Maurice Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge
| The Lord FitzHardinge | |
|---|---|
Admiral Lord FitzHardinge
|
|
| Born | 3 January 1788 |
| Died | 17 October 1867 (aged 79) Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
|
| Years of service | 1802–1862 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
HMS Semiramis HMS Thunderer |
| Battles/wars |
Peninsular War Oriental Crisis |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
| Other work | Member of Parliament Privy Council |
Admiral Maurice Frederick FitzHardinge Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge, GCB PC DL (3 January 1788 – 17 October 1867) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he commanded gunboats on the Tagus, reinforcing the Lines of Torres Vedras, in Autumn 1810 during the Peninsular War and, as a captain, he served on the coast of Syria taking part in the capture of Acre in November 1840 during the Oriental Crisis. He also served as Whig Member of Parliament for Gloucester and became First Naval Lord in the Aberdeen ministry in June 1854 and in that role focussed on manning the fleet and in carrying out reforms and improvements in the food, clothing, and pay of seamen.
Born the illegitimate son of Frederick Berkeley, 5th Earl of Berkeley and Mary Berkeley (née Cole), Berkeley entered the Royal Navy in June 1802. Promoted to lieutenant on 9 July 1808, he joined the fifth-rate HMS Hydra on the east coast of Spain and then commanded gunboats on the Tagus, reinforcing the Lines of Torres Vedras, in Autumn 1810 during the Peninsular War. Promoted to commander on 19 December 1810, he was given command of the sixth-rate HMS Vestal. After being promoted to captain on 7 June 1814 and, having brcome a Deputy Lieutenant of Sussex on 18 June 1824, he took command of the fifth-rate HMS Semiramis, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Cork in May 1828.
...
Wikipedia