Sir Charles Hastings, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
General Sir Charles Hastings, 1st Baronet GCH
(11 March 1752 – September 1823) was a British Army
officer.
Hastings was the illegitimate son of Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon
and an unknown mother. He purchased an Ensigncy
in the 12th Foot, in 1776 a Lieutenant
cy, and in 1780 a Captaincy
. In 1783 he purchased a major
ity in the 76th Foot, but by 1786 was a Lieutenant-Colonel on the half-pay of the 72nd Foot. In 1786 he became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34th Foot. In 1789 he retired on half-pay again, and during this time transferred to the 65th Foot. In 1798 he transferred to the 61st Foot as Lieutenant-Colonel and soon afterwards was promoted brevet
Colonel
and Major-General on the same day. In 1800 he became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 65th Foot. In 1806 he was promoted Colonel of the 4th Foot, then transferred to the 77th Foot, and in 1811 returned to his old regiment, the 12th Foot. He was later promoted General
.
He married Parnel Abney, the only daughter and heiress of Thomas Abney
of Willesley Hall in Willesley
, Derbyshire
. Thomas Abney was the son of Sir Thomas Abney
Justice of the Common Pleas
.
Hastings had two sons, Charles born 1 October 1792 and Frank
who was born 6 February 1794 and a daughter, Selina, who died young
He was created a Baronet, of Willesley Hall in the County of Derby, on 18 February 1806. He was also a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order. Hastings had an ancestral seat at Willesley
from his marriage and a house at Harley Street
in Middlesex
.
Lady Hastings passed her life in seclusion and near blindness at their ancestral home.
Hastings took his own life and had acorns buried with him in 1823. He was succeeded by his son Charles who changed his name to Abney-Hastings. His son Frank Abney Hastings
fought at the Battle of Trafalgar
and died at Zante.
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
(11 March 1752 – September 1823) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer.
Hastings was the illegitimate son of Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon
Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon
Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon PC was a British peer and politician.He was the son of the 9th Earl of Huntingdon and his wife, Selina. Hastings succeeded as Earl of Huntingdon and Baron Botreaux on his father's demise in 1746...
and an unknown mother. He purchased an Ensigncy
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the 12th Foot, in 1776 a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
cy, and in 1780 a Captaincy
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. In 1783 he purchased a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
ity in the 76th Foot, but by 1786 was a Lieutenant-Colonel on the half-pay of the 72nd Foot. In 1786 he became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34th Foot. In 1789 he retired on half-pay again, and during this time transferred to the 65th Foot. In 1798 he transferred to the 61st Foot as Lieutenant-Colonel and soon afterwards was promoted brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
Colonel
Colonel
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...
and Major-General on the same day. In 1800 he became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 65th Foot. In 1806 he was promoted Colonel of the 4th Foot, then transferred to the 77th Foot, and in 1811 returned to his old regiment, the 12th Foot. He was later promoted General
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....
.
He married Parnel Abney, the only daughter and heiress of Thomas Abney
Thomas Abney
Sir Thomas Abney was Lord Mayor of London.Abney was born in Willesley, which at the time was in Derbyshire but is now in Leicestershire. He was educated at Loughborough Grammar School, where a house is named after him....
of Willesley Hall in Willesley
Willesley
Willesley is a place near Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It was in Derbyshire but is now part of Leicestershire. In the 19th century it had a population of about 60 and Willesley Hall was the home of the Abney and later the Abney-Hastings family. Willesley is so small that it would be a hamlet except that it...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Thomas Abney was the son of Sir Thomas Abney
Thomas Abney
Sir Thomas Abney was Lord Mayor of London.Abney was born in Willesley, which at the time was in Derbyshire but is now in Leicestershire. He was educated at Loughborough Grammar School, where a house is named after him....
Justice of the Common Pleas
Justice of the Common Pleas
Justice of the Common Pleas was a puisne judicial position within the Court of Common Pleas of England and Wales, under the Chief Justice. The Common Pleas was the primary court of common law within England and Wales, dealing with "common" pleas...
.
Hastings had two sons, Charles born 1 October 1792 and Frank
Frank Abney Hastings
Frank Abney Hastings was a British naval officer and Philhellene.- Early career :He was the son of Lieut.-general Sir Charles Hastings of Willesley Hall, a natural son of Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon...
who was born 6 February 1794 and a daughter, Selina, who died young
He was created a Baronet, of Willesley Hall in the County of Derby, on 18 February 1806. He was also a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order. Hastings had an ancestral seat at Willesley
Willesley
Willesley is a place near Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It was in Derbyshire but is now part of Leicestershire. In the 19th century it had a population of about 60 and Willesley Hall was the home of the Abney and later the Abney-Hastings family. Willesley is so small that it would be a hamlet except that it...
from his marriage and a house at Harley Street
Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London, England which has been noted since the 19th century for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery.- Overview :...
in Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
.
Lady Hastings passed her life in seclusion and near blindness at their ancestral home.
Hastings took his own life and had acorns buried with him in 1823. He was succeeded by his son Charles who changed his name to Abney-Hastings. His son Frank Abney Hastings
Frank Abney Hastings
Frank Abney Hastings was a British naval officer and Philhellene.- Early career :He was the son of Lieut.-general Sir Charles Hastings of Willesley Hall, a natural son of Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon...
fought at the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
and died at Zante.