Charles George James Arbuthnot
Encyclopedia
General Charles George James Arbuthnot, DL
(1801 21 October 1870) was a British
general
.
Arbuthnot was born at sea aboard the frigate Juno and raised at Woodford, Northamptonshire
. His father, Charles Arbuthnot
, was a prominent Tory politician and confidant of the Duke of Wellington
. He was made a Page of Honour
to George III
in 1812 (at the age of eleven or twelve).
Arbuthnot was made an Ensign in the Grenadier Guards
in 1816, was promoted to Captain of the 28th Regiment
in 1820, and was made Lieutenant Colonel
of the 72nd Regiment
in 1825. He was returned to Parliament from the rotten borough
of Tregony
in 1831, but resigned the seat in the following year by becoming Steward of the Manor of East Hundred
. On 19 May 1831, he left the 72nd and became lieutenant-colonel of the 90th Regiment
, replacing Lord George Russell
.
In 1833, Arbuthnot married Hon. Charlotte Eliza Vivian, eldest daughter of Hussey Vivian, 1st Baron Vivian
. Their only child, Charlotte Letitia Caroline Arbuthnot (d. 1884), married Herbert Harley Murray
. Returning to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 72nd Regiment on 23 February 1838, Arbuthnot was brevetted
colonel on 28 June 1838. When Sir Robert Peel
became Prime Minister, Queen Victoria asked Charles to become her Equerry in Ordinary (a senior aide). He replaced Lord Alfred Paget
in the post on 10 September 1841. Two months later Peel offered to help him get into Parliament but after discussion with his father he decided he would be more useful at court.
In 1842, the 72nd was called out to help suppress the "Plug-Drawing Riots" in Lancashire
. While supporting the local constabulary in Blackburn, Arbuthnot and his troops were ordered by the local magistrate to fire on a stone-throwing crowd to disperse it. Several rioters were injured, but none fatally. On 14 April 1843, he gave up the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 72nd to Lord Arthur Lennox
.
On 1 August 1846, Arbuthnot resigned as equerry, to be replaced by Charles Beaumont Phipps
. He was promoted major-general in 1851, appointed to the colonelcy of the 89th Regiment on 9 July 1857, and promoted lieutenant-general in 1858. Arbuthnot was appointed a deputy lieutenant
of Northamptonshire
, on 21 January 1861, and became colonel of the 91st Regiment
on 4 July 1864. Promoted general on 25 November 1865, he was appointed to command the 72nd Regiment on 27 August 1870, he died shortly thereafter, on 21 October 1870.
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....
(1801 21 October 1870) 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...
general
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
.
Arbuthnot was born at sea aboard the frigate Juno and raised at Woodford, Northamptonshire
Woodford, Northamptonshire
Woodford is a large village and civil parish in East Northamptonshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 1,290 people....
. His father, Charles Arbuthnot
Charles Arbuthnot
Charles Arbuthnot was a British diplomat and Tory politician. He was Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire between 1804 and 1807 and held a number of political offices. He was a good friend of the Duke of Wellington...
, was a prominent Tory politician and confidant of the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
. He was made a Page of Honour
Page of Honour
While a page is a comparatively low-ranking servant, a Page of Honour is a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It requires attendance on state occasions, but does not now involve the daily duties which were once attached to the office of page...
to George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
in 1812 (at the age of eleven or twelve).
