Francis North, 4th Earl of Guilford
Encyclopedia
Francis North, 4th Earl of Guilford (25 December 1761 – 11 January 1817) was a British peer
and Member of Parliament
, styled Hon. Francis North until 1802.
He was the second son of Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford. On 8 July 1777, he was commissioned an ensign in the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot
. On 27 January 1778, he became a cornet in the 2nd Dragoons, and in December 1778 or May 1779 was promoted lieutenant in the 2nd Dragoon Guards. On 29 April 1780, he became a captain in the 96th Regiment of Foot
.
Capt. North was appointed aide-de-camp
in extraordinary to Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle
, the new Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
, on 30 December 1780, a post he held for the duration of Carlisle's tenure in office. On 9 April 1781, he exchanged into the 49th Regiment of Foot. On 22 April 1783, he was promoted major in the 83rd Regiment of Foot
, which regiment, however, was disbanded the following year.
North was also a playwright
, and his drama, The Kentish Baron, was produced at the Haymarket
in 1791 and deemed a success. On 9 September 1794, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. He was appointed lieutenant of Dover Castle
in 1795 and captain of Deal Castle
in 1799, succeeding his elder brother George North, 3rd Earl of Guilford
in 1802. On 5 May 1803, he was appointed a deputy lieutenant
of Kent
.
He married Maria Boycott on 19 July 1810, but had no children by her. Upon his death in 1817 in Pisa
, he was succeeded in the earldom by his brother, Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford
.
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, styled Hon. Francis North until 1802.
He was the second son of Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford. On 8 July 1777, he was commissioned an ensign in the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot
58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot
The 58th Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment. During the Childers Reforms it was united with the 48th Regiment of Foot to form the Northamptonshire Regiment.-Service history:...
. On 27 January 1778, he became a cornet in the 2nd Dragoons, and in December 1778 or May 1779 was promoted lieutenant in the 2nd Dragoon Guards. On 29 April 1780, he became a captain in the 96th Regiment of Foot
96th Regiment of Foot
The 96th Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army from 1798 to 1881, when it became the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Its lineage is perpetuated by the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, previously the King's Regiment....
.
Capt. North was appointed aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
in extraordinary to Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle
Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle
Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle, KG, KT, PC was a British diplomat and the son of Henry Howard, 4th Earl of Carlisle and his second wife Isabella Byron....
, the new Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, on 30 December 1780, a post he held for the duration of Carlisle's tenure in office. On 9 April 1781, he exchanged into the 49th Regiment of Foot. On 22 April 1783, he was promoted major in the 83rd Regiment of Foot
83rd Regiment of Foot
The 83rd Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment that served in the American Revolutionary War...
, which regiment, however, was disbanded the following year.
North was also a playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, and his drama, The Kentish Baron, was produced at the Haymarket
Haymarket Theatre
The Theatre Royal Haymarket is a West End theatre in the Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use...
in 1791 and deemed a success. On 9 September 1794, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. He was appointed lieutenant of Dover Castle
Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in the town of the same name in the English county of Kent. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history...
in 1795 and captain of Deal Castle
Deal Castle
Deal Castle is located in Deal, Kent, England, between Walmer Castle and the now lost Sandown Castle .-Construction:It is one of the most impressive of the Device Forts or Henrician Castles built by Henry VIII between 1539 and 1540 as an artillery fortress to counter the threat of invasion from...
in 1799, succeeding his elder brother George North, 3rd Earl of Guilford
George North, 3rd Earl of Guilford
George Augustus North, 3rd Earl of Guilford , known as the Honourable George North until 1790 and as Lord North from 1790 to 1792, was a British politician....
in 1802. On 5 May 1803, he 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 Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
He married Maria Boycott on 19 July 1810, but had no children by her. Upon his death in 1817 in Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
, he was succeeded in the earldom by his brother, Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford
Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford
Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford , known as the Honourable Frederick North until 1817, was a British politician and colonial administrator....
.