburton; settled in London 1772; elected to The Club 1774; MP Liskeard 1774-80, Lymington 25 Jun 1781-4; a Commissioner for Trade and Foreign Plantations 6 Jul 1779 - Jun 1782; Professor of Ancient History, Royal Academy, from 1787; FSA 20 Nov 1788, FRS 27 Nov 1788; author, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776-87, 4 vols.; defended the chapters on Christianity in a Vindication, 1779; retired to Lausanne 1783; his Miscellaneous Works, edited by his friend Lord Sheffield, and including his Memoirs of My Life and Writings, were published in 1796; d. unm. 16 Jan 1794. DNB.