BURRARD (afterwards NEALE), Harry (1765-1840), of Walhampton, nr. Lymington, Hants.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1790 - 1802
1806 - 1807
1812 - Mar. 1823
1832 - 1834

Family and Education

b. 16 Sept. 1765, 1st s. of Col. William Burrard, gov. Yarmouth Castle, I.o.W. by 2nd w. Mary, da. of Dr Joseph Pearce of Lymington. educ. Christchurch g.s. m. 15 Apr. 1795, Grace Elizabeth, da. and coh. of Robert Neale of Shaw House, Melksham, Wilts. taking surname of Neale by sign manual 8 Apr. 1795, s.p. suc. fa. 1780; uncle Sir Harry Burrard of Walhampton as 2nd Bt. 12 Apr. 1791; KCB 2 Jan. 1815; GCB 14 Sept. 1822; GCMG 1824.

Offices Held

Entered RN 1778, lt. 1787, cdr. 1790, capt. 1793, r.-adm. 1810, v.-adm. 1814, adm. 1830; c.-in-c. Mediterranean 1823-6, Portsmouth 1833-d.

Groom of bedchamber 1801-12, (Windsor) 1812-20.

Ld. of Admiralty Jan.-Sept. 1804, Feb. 1806-Apr. 1807.

Lt.-col. Lymington vol. inf. 1803-5; riding forester, New Forest 1813-20.

Biography

Like his cousin Harry, with whom he was returned for Lymington by their uncle in 1790, Burrard had served in America, but with the navy. He had recently returned from the West Indies.1 Within a year he succeeded to his uncle’s title and estates. He was listed hostile to the repeal of the Test Act in Scotland in April 1791. On 30 May 1791 he applauded the Sierra Leone Company in the House, as the first step towards the civilization of Africa and the abolition of the slave trade. His naval career drastically affected his parliamentary attendance, but he was regarded as a supporter of administration. In 1793 he was in the Mediterranean. On 2 June 1795, soon after the marriage which changed his name, he took leave of absence from the House. In 1797 he escaped the mutineers at the Nore in the San Fiorenzo and received the London merchants’ vote of thanks, 7 June. In 1801 he became a groom of the bedchamber and subsequently commanded the Royal Charlotte. His wife became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Charlotte. He did not seek re-election in 1802, but sat on the Admiralty board in the last few months of Addington’s administration, resigning a few months after Pitt’s return to office to make way for Sir Evan Nepean.2 He resumed his place at the Admiralty under the Grenville ministry and in 1806 returned to Westminster. It does not appear that he was active, but he thought well of Thomas Grenville as first lord, and resigned with the ministry.3 He had been listed ‘adverse’ to the abolition of the slave trade.

Neale saw further active service while out of the House 1807-12. The King was attached to him, particularly for his care of the Princess Amelia, and he retained his bedchamber office under the Regency.4 Resuming his seat in 1812, was listed a Treasury supporter, but the only evidence of his attendance was on 18 and 20 Mar. 1816 when, after presenting a counter-petition from his constituents in its favour, he voted with ministers on the property tax and against them on Admiralty salaries. On 24 Apr. he took leave of absence. In the next Parliament he supported ministerial measures against sedition as late as 23 Dec. 1819. Only the two speeches above-mentioned are known before 1820. He died 7 Feb. 1840.5

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: Brian Murphy

Notes

  • 1. Gent. Mag. (1840), i. 540.
  • 2. Geo. III Corresp. iv. 2871.
  • 3. Add. 41851, f. 279; Buckingham, Court and Cabinets, iv. 158.
  • 4. Prince of Wales Corresp. viii. 3308.
  • 5. The Times, 10 Feb. 1840. (Not 15 Feb. as in DNB.)