Augustus Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol

The Earl of Bristol
The Earl of Bristol by Thomas Gainsborough
Born	19 May 1724 Derbyshire
Died	23 December 1779 (1779-12-24) (aged 55)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Mediterranean Fleet
Battles/wars	Seven Years' War

Augustus John Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol, PC (19 May 1724 – 23 December 1779) was a British admiral and politician.

He was born the second son of John, Lord Hervey and educated at Westminster School from 1733. He entered the Royal Navy in 1735 at the age of 11.

His promotion in the Navy was rapid. He distinguished himself in several encounters with the French, and was of great assistance to Admiral Hawke in 1759, although he had returned to England before the Battle of Quiberon Bay in November 1759. Having served with distinction in the West Indies under Rodney, his active life at sea ceased when the Peace of Paris was concluded in February 1763. He was, however, nominally Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet in this year, and was made Vice Admiral of the Blue in January 1778. He was known as the English Casanova, due to his colourful personal life.

Hervey was Member of Parliament for Bury St Edmunds from 1757 to 1763, and, after being for a short time Member for Saltash, again represented Bury St Edmunds from 1768 until he succeeded his brother in the earldom of Bristol in 1775. He often took part in debates in Parliament, and was a frequent contributor to periodical literature. Having served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1771 to 1775 he won some notoriety as an opponent of the Rockingham ministry and a defender of Admiral Keppel.

From 1763 to 1775 he was a Groom of the Bedchamber to King George III. He was also Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1766-67) and a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty (1771-75).