Henry Wheatley
Encyclopedia
Major-General Sir Henry Wheatley, Baronet
(1777-21 March 1852), Royal Guelphic Order
, Companion in the Most Honorable Order of the Bath
was the Keeper
of the Privy Purse
for King William the Fourth and Queen Victoria from 1830 to 1846.
He was the fourth son of William Wheatley, esq. of Lesney House, in the parish of Erith
, Kent
, where he was born in 1777, by Margaret, daughter of John Randall, esq. of Charlton, in the same county.
He entered the 1st Battalion of Grenadier Guards
in 1795 and served in Holland under Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
, second son of George III. During this campaign, he was wounded in the neck on 19 September 1798.
In 1807, he served as aide-de-camp
to Sir Harry Burrard during the Battle of Copenhagen
. He was also present at the battle of Vimiera, accompanied the guards to Cadiz in 1810, and was engaged with that corps at Barrosa. His rank of Major-General was in the army of Hanover, and was conferred upon him by King William IV
.
In 1830, William made him Keeper of the Privy Purse
. He was also Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall. Both of these offices remained with him upon the succession of Queen Victoria until his retirement in January 1847.
He was nominated a Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Guelphic order in 1834; was created a baronet in February 1847, and nominated a Companion of the Bath of the civil division in 1848.
He married Louisa, daughter of George Edward Hawkins, esq., serjeant surgeon to King George III on 13 February 1806. They had two sons who died young and five daughters: Georgiana-Louisa; Henrietta-Maria, who died young; Laura-Maria who died in 1841; Mary; and Sophia, Maid of Honour to Queen Adelaide. He died 21 March 1852 and his baronetcy expired with him.
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
(1777-21 March 1852), Royal Guelphic Order
Knight Grand Cross
Knight Grand Cross is the most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are obsolete. The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the recipient to use the title 'Sir' or 'Dame' before his or her name...
, Companion in the Most Honorable Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
was the Keeper
Keeper of the Privy Purse
The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom....
of the Privy Purse
Privy Purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's remaining private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £13.3 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2009. The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres held in trust for the Sovereign since 1399. It also has...
for King William the Fourth and Queen Victoria from 1830 to 1846.
He was the fourth son of William Wheatley, esq. of Lesney House, in the parish of Erith
Erith
Erith is a district of southeast London on the River Thames. Erith's town centre has undergone a series of modernisations since 1961.-Pre-medieval:...
, 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...
, where he was born in 1777, by Margaret, daughter of John Randall, esq. of Charlton, in the same county.
He entered the 1st Battalion of 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 1795 and served in Holland under Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
The Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
, second son of George III. During this campaign, he was wounded in the neck on 19 September 1798.
In 1807, he served as 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...
to Sir Harry Burrard during the Battle of Copenhagen
Battle of Copenhagen (1807)
The Second Battle of Copenhagen was a British preemptive attack on Copenhagen, targeting the civilian population in order to seize the Dano-Norwegian fleet and in turn originate the term to Copenhagenize.-Background:Despite the defeat and loss of many ships in the first Battle of Copenhagen in...
. He was also present at the battle of Vimiera, accompanied the guards to Cadiz in 1810, and was engaged with that corps at Barrosa. His rank of Major-General was in the army of Hanover, and was conferred upon him by King William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
.
In 1830, William made him Keeper of the Privy Purse
Keeper of the Privy Purse
The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom....
. He was also Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall. Both of these offices remained with him upon the succession of Queen Victoria until his retirement in January 1847.
He was nominated a Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Guelphic order in 1834; was created a baronet in February 1847, and nominated a Companion of the Bath of the civil division in 1848.
He married Louisa, daughter of George Edward Hawkins, esq., serjeant surgeon to King George III on 13 February 1806. They had two sons who died young and five daughters: Georgiana-Louisa; Henrietta-Maria, who died young; Laura-Maria who died in 1841; Mary; and Sophia, Maid of Honour to Queen Adelaide. He died 21 March 1852 and his baronetcy expired with him.