Lord Archibald Hamilton | |
|---|---|
 Lord Archibald Hamilton | |
| Born | 1673 |
| Died | 5 April 1754 (aged 80–81) |
| Allegiance | England Great Britain |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | HMS Sheerness HMS Lichfield HMS Berwick HMS Expedition HMS Torbay HMS Boyne HMS Eagle HMS Royal Katherine Greenwich Hospital |
| Battles / wars | War of the Spanish Succession |
| Spouses | Anne Cary Lucas Anne, Lady Hamilton Lady Jane Hamilton |
| Children | Charles Hamilton Elizabeth Greville, Countess of Warwick Frederic Hamilton Archibald Hamilton William Hamilton Jane Cathcart, Lady Cathcart |
| Relations | William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton (father) Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton (mother) |
| Member of Parliament forLanarkshire | |
| In office 1708–1710 | |
| In office 1718–1734 | |
| Member of Parliament forQueenborough | |
| In office 1735–1741 | |
| Member of Parliament forDartmouth | |
| In office 1742–1747 | |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Whig |
CaptainLord Archibald Hamilton (1673 – 5 April 1754) was aRoyal Navy officer,Whig politician and colonial administrator who sat in theHouse of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1747. In the 1690's, he was active in theEnglish Channel pursuing Frenchprivateers, includingTyger out ofSaint-Malo. Hamilton commanded the third-rateHMS Boyne at theBattle of Vigo Bay in October 1702 and then commanded thethird-rateHMS Eagle at theBattle of Málaga in August 1704 during theWar of the Spanish Succession. He was a controversialgovernor of Jamaica. Hamilton then joined theBoard of Admiralty, ultimately serving asSenior Naval Lord.
Hamilton was baptised on 17 February 1673, the youngest son ofWilliam, Duke of Hamilton, andAnne, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton; his father had been createdDuke of Hamilton for life in 1660. Hamilton studied atGlasgow University and was then sent to study under theAstronomer Royal,John Flamsteed, in London before taking a commission in theRoyal Navy aboard thethird-rateHMS Resolution.[1] Promoted topost-captain on 11 September 1693, he was given command of thefifth-rateHMS Sheerness in 1694 and of thefourth-rateHMS Lichfield in 1697.[2] In December 1695 he was active in the English Channel pursuing Frenchprivateers, includingTyger out ofSt Malo, an encounter commemorated in a painting byWillem van de Velde the Younger.[3]
Hamilton went on to take command of the third-rateHMS Berwick in 1698, of the third-rateHMS Expedition in 1699 and of the third-rateHMS Torbay in 1702.[2] After that he became captain of the third-rateHMS Boyne in September 1702 and commanded her at theBattle of Vigo Bay in October 1702 during theWar of the Spanish Succession.[2] He took command of the third-rateHMS Eagle in 1704 and commanded her at theBattle of Málaga in August 1704.[4] He became captain of thesecond-rateHMS Royal Katherine in 1706.[2]
After his naval career, Hamilton saw a place in parliament as a way of finding favour with the Government and hopefully a lucrative office. At the1708 general election, Hamilton stood for Parliament at Great Marlow, and also at the family seat ofLanarkshire. He was defeated at Marlow, but was returned in a hard-fought contest asMember of parliament (MP) for Lanarkshire. He opposed theTreason Act 1708, which altered Scottish law in direct contravention of the safeguards included in the Union, but his opposition was short lived as he sought payment for arrears with his pension. He supported the ministry in the vote for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell and with the support of the Duke of Marlborough was appointed Governor of Jamaica in May 1710.[4]
Hamilton did not stand at the1710 general election and took up his post in Jamaica in 1711.[4] He played a controversial role in setting up some of the founders of the infamous Bahamanian pirate gang, includingHenry Jennings,Francis Fernando, andLeigh Ashworth, for which he was arrested and brought back to England in 1716 by the Royal Navy.[5] He was acquitted by a board of Trade inquiry and released.[4]
Hamilton was returned as MP for Lanarkshire at a by-election on 23 December 1718. He retained his seat at the1722 British general election, with the help of his 19-year-old nephew, the 5th Duke of Hamilton, a Tory who was actually on the opposing side politically. He was returned again unopposed for Lanarkshire at the1727 British general election[6] and joined theBoard of Admiralty under theWalpole–Townshend ministry in May 1729.[7] He was advanced toFirst Naval Lord in June 1733[8] He did not stand at the1734 British general election, but was returned as MP forQueenborough at a by-election on 22 February 1735. After he failed to support a bill for thePrince of Wales's allowance,[4] he was forced to stand down as First Naval Lord in March 1738.[7] However he was appointed cofferer and surveyor general to the Prince of Wales in 1738. He did not stand at the1741 British general election, but was returned as MP forDartmouth at a by election on 27 March 1742.[6] He rejoined to Board, as Senior Naval Lord again,[8] in March 1742 under theCarteret ministry and remained on the Board until theBroad Bottom ministry fell in February 1746.[7] He served as Governor ofGreenwich Hospital from 1746 until his death. He kept his post under the Prince of Wales until 1747, when he was turned out for refusing to follow him into opposition. He gratefully accepted a pension of £1,200 a year offered by the Prince.[4]
For much of his life, Hamilton lived atPark Place atRemenham inBerkshire.[9] He died on 5 April 1754.[4]
Hamilton's first wife was Anne Cary (née Lucas) (a daughter ofCharles Lucas, 2nd Baron Lucas and mother ofLucius Cary, 6th Viscount Falkland). She died in 1709 and Hamilton then married Lady Anne Hamilton in December 1718 (widow of Sir Francis Hamilton, 3rd Baronet Hamilton of Castle Hamilton, Killeshandra, Cavan, Ireland). She died in April 1719 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.[10] Later that year, he marriedLady Jane Hamilton (a daughter of the6th Earl of Abercorn). Hamilton and his third wife later had six children:[11]
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| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forLanarkshire 1708 –1710 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forLanarkshire 1718 –1734 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forQueenborough 1735 –1741 With:Richard Evans | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forDartmouth 1742 –1747 With:Walter Carey | Succeeded by |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Jamaica 1711–1716 | Succeeded by |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by | Senior Naval Lord 1733–1738 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Senior Naval Lord 1742–1746 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Governor, Greenwich Hospital 1746–1754 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
