CLIVE, Hon. Robert (1769-1833), of Oakly Park, Salop.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

10 Oct. 1794 - 1807

Family and Education

b. 30 Aug. 1769, 2nd s. of Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive [I], and bro. of Edward Clive*, 2nd Baron Clive [I]. educ. Eton 1781-6; Christ Church, Oxf. 1786. unm.

Offices Held

2nd lt. 21 Ft. 1791; lt. 12 Drag. 1791; capt. new co. ft. 1793; maj. 110 Ft. 1794; half-pay 1795, brevet lt.-col. 1800-d.

Biography

Major Clive replaced his elder brother, who had been made an English peer, as Member for Ludlow on the family interest. He was then on active service in Lord Moira’s camp. He gave a silent support to administration when present, his brother having gone over to Pitt. Clive wrote to Pitt, 29 Mar. 1795, on hearing that his regiment was to be disbanded, claiming to have given £2,900 for his majority, ‘which I purchased in succession to a major who sold out, and as I had consequently no concern whatever in the raising of the regiment, it will be very hard upon me to be precluded from serving his Majesty during the war because that regiment is unfit for service’. He added that he expected to lose £1,600 by the sale of a commission in the 18th Dragoons, with whom he had hoped to serve abroad, but they, to his dismay, were ‘attached to Lord Moira’s army’. He asked for Pitt’s assistance to obtain a vacant majority in the 1st Dragoon Guards. Nothing came of it. He voted for the abolition of the slave trade in 1796.1

Clive apparently had no particular wish to remain in Parliament. His brother was prepared to replace him by an office-holder in 1796, and in 1802 (Sir) Henry Strachey*, with an eye to his seat, alleged that Clive’s ‘health renders his attendance in Parliament very rare; and, I believe, always inconvenient to him’.2 But he remained in. He was listed a Pittite in March 1804 and (after initial doubt) in September, when his brother had overcome his disgruntlement with Pitt. He voted with ministers against the censure of Melville, 8 Apr. 1805, which confirmed his allegiance. No evidence appears as to his attitude to the Grenville ministry, but in March and April 1807 he took leave of absence for illness and that was his ground for retirement at the dissolution.3 He died 28 July 1833.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes

  • 1. PRO 30/8/123, f. 188; Salopian Jnl. 13 Apr. 1796.
  • 2. NLW, Powis Castle mss, Clive coll. 561.
  • 3. Shrewsbury Chron. 8 May 1807.