Family and Education

b. 11 Aug. 1701, 4th s. of Charles, 1st Duke of Saint Albans, and bro. of Lord George Beauclerk. m. 25 June 1739, Hon. Martha Lovelace, da. of John, 4th Baron Lovelace, sis. and h. of Nevill, 6th Baron Lovelace, 2s. 6da.

Offices Held

Ensign 1 Ft. Gds. 1717; capt. 3 Ft. 1727; capt. 1 Ft. Gds. and lt.-col. 1735; col. 48 Ft. 1743-5; col. 31 Ft. 1745-9, when he left the army after a quarrel with the Duke of Cumberland.

Biography

Beauclerk sat at Thetford on the interest of his kinsman the Duke of Grafton. Dupplin’s list of 1754 classes him as ‘pro’. On 5 Nov. 1755 he wrote to the Duke of Newcastle:1

I am now very soon coming up to attend my duty at Westminster, but in prudence and justice to my numerous family can’t help once more representing to your Grace that the unavoidable additional expense of being in town is what I can’t nor must not continue unless some assistance is granted to me.

Beauclerk is reported to have spoken only once: in committee on the Minorca inquiry, 26 Apr. 1757,2 when with other Members ‘not expected to be against’3 he voted with the Opposition—his only recorded vote during this Parliament.

On 3 Feb. 1759 Beauclerk’s wife wrote to Newcastle asking him for financial assistance:4

My son would be no trouble to the Crown nor would my daughters had Lord Henry Beauclerk had the common chances his rank demanded. But unless your Grace finds some employment he is worthy of I fear I must still be troublesome for myself and girls.

Beauclerk died 5 Jan. 1761, and on 16 Jan. his widow was granted a pension of £400 per annum on the Irish establishment.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

• 1. Add. 32860, f. 397.
• 2. Add. 35877, f. 363.
• 3. Hen. Fox to Devonshire, n.d., Devonshire mss.
• 4. Add. 32887, f. 489.