Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport (1814-1904)
Encyclopedia
General
Alexander Nelson Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport, 4th Duke of Bronté GCB
(23 December 1814 – 4 June 1904) was a British
soldier
and courtier
.
Bridport was the eldest son of Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport
, and his wife Charlotte Mary, Duchess of Bronté, daughter of William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson
, and niece of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
. Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
, was his great-grandfather and Admiral Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport
, his great-great-uncle. He was commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers
in 1831 and achieved the rank of Captain in 1836, Lieutenant-Colonel in 1847, Colonel
in 1854, Major-General in 1862, Lieutenant-General in 1871 and General in 1877. Bridport was also a Groom-in-Waiting from 1841 to 1858, Clerk Marshal to Prince Albert from 1853 to 1861, Equerry
to Queen Victoria
from 1858 to 1884, a Permanent Lord-in-Waiting
to Queen Victoria from 1884 to 1901 and Honorary Equerry to Edward VII
from 1901 to 1904 and served as a Deputy Lieutenant
of Dorset
, Devon
and Somerset
. He succeeded his father as third Baron Bridport in 1868 and the same year the viscountcy held by his great-great-uncle was revived when he was created Viscount Bridport, of Cricket St Thomas in the County of Somerset and of Bronté in the Kingdom of Italy. In 1873 Bridport also succeeded his mother as Duke of Bronté, a title created for his great-uncle Lord Nelson. He was appointed a KBE
in 1885 and a GCB
in 1891.
Lord Bridport married Lady Mary Penelope, daughter of Arthur Hill, 3rd Marquess of Downshire
, in 1838. They had six sons and four daughters. Lady Bridport died in July 1884, aged 66. Bridport survived her by twenty years and died in June 1904, aged 89. He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son Arthur
.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Alexander Nelson Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport, 4th Duke of Bronté GCB
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(23 December 1814 – 4 June 1904) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
and courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
.
Bridport was the eldest son of Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport
Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport
Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport succeeded his great-uncle Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport as Baron Bridport....
, and his wife Charlotte Mary, Duchess of Bronté, daughter of William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson
William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson
William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson, 2nd Duke of Bronté was the elder brother of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson....
, and niece of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
. Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars...
, was his great-grandfather and Admiral Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport
Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport
|-...
, his great-great-uncle. He was commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers
Royal Scots Fusiliers
-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
in 1831 and achieved the rank of Captain in 1836, Lieutenant-Colonel in 1847, Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in 1854, Major-General in 1862, Lieutenant-General in 1871 and General in 1877. Bridport was also a Groom-in-Waiting from 1841 to 1858, Clerk Marshal to Prince Albert from 1853 to 1861, Equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
to Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
from 1858 to 1884, a Permanent Lord-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
to Queen Victoria from 1884 to 1901 and Honorary Equerry to Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
from 1901 to 1904 and served as a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. He succeeded his father as third Baron Bridport in 1868 and the same year the viscountcy held by his great-great-uncle was revived when he was created Viscount Bridport, of Cricket St Thomas in the County of Somerset and of Bronté in the Kingdom of Italy. In 1873 Bridport also succeeded his mother as Duke of Bronté, a title created for his great-uncle Lord Nelson. He was appointed a KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1885 and a GCB
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1891.
Lord Bridport married Lady Mary Penelope, daughter of Arthur Hill, 3rd Marquess of Downshire
Arthur Hill, 3rd Marquess of Downshire
Arthur Blundell Sandys Trumbull Hill, 3rd Marquess of Downshire KP was an Irish peer, styled Viscount Fairford from 1789 until 1793 and Earl of Hillsborough from 1793 to 1801....
, in 1838. They had six sons and four daughters. Lady Bridport died in July 1884, aged 66. Bridport survived her by twenty years and died in June 1904, aged 89. He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son Arthur
Arthur Hood, 2nd Viscount Bridport
Arthur Wellington Alexander Nelson Hood, 2nd Viscount Bridport, 5th Duke of Bronté was a British Army officer and nobleman.-Life:...
.