Lord George Lennox
Encyclopedia
General
Lord George Henry Lennox (29 November 1737 – 25 March 1805) was the second son of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
, and was thus descended from King Charles II of England
. He was a brother of the famous Lennox sisters.
of the 33rd Regiment of Foot. In 1757 a second battalion
(2nd/33rd) of the 33rd Regiment had been raised. In 1758 this battalion became an independent regiment, the 72nd Regiment of Foot
. At that time his elder brother Charles Lennox
had been the Colonel of the 33rd and was then appointed Colonel of the new regiment. George Lennox took command of the 33rd Regiment (1st/33rd). At the beginning of May 1758 the 33rd Regiment was stationed in Blandford, Dorset
and was then moved to the Isle of Wight
to take part in an attack on the French
coast at St Malo on 5 May in the Seven Years' War
. On 1 August both Brothers Regiments (33rd & 72nd) were involved in a highly successful raid on Cherbourg
, which resulted in the destruction of 30 French ships, and the capture of 200 guns and rockets, plus a number of French Regimental Colours
and a large quantity of booty
. After this raid the George Lennox and the 33rd Regiment remained inactive, garrisoned on the Isle of Wight on Internal security duties.
On 29 December 1762, he was appointed colonel of the King's Own Scottish Borderers
, whom he commanded until his death. On 16 February 1784, he was appointed Constable of the Tower of London
.
in 1759, and they had four children:
Despite the Hanoverian side taken by his father, George made an arranged marriage for his own son Charles with the heiress of Clan Gordon
, a notable Jacobite
family.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Lord George Henry Lennox (29 November 1737 – 25 March 1805) was the second son of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
The 2nd Duke of Richmond has been described as early cricket's greatest patron. Although he had played cricket as a boy, his real involvement began after he succeeded to the dukedom...
, and was thus descended from King Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. He was a brother of the famous Lennox sisters.
Military career
From 1758 to 1762 George Lennox was the ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 33rd Regiment of Foot. In 1757 a second battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
(2nd/33rd) of the 33rd Regiment had been raised. In 1758 this battalion became an independent regiment, the 72nd Regiment of Foot
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...
. At that time his elder brother Charles Lennox
Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond
Field Marshal Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, 3rd Duke of Lennox, 3rd Duke of Aubigny, KG, PC, FRS , styled Earl of March until 1750, was a British politician and office holder noteworthy for his advanced views on the issue of parliamentary reform...
had been the Colonel of the 33rd and was then appointed Colonel of the new regiment. George Lennox took command of the 33rd Regiment (1st/33rd). At the beginning of May 1758 the 33rd Regiment was stationed in Blandford, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
and was then moved to the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
to take part in an attack on the French
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...
coast at St Malo on 5 May in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. On 1 August both Brothers Regiments (33rd & 72nd) were involved in a highly successful raid on Cherbourg
Raid on Cherbourg
The Raid on Cherbourg took place in August 1758 during the Seven Year's War when a British force was landed on the coast of France by the Royal Navy with the intention of attacking the town of Cherbourg as part of the British government's policy of "descents" on the French Coast.-Background:Since...
, which resulted in the destruction of 30 French ships, and the capture of 200 guns and rockets, plus a number of French Regimental Colours
Colours, standards and guidons
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago...
and a large quantity of booty
Booty
Category:Article Feedback Blacklist...
. After this raid the George Lennox and the 33rd Regiment remained inactive, garrisoned on the Isle of Wight on Internal security duties.
On 29 December 1762, he was appointed colonel of the King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
, whom he commanded until his death. On 16 February 1784, he was appointed Constable of the Tower of London
Constable of the Tower
The Constable of the Tower is the most senior appointment at the Tower of London. In the middle ages a constable was the person in charge of a castle when the owner - the king or a nobleman - was not in residence...
.
Family
Lord George Lennox married Lady Louisa Kerr, daughter of William Kerr, 4th Marquess of LothianWilliam Kerr, 4th Marquess of Lothian
General William Henry Kerr, 4th Marquess of Lothian KT was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and politician, the eldest son of William Kerr, 3rd Marquess of Lothian. He was styled Master of Jedburgh until 1722, Lord Jedburgh from 1722 to 1735, and Earl of Ancram from 1735 to 1767...
in 1759, and they had four children:
- Lady Maria Louisa Lennox (2 November 1760 – July 1843).
- Lady Emily Charlotte Lennox (December 1763 – 19 October 1832), married Adm. Hon. Sir George Cranfield Berkeley and had issue.
- Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of RichmondCharles Lennox, 4th Duke of RichmondCharles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox KG, PC was a British soldier and politician and Governor General of British North America.-Background:...
(9 September 1764 – 28 August 1819). - Lady Georgiana Lennox (6 December 1765 – 20 January 1841), married Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl BathurstHenry Bathurst, 3rd Earl BathurstHenry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst KG PC was a British politician.-Background and education:Lord Bathurst was the elder son of Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst, by his wife Tryphena, daughter of Thomas Scawen...
.
Despite the Hanoverian side taken by his father, George made an arranged marriage for his own son Charles with the heiress of Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a Scottish clan. The chief of the clan was the powerful Earl of Huntly, now also Marquess of Huntly.-Origins:...
, a notable Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
family.