Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis

The Right Honourable
The Earl of Powis
PC
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In office
21 November 1805  12 March 1806
Monarch George III
Preceded by The Earl of Hardwicke
Succeeded by The Duke of Bedford

Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis (7 March 1754 – 16 May 1839), known as the Lord Clive between 1774 and 1804, was a British politician.

Powis was the eldest son of Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive ("Clive of India") and Margaret, daughter of Edmund Maskelyne. He was born at Queen's Square, Bloomsbury, London, and was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford.[1]

Political career

Edward Clive succeeded his father as Baron Clive of Plassey co Clare in 1774. However, as this was an Irish peerage, it did not entitle him to a seat in the British House of Lords (although it did entitle him to a seat in the Irish House of Lords). The same year he was instead elected to the House of Commons for Ludlow, a seat he held until 1794. He was a member of the Board of Agriculture in 1793.[1]

Although almost certainly this was a belated act of contrition by the Crown for the lack of recognition to his father, he was on 13 August 1794 created Baron Clive, of Walcot in the County of Shropshire, in the Peerage of Great Britain, and consequently took his seat in the House of Lords.

He had a distinguished career in India where he was Governor of Madras from 1798 to 1803, returning home to the thanks of both Houses of Parliament.[1]

On 14 May 1804 he was further created Baron Powis of Powis Castle co Montgomery, Baron Herbert of Chirbury co Salop, Viscount Clive of Ludlow co Salop, and Earl of Powis co Montgomery, a revival of the title which had become extinct on the death of his brother-in-law, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, in 1801.

Edward Clive also served as Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire from 1775 to 1798 and from 1804 to 1839 and as Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire from 1804 to 1830. He was Recorder of the boroughs of Shrewsbury in 1775, and Ludlow in 1801.[1] He was colonel of the Shropshire Militia in 1775 and of the South Shropshire Militia in 1809;[2] along with the other militia colonels he was granted brevet rank as colonel in the British Army in 1794.[3]

Family

Before his elevation to the Earldom of Powis, he married Lady Henrietta, daughter of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis, in 1784. Their children were:

Lord Powis lived at Walcot Hall, an estate purchased by his father from the Walcot family in 1764.

Lady Powis died on 3 June 1830, aged 71. Lord Powis survived her by nine years and died at his London home, 45 Berkeley Square, on 16 May 1839, aged 85. He was buried at Bromfield parish church, near his Oakley Park property.[4] His obituary in the Annual Register calls him:

Remarkable for his physical vigour, and though he spent some years in India and lived freely, he might be seen, when about eighty, digging in his garden at six o'clock in the morning in his shirt sleeves. He was apparently well the day before his death.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gibbs, Vicary (Editor) (1945). The Complete Peerage, Volume X. St Catherine's Press. p. 652.
  2. R. G. Thorne, CLIVE, Edward, 2nd Baron Clive (1754-1839), of Walcot, Salop. in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, 1986.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 13633. p. 245. 18–22 March 1794.
  4. 1 2 The Complete Peerage, Volume X. p. 653.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
William Fellowes
Thomas Herbert
Member of Parliament for Ludlow
17741794
With: Viscount Villiers 17741780
Frederick Cornewall 17801783
Somerset Davies 17831784
Richard Payne Knight 17841790
Succeeded by
Richard Payne Knight
Hon. Robert Clive
Political offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Hardwicke
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
18051806
Succeeded by
The Duke of Bedford
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Lord Clive
Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire
17751798
Succeeded by
The 2nd Earl of Powis
Vacant
Title last held by
The 2nd Earl of Powis
Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire
18041839
Succeeded by
The Duke of Sutherland
Vacant
Title last held by
The 2nd Earl of Powis
Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire
18041830
Succeeded by
Viscount Clive
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Earl of Powis
18041839
Succeeded by
Edward Herbert
Peerage of Great Britain
New creation Baron Clive
17941839
Succeeded by
Edward Herbert
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by
Robert Clive
Baron Clive
17741839
Succeeded by
Edward Herbert
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