SPENCER, Sir Brent (c.1760-1828), of Tremary, co. Antrim.

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

Constituency

Dates

27 Mar. 1815 - 1818

Family and Education

b. c.1760, 2nd s. of Conway Spencer of Tremary by w. Mary, and bro. of Joshua Spencer*. m. 1s. KB 21 Apr. 1809; GCB 2 Jan. 1815.

Offices Held

Ensign, 15 Ft. 1778, lt. 1779; capt. 99 Ft. 1783, 15 Ft. 1783; maj. 13 Ft. 1791; brevet lt.-col. 1794, 115 Ft. 1794, 40 Ft. 1795; brigadier 1797; col. and a.d.c. to the King 1798; maj-gen. 1805; col. 9 Garrison Batt. 1806, 2 W.I. regt. 1808, 2 batt. 95 regt. 1809; lt.-gen. 1811; col. 40 Ft. 1818; gen. 1825.

Equerry extraordinary 1801-12, (Windsor) 1812-15, in ordinary 1815-19.

Gov. Cork 1820-d.

Biography

An intrepid officer, Spencer served three times in the West Indies in his first 20 years in the army, distinguishing himself in the Helder expedition (1799) and in Egypt (1801). After six years on the staff at home, during which he was a favourite royal equerry, he went on to serve at Copenhagen and in the Peninsula, where he was second in command to Wellington 1810-11. He had earned Wellington’s contempt for his unhelpful evidence in the Cintra inquiry and after being relieved in 1811 never again saw active service.

Spencer succeeded his brother Joshua as Member for Sligo in 1815 by arrangement with their nephew George Canning II*, purchaser of the seat, and held it until the dissolution when the agreement expired. Like his nephew and brother he supported government, apparently silently. Votes with ministers were reported on 8 May 1815, 18 Mar., 24 May and 20 June 1816, 25 Feb. 1817, and, after he had been invited to Fife House with other ministerially inclined Members, on 15 Apr. 1818. He died 29 Dec. 1828.

Geo. III Corresp. iii. 2424, 2553; Prince of Wales Corresp. vi. 2684; Jnl. of Mrs Arbuthnot, i. 234.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: P. J. Jupp

Notes