Charles Arbuthnot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Charles Arbuthnot | |
| Born | 14 March 1767 Rockfleet, Co Mayo |
|---|---|
| Died | 18 August 1850 (aged 83) Apsley House, Piccadilly |
| Occupation | MP and diplomat, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster |
| Spouse | (1) Marcia Clapcott-Lisle (2) Harriet Fane |
| Children | General Charles Arbuthnot |
| Relatives | Son of John Arbuthnot of Rockfleet; Brother of Rt Rev Alexander Arbuthnot and General Sir Thomas Arbuthnot and General Sir Robert Arbuthnot |
| Website Family tree, Portrait |
|
Charles Arbuthnot PC (14 March 1767 - 18 August 1850) was a British Tory politician and member of the Privy Council. He served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies between 1795 and 1831, and was Ambassador Extraordinary at Constantinople from 1804 to 1807. His first wife, Marcia, died in 1806, while they were overseas.
Charles was a good friend of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. His second wife, Harriet, became a hostess at the Duke's society dinners, and wrote an important diary cataloguing contemporary political intrigues. Charles served as a Secretary to the Treasury from 1809 to 1823, as First Commissioner of Woods and Forests from 1823 to 1827 and in 1828, and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1828 to 1830. He lived at Apsley House, the Duke's London residence, after his wife's death.
Contents |
[edit] Private life
Arbuthnot was son of John Arbuthnot of Rockfleet and brother of Rt Rev Alexander Arbuthnot. He was born in Rockfleet, County Mayo, Ireland, but much of his upbringing was with his mother's relations, the Stone family.
He was first married on 28 February 1799 to Marcia Mary Anne Clapcott Lisle, at Cholmondeley House, Piccadilly. His first wife was born on 9 July 1774, and had been lady-in-waiting to the Princess of Wales, later Caroline of Brunswick, since 1795. Marcia's portrait was painted by John Hoppner and an engraving of the portrait was made by Joshua Reynolds. The couple's four children included General Charles George James Arbuthnot and Marcia Arbuthnot, who later married William Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley. She died in Constantinople on 24 May 1806.
After being widowed, Arbuthnot married a second time on 31 January 1814 at Fulbeck, Lincolnshire, to Harriet Fane (1793-1834), a daughter of the Hon Henry Fane, MP. Harriet was fascinated by politics. During her marriage to Charles, she became a hostess at society dinners given by Charles' good friend, The Duke of Wellington. During the latter years of Charles' life, after the death of Harriet, he lived in the Duke's house as his confidential friend, and died there. Their story is told in Wellington and the Arbuthnots by E. A. Smith.[1] which refutes the suggestion that Harriet was Wellington's mistress.
Harriet's portrait was also painted by John Hoppner and it is now in Foundation Lazzaro Galdiano, Madrid. Sir Thomas Lawrence's portrait of her is at Woodford, Northamptonshire. Her diaries were published as The Journal of Mrs Arbuthnot in 1950.[2]
[edit] Political and diplomatic career
Arbuthnot was elected as a Member of Parliament to a number of seats in the House of Commons:
- March 1795 East Looe
- April 1809 Eye, Suffolk
- 1812 Orford, Suffolk
- 1818-27 St Germans, Cornwall
- 1828-30 St Ives
- 1830-31 Ashburton
Meanwhile, he held a number of ministerial offices:
- November 1803-June 1804 Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
- 1809-1823 Joint Secretary to the Treasury
- 1823-1827, 1828 - First Commissioner of Woods and Forests
- 1828-1830 - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
He also held a number of diplomatic postings, including:
- 1800-01 Consul General in Portugal,
- 1804-07 Ambassador Extraordinary at Constantinople.
S. Gambardello's portrait of him is at Apsley House.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Arbuthnot, Harriet (author) and Bamford, F., and the Duke of Wellington (editors) The journal of Mrs. Arbuthnot, 1820-1832 (London, MacMillan, 1950)
- ^ Smith, E.A. Wellington and the Arbuthnots: a triangular friendship (UK, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1994) ISBN 0-7509-0629-4.
