James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley
Encyclopedia
Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley KG, PC (aft. 1679 – 17 August 1736) was the son of Charles Berkeley, 2nd Earl of Berkeley
and the Hon. Elizabeth Noel. He was known by the courtesy title
of Viscount Dursley prior to succeeding as Earl of Berkeley in 1710. He was a distinguished Royal Navy
officer who served as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George I
.
Viscount Dursley received his commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy on 10 March 1699 and was promoted to Captain on 2 April 1701. He was also MP
for Gloucester
1701–1702. He took part in the battle off Málaga under Admiral Rooke
, commanding HMS Boyne
. He was summoned to Parliament by writ of acceleration
as Baron Berkeley
on 5 March 1705, and continued to rise in the Navy.
Dursley commanded HMS St George
in 1706, and narrowly escaped the Scilly naval disaster
in which Sir Cloudesley Shovell
in HMS Association
was lost on 23 October 1707. The St George ran aground on the same ledge as the Association, but was lifted off with the next wave. It is said that it was Dursley who gave his close friend Shovell the priceless emerald
ring which features prominently in some of the legends still told about the disaster. Dursley was promoted to Vice-Admiral of the Red on 12 January 1708. He recaptured HMS Bristol
, taken while guarding a convoy, from the French on 9 April 1709, but she sank shortly after.
With the death of his father on 24 September 1710, Dursley succeeded to the titles and became the 3rd Earl of Berkeley. That year, he was also made High Steward of Gloucester, Warden of the Forest of Dean
, Constable
of St. Briavel's Castle, and Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire
, which he held until 1712, and then from 1714 to his death, and Custos Rotulorum of Surrey
, which he held until his death. In 1714, besides his restoration to his offices in Gloucestershire, he was made a Lord of the Bedchamber
.
He married Lady Louisa Lennox (24 December 1694-15 January 1716), daughter of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
and Anne Brudenell, on 13 February 1711. They had two children, his wife dying in childbirth.
On 16 May 1717, he was made First Lord of the Admiralty, He also became Vice-Admiral of Great Britain (a civil position with no executive command) and a member of the Privy Council
. On 31 March 1718, he was created a Knight of the Garter
. He held the supreme post in the Admiralty Board for over a decade, before being dismissed as First Lord of the Admiralty on 2 August 1727, for opposing Sir Robert Walpole
, and also left his office as Lord of the Bedchamber at this time. In 1719 he was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage.
He died on 17 August 1736 at the Castle of Aubigny
, France
, and was buried on 31 October 1736 at Berkeley, Gloucestershire
. He was succeeded by his son Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley
.
Lord Hervey wrote "he was a man of great family and great quality, rough, proud, hard, and obstinate, with excellent good natural parts, but so uncultivated that he was totally ignorant of every branch of knowledge but his profession. He was haughty and tyrannical, but honourable, gallant, observant of his word; equally incapable of flattering a prince, bending to a minister, or lying to anybody he had to deal with."
Charles Berkeley, 2nd Earl of Berkeley
Charles Berkeley, 2nd Earl of Berkeley PC KB FRS , was a British nobleman and diplomat, known as Sir Charles Berkeley from 1661 to 1679 and styled Viscount Dursley from 1679 to 1698....
and the Hon. Elizabeth Noel. He was known by the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Viscount Dursley prior to succeeding as Earl of Berkeley in 1710. He was a distinguished Royal Navy
Royal 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...
officer who served as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
.
Viscount Dursley received his commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy on 10 March 1699 and was promoted to Captain on 2 April 1701. He was also MP
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,...
for Gloucester
Gloucester (UK Parliament constituency)
Gloucester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was established in 1295 to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons but in 1885 representation was reduced to one member under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885...
1701–1702. He took part in the battle off Málaga under Admiral Rooke
George Rooke
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Rooke was an English naval commander. He is known for his service in the wars against France and particularly remembered today for his victory at Vigo Bay and for capturing Gibraltar for the British in 1704.-Early life:Rooke was born at St Lawrence, near Canterbury...
, commanding HMS Boyne
HMS Boyne (1692)
HMS Boyne was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford Dockyard on 21 May 1692.She was rebuilt to the 1706 Establishment at Blackwall Yard, mounting her guns on three instead of her original two gundecks, though she was still classified as a third rate. She was...
. He was summoned to Parliament by writ of acceleration
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
as Baron Berkeley
Baron Berkeley
The title Baron Berkeley originated as a feudal title and was subsequently created twice in the Peerage of England by writ. It was first granted by writ to Thomas II de Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley, 6th feudal Baron Berkeley, in 1295, but the title of that creation became extinct at the death of...
on 5 March 1705, and continued to rise in the Navy.
