CAMPBELL, Henry Frederick (1769-1856).

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

Constituency

Dates

1796 - 1802
1806 - 1807

Family and Education

b. 10 July 1769, o.s. of Lt.-Col. Alexander Campbell by Frances, da. of Philip Medows, dep. ranger of Richmond Park. educ. Greenwich 1778-80.1 m. 10 Apr. 1808, Emma, da. of Thomas Williams* of Temple House, Berks., wid. of Col. Thomas Knox, 1s. 2da. suc. fa. 1785; KCB 2 Jan. 1815; GCH 1818.

Offices Held

Ensign 1 Ft. Gds. 1786, lt. and capt. 1793, capt. and lt.-col. 1796; a.d.c. to King and brevet col. 1803, brig.-gen. 1808, maj.-gen. 1810; maj. 1 Ft. Gds. 1813, lt.-gen. 1814; col. 88 Ft. 1824-31, 25 Ft. 1831-d.; gen. 1837

Prothonotary of palace ct. Westminster 1792-1849; groom of bedchamber ?1809-12, (Windsor) 1812-20; sec. and comptroller to the Queen 1817-18.

Biography

Campbell, who succeeded his uncle Charles Pierrepont* to a sinecure appointment in the Palace court, served in Holland and Flanders in the early stages of the French wars. He was returned unopposed for Nairnshire in 1796 on the interest of his cousin John Campbell I*, Lord Cawdor, and, when present, presumably followed Cawdor’s line in giving general support to government, though he was one of the Members who ‘joined the minority’ against the address applauding the use of the militia to suppress the Irish rebellion, 19 June 1798. When Cawdor, who was supporting the ‘Talents’, returned him again in 1806, Campbell was overseas, having recently ‘sailed with one of the expeditions’. Cawdor wrote that he had some basic ‘object’ of ambition in view, but it is not clear what this was.2 Early in 1807 William Adam listed him among the ‘friends of Government unconnected with Lord Melville’. He is not known to have spoken in the House, from which he retired at the dissolution of 1807, when the return passed to Cromartyshire.

Campbell served with distinction in the Peninsula and received the thanks of the House for his part in the victories of Talavera, 1 Feb. 1810, and Salamanca, 3 Dec. 1812. He died 3 Sept. 1856.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: David R. Fisher

Notes

  • 1. J. Adeane, Early Married Life of Lady Stanley, 3.
  • 2. Cawdor Castle mss, Cawdor to Macpherson, 17 Oct. 1806.