Family and Education

b. 10 Aug. 1753, 3rd s. of Augustus, 4th Earl of Berkeley, by Elizabeth, da. of Henry Drax of Charborough, Dorset. educ. Eton 1761-6. m. 23 Aug. 1784, Emily Charlotte, da. of Lord George Lennox, 2s. 3da. K.B. 1 Feb. 1813.

Offices Held

Entered R.N. 1766; lt. 1774; cdr. 1778; capt. 1780; r.-adm. 1799; v-adm. 1805; adm. 1810.

Surveyor gen. of the Ordnance 1789-95.

Biography

In December 1774 Berkeley was a candidate at Cricklade, but withdrew the day before the poll. In 1776 he contested Gloucestershire against W. B. Chester, who stood on the Beaufort interest; and after a very expensive campaign was narrowly defeated. At a by-election in 1783 he was returned unopposed.

Berkeley’s first recorded vote was for parliamentary reform, 7 Apr. 1783. On 13 Oct. he replied to Fox’s request to attend the forthcoming session of Parliament:1 ‘I ... can assure you that I feel some satisfaction in giving my attendance in the House whenever yourself and the Whig interest demand it.’ But he did not vote on Fox’s East India bill. Robinson in January 1784 classed him as ‘doubtful’, and he was a member of the St. Alban’s Tavern group which tried to unite Fox and Pitt. After their failure, Berkeley supported Pitt. There is no record before 1790 of his having spoken in the House.

He died 25 Feb. 1818.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

• 1. Add. 47568, f. 194.