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FITZROY, Lord William (1782-1857), of Piccadilly, Mdx.
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Biography Detail
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Constituency
Dates
Family and Education
b. 1 June 1782, 5th s. of Augustus Henry Fitzroy†, 3rd Duke of Grafton, by 2nd w., and bro. of Lord John Edward Fitzroy*; half-bro. of Lord Charles Fitzroy I* and George Henry Fitzroy, Earl of Euston George Henry Fitzroy, Earl of Euston*. m. 22 Aug. 1816, Georgiana, da. of Thomas Raikes of Upper Grosvenor Street, Mdx., 1s. 3da. CB 4 June 1815; KCB 4 July 1840.
Offices Held
Entered RN 1794, lt. 1800, cdr. 1802, capt. 1804, r.-adm. 1837, v.-adm. 1847, adm. 1853.
Biography
Fitzroy was absent on active service when he was returned on his family’s interest for Thetford in 1806, but he was then the first eligible member of the Duke of Grafton’s family. There was a contest, but it was not directed against him and he headed the poll. In 1807 he was returned unopposed, still absent, in command of the frigate Aeolus. In 1809 he took part in the reduction of Martinique and it was not until the session of 1810 that he appeared at Westminster, acting with the Whig opposition, who counted him one of their present supporters. On 9 Feb. 1810 he joined Brooks’s Club. No speech is known, but he voted steadily against ministers on the Scheldt question, January-March 1810, and on the treatment of Burdett and Gale Jones, 5, 16 Apr. He voted for sinecure reform, 17 May, and parliamentary reform, 21 May.
On 7 Apr. 1811, while serving on the Lisbon station, he was dismissed the service by court martial for putting the master of a vessel in irons; the latter was likewise cashiered for contempt. Fitzroy was not employed again, but he was restored to his rank, 22 Aug. 1811. He next appeared in the House, 4 Feb. 1812, to vote for Morpeth’s censure motion on Ireland. He voted against McMahon’s sinecure, 24 Feb., for Turton’s censure motion, 27 Feb., and against the orders in council, 3 Mar. On 24 Apr. he voted for Catholic relief and on 21 May for a more efficient administration. He was replaced by his brother Lord John Edward Fitzroy at the ensuing election and did not re-enter Parliament. He died 13 May 1857.
Norf. Chron. 15 Nov. 1806, 16 May 1807; J. Wilson, Biog. Index (1808), 599; Gent. Mag. (1857), i. 730.
