Sir Charles FitzRoy KCB KH |
|
---|---|
11th Governor of Prince Edward Island | |
In office 31 March 1837 – 2 November 1841 |
|
Monarch |
William IV Victoria |
Preceded by | John Harvey |
Succeeded by | George Wright |
10th Governor of New South Wales | |
In office 2 August 1846 – 28 January 1855 |
|
Monarch | Victoria |
Preceded by | George Gipps |
Succeeded by | William Denison |
Personal details | |
Born |
Derbyshire, England |
10 June 1796
Died | 16 February 1858 London, England |
(aged 61)
Nationality | British |
Spouse(s) | Lady Mary Lennox (1820–1847) Margaret Gordon (1855–1858) |
Relations |
3rd Duke of Grafton (grandfather) Robert FitzRoy (brother) |
Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy KCB KCH (10 June 1796 – 16 February 1858) was a British military officer, politician and member of the aristocracy, who held governorships in several British colonies during the 19th century.
Charles was born in England, the eldest son of General Lord Charles FitzRoy and Frances Mundy. His grandfather, Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, was the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1768 to 1770.
Charles' half brother Robert FitzRoy would become a pioneering meteorologist and surveyor, Captain of HMS Beagle, and later Governor of New Zealand.
The young Charles FitzRoy was educated at the Harrow School in London, before receiving a commission in the Royal Horse Guards regiment of the British Army at the age of 16. Just after his 19th birthday, FitzRoy's regiment took part in the Battle of Waterloo, where as an extra aide-de-camp on Wellington's staff he was wounded. He travelled to Lower Canada with the Duke of Richmond in 1818. On 11 March 1820, he married Lady Mary Lennox (daughter of the Duke of Richmond), just after his promotion to Captain. In 1825, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and appointed Deputy Adjutant General of the Cape Colony (now the Cape of Good Hope).