Arbuthnot was made an Ensign in the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
in 1816, was promoted to Captain of the 28th Regiment
28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot
The 28th Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment from 1782 to 1881.For their conduct at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 the 28th were given the unique honour of wearing a badge on both the front and rear of their head dress.. They served throughout the Peninsula War including the battles...
in 1820, and was made Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
of the 72nd Regiment
72nd Regiment of Foot
The 72nd Highlanders was a British Army Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line raised in the late 18th Century in Scotland for service against the French...
in 1825. He was returned to Parliament from the rotten borough
Rotten borough
A "rotten", "decayed" or pocket borough was a parliamentary borough or constituency in the United Kingdom that had a very small electorate and could be used by a patron to gain undue and unrepresentative influence within Parliament....
of Tregony
Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)
Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the English and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
in 1831, but resigned the seat in the following year by becoming Steward of the Manor of East Hundred
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
. On 19 May 1831, he left the 72nd and became lieutenant-colonel of the 90th Regiment
90th Regiment of Foot
Three regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 90th Regiment of Foot:*90th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1759*90th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1779*90th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1794...
, replacing Lord George Russell
Lord George Russell
Major-General Lord George William Russell was a British soldier, politician and diplomat.The second son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford and brother of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Lord Russell, he sat as Member of Parliament for Bedford from 1812 until 1830.Russell married Elizabeth...
.
In 1833, Arbuthnot married Hon. Charlotte Eliza Vivian, eldest daughter of Hussey Vivian, 1st Baron Vivian
Hussey Vivian, 1st Baron Vivian
Lieutenant General Richard Hussey Vivian, 1st Baron Vivian GCB, GCH, PC , known as Sir Hussey Vivian from 1815 to 1828 and Sir Hussey Vivian, Bt from 1828 to 1841, was a British cavalry leader who came of a Cornish family.-Early career:Educated at Harrow and Exeter College, Oxford, Vivian entered...
. Their only child, Charlotte Letitia Caroline Arbuthnot (d. 1884), married Herbert Harley Murray
Herbert Harley Murray
Sir Herbert Harley Murray KCB was a Scottish colonial governor.A member of Clan Murray headed by the Duke of Atholl, he was born in Bromley, the son of the Right Reverend George Murray, Bishop of Rochester, by Lady Sarah Maria, daughter of Robert Hay-Drummond, 10th Earl of Kinnoull...
. Returning to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 72nd Regiment on 23 February 1838, Arbuthnot was brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
colonel on 28 June 1838. When Sir Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
became Prime Minister, Queen Victoria asked Charles to become her Equerry in Ordinary (a senior aide). He replaced Lord Alfred Paget
Lord Alfred Paget
Lord Alfred Henry Paget was a British soldier, courtier and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1837 and 1865.-Biography:...
in the post on 10 September 1841. Two months later Peel offered to help him get into Parliament but after discussion with his father he decided he would be more useful at court.
In 1842, the 72nd was called out to help suppress the "Plug-Drawing Riots" in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. While supporting the local constabulary in Blackburn, Arbuthnot and his troops were ordered by the local magistrate to fire on a stone-throwing crowd to disperse it. Several rioters were injured, but none fatally. On 14 April 1843, he gave up the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 72nd to Lord Arthur Lennox
Lord Arthur Lennox
Lord Arthur Lennox was a British politician. He was the youngest son of the 4th Duke of Richmond and the uncle of Lord Henry Lennox....
.
On 1 August 1846, Arbuthnot resigned as equerry, to be replaced by Charles Beaumont Phipps
Charles Beaumont Phipps
Sir Charles Beaumont Phipps , was a British soldier and courtier.He was the second son of Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave, and was born at the family estate of Mulgrave Castle in 1801. Educated at Harrow, Phipps joined the army by purchasing a commission as an ensign and lieutenant in the Scots...
. He was promoted major-general in 1851, appointed to the colonelcy of the 89th Regiment on 9 July 1857, and promoted lieutenant-general in 1858. Arbuthnot was appointed 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 Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, on 21 January 1861, and became colonel of the 91st Regiment
91st Regiment of Foot
The 91st Regiment of Foot was a Line Regiment of the British Army . It was first formed in 1759 and in 1881 became the 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.- Early formations :...
on 4 July 1864. Promoted general on 25 November 1865, he was appointed to command the 72nd Regiment on 27 August 1870, he died shortly thereafter, on 21 October 1870.