Dursley commanded HMS St George
HMS Charles (1668)
HMS Charles was 96-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Christopher Pett at Deptford Dockyard until his death in March 1668, then completed by Jonas Shish after being launched in the same month. Her name was formally Charles the Second, but she was known simply as Charles,...
in 1706, and narrowly escaped the Scilly naval disaster
Scilly naval disaster of 1707
Scilly naval disaster of 1707 is an umbrella term for the events of 22 October 1707 that led to the sinking of a British naval fleet off the Isles of Scilly. With four large ships and more than 1,400 sailors lost in stormy weather, it was one of the greatest maritime disasters in the history of...
in which Sir Cloudesley Shovell
Cloudesley Shovell
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudesley Shovell , was an English naval officer. Rising through the ranks and fighting in many of the important battles of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, he became a popular British hero, whose celebrated career was brought to an end in a disastrous shipwreck in...
in HMS Association
HMS Association
HMS Association was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1697. She served with distinction at the capture of Gibraltar, and was lost in 1707 by grounding on the Isles of Scilly in the greatest maritime disaster of the age.-Service:Association...
was lost on 23 October 1707. The St George ran aground on the same ledge as the Association, but was lifted off with the next wave. It is said that it was Dursley who gave his close friend Shovell the priceless emerald
Emerald
Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the 10 point Mohs scale of mineral hardness...
ring which features prominently in some of the legends still told about the disaster. Dursley was promoted to Vice-Admiral of the Red on 12 January 1708. He recaptured HMS Bristol
HMS Bristol (1653)
HMS Bristol was a 44-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Portsmouth, and launched in 1653. She was the first ship of the Royal Navy to bear this name. By 1677 her armament had been increased to 48 guns...
, taken while guarding a convoy, from the French on 9 April 1709, but she sank shortly after.
With the death of his father on 24 September 1710, Dursley succeeded to the titles and became the 3rd Earl of Berkeley. That year, he was also made High Steward of Gloucester, Warden of the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
, Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
of St. Briavel's Castle, and Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire
Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire. Since 1694, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Gloucestershire.*Edmund Brydges, 2nd Baron Chandos 1559–?...
, which he held until 1712, and then from 1714 to his death, and Custos Rotulorum of Surrey
Custos Rotulorum of Surrey
This is a list of people who have served as Custos Rotulorum of Surrey.* Sir Thomas Pope bef. 1544–1559* William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham bef. 1562–1573* Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln 1573–1585...
, which he held until his death. In 1714, besides his restoration to his offices in Gloucestershire, he was made a Lord of the Bedchamber
Lord of the Bedchamber
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household of the King of the United Kingdom and the Prince of Wales. A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private,...
.
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, 1st Duke of Lennox, 1st Duke of Aubigny was the illegitimate son of Charles II of England and his mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth....
and Anne Brudenell, on 13 February 1711. They had two children, his wife dying in childbirth.
- Lt. Col. Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of BerkeleyAugustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of BerkeleyLt.-Col. Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley KT was the son of Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley and Lady Louisa Lennox....
(b. 18 February 1715) - Lady Elizabeth Berkeley (b. 15 January 1716)
On 16 May 1717, he was made First Lord of the Admiralty, He also became Vice-Admiral of Great Britain (a civil position with no executive command) and a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. On 31 March 1718, he was created 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...
. He held the supreme post in the Admiralty Board for over a decade, before being dismissed as First Lord of the Admiralty on 2 August 1727, for opposing Sir Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, and also left his office as Lord of the Bedchamber at this time. In 1719 he was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage.
He died on 17 August 1736 at the Castle of Aubigny
Aubigny
Aubigny may refer to several communes in France:*Aubigny, Allier*Aubigny, Calvados*Aubigny, Deux-Sèvres*Aubigny, Somme*Aubigny, Vendée*Aubigny-au-Bac, Nord*Aubigny-aux-Kaisnes, Aisne*Aubigny-en-Artois, Pas-de-Calais*Aubigny-en-Laonnois, Aisne...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and was buried on 31 October 1736 at Berkeley, Gloucestershire
Berkeley, Gloucestershire
Berkeley is a town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It lies in the Vale of Berkeley between the east bank of the River Severn and the M5 motorway within the Stroud administrative district. The town is noted for Berkeley Castle where the imprisoned Edward II was murdered.- Geography...
. He was succeeded by his son Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley
Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley
Lt.-Col. Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley KT was the son of Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley and Lady Louisa Lennox....
.
Lord Hervey wrote "he was a man of great family and great quality, rough, proud, hard, and obstinate, with excellent good natural parts, but so uncultivated that he was totally ignorant of every branch of knowledge but his profession. He was haughty and tyrannical, but honourable, gallant, observant of his word; equally incapable of flattering a prince, bending to a minister, or lying to anybody he had to deal with."