Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland
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Admiral
Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland KG
, PC, FRS
(15 December 1792 – 12 February 1865), styled Lord Algernon Percy until 1816 and known as The Lord Prudhoe between 1816 and 1847, was a British naval commander, explorer and Conservative
politician.
, and Frances Julia, daughter of Peter Burrell. He was educated at Eton
and St John's College, Cambridge
.
in 1805, aged 13, and served in the Napoleonic Wars
. In 1815, when only 22, he was promoted to captain
, taking command of HMS Cossack
in August, and commanding her until she was broken up some 10 months later. The following year, aged 23, he raised to the peerage as Baron Prudhoe, of Prudhoe Castle in the County of Northumberland (Prudhoe
being a town in Northumberland
). He later became an Admiral
in the Royal Navy. Between 1826 and 1829 he was part of an expedition to Egypt
, Nubia
and The Levant.
Northumberland became the first president of the newly formed National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck
in 1834, and went on to become the president of its successor, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
. In 1851 he offered a prize of £200 for a new design of self-righting lifeboat
, won by James Beeching
, which became the standard model for the new Royal National Lifeboat Institution fleet.
in the dukedom in 1847. In 1852 he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, with a seat in the cabinet, by the Earl of Derby
, a post he held until the fall of the government
in December 1852. In 1853 he was made a Knight of the Garter
.
, daughter of Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster
, on 25 August 1842. They had no children. He died in February 1865, aged 72, and was succeeded in his titles by his cousin, the 2nd Earl of Beverley
. The Duchess of Northumberland died in May 1911. Northumberland was a good friend of Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin
, and Prudhoe Bay, on the north coast of Alaska
, was named after him.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland KG
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, PC, FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(15 December 1792 – 12 February 1865), styled Lord Algernon Percy until 1816 and known as The Lord Prudhoe between 1816 and 1847, was a British naval commander, explorer and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Background
Northumberland was the younger son of General Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of NorthumberlandHugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland
Lieutenant-General Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland, FRS was an officer in the British army and later a British peer...
, and Frances Julia, daughter of Peter Burrell. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
.
Naval career
Northumberland entered the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1805, aged 13, and served in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. In 1815, when only 22, he was promoted to captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
, taking command of HMS Cossack
HMS Cossack (1806)
HMS Cossack was a Royal Navy Banterer-class post ship of a nominal 22 guns, launched in 1806 at South Shields, England. She was ordered in January 1805 as HMS Pandour and launched under that name but her name was altered to Cossack during 1806....
in August, and commanding her until she was broken up some 10 months later. The following year, aged 23, he raised to the peerage as Baron Prudhoe, of Prudhoe Castle in the County of Northumberland (Prudhoe
Prudhoe
Prudhoe is a medium sized town just south of the River Tyne, in the southern part of the county of Northumberland, England about west of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town is sited on a steep, north-facing hill in the Tyne valley and nearby settlements include Ovingham, Ovington, Wylam,...
being a town in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
). He later became an Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in the Royal Navy. Between 1826 and 1829 he was part of an expedition to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Nubia
Nubia
Nubia is a region along the Nile river, which is located in northern Sudan and southern Egypt.There were a number of small Nubian kingdoms throughout the Middle Ages, the last of which collapsed in 1504, when Nubia became divided between Egypt and the Sennar sultanate resulting in the Arabization...
and The Levant.
Northumberland became the first president of the newly formed National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
in 1834, and went on to become the president of its successor, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
. In 1851 he offered a prize of £200 for a new design of self-righting lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
, won by James Beeching
James Beeching
James Beeching was an English boat builder who invented a "self-righting lifeboat" and designed a type of fishing boat which became characteristic of the port of Great Yarmouth in the 19th century...
, which became the standard model for the new Royal National Lifeboat Institution fleet.
Political career
Northumberland succeeded his childless elder brotherHugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland
Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland KG, PC , styled Earl Percy until 1817, was a British aristocrat and Tory politician who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland under the Duke of Wellington from 1829 to 1830....
in the dukedom in 1847. In 1852 he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, with a seat in the cabinet, by the Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
, a post he held until the fall of the government
Conservative Government 1852
After the fall of Lord John Russell's Whig government in early 1852, the Tory leader Lord Derby formed a government. The Conservatives had been weakened by the defection of the Peelites, and many of the new Cabinet ministers were men of little experience. The government became known as the Who?...
in December 1852. In 1853 he was made a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
.
Personal life
Northumberland married, aged 49, Lady Eleanor GrosvenorEleanor Percy, Duchess of Northumberland
Eleanor Percy, Duchess of Northumberland was the wife of Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland.-Biography:Elearnor was born on 22 October 1820, the daughter of Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster and Lady Elizabeth Mary Leveson-Gower. She married Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of...
, daughter of Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster
Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster
Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster KG, PC , styled Viscount Belgrave from 1802 to 1831 and Earl Belgrave from 1831 to 1845, was an English politician, landowner, property developer and benefactor....
, on 25 August 1842. They had no children. He died in February 1865, aged 72, and was succeeded in his titles by his cousin, the 2nd Earl of Beverley
George Percy, 5th Duke of Northumberland
George Percy, 5th Duke of Northumberland PC , styled Lord Lovaine between 1790 and 1830 and known as The Earl of Beverley between 1830 and 1865, was a British Tory politician. He served as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard under Sir Robert Peel between 1842 and 1846...
. The Duchess of Northumberland died in May 1911. Northumberland was a good friend of Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin
John Franklin
Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin KCH FRGS RN was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Franklin also served as governor of Tasmania for several years. In his last expedition, he disappeared while attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic...
, and Prudhoe Bay, on the north coast of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, was named after him.