| Collection | Papers of the Earls of Munster |
| Admin History | George Augustus FitzClarence (1794-1842) was the eldest illegitimate son of William, Duke of Clarence (later William IV) and his mistress Dorothea Jordan.. He had sparse contact with his mother after his parents separation in 1811 and, due to poor funds and quarrels, he eventually became estranged from his father until the latter's death.
FitzClarence attended Sunbruy School before Military College at Great Marlow and served extensively in the military, commencing his career in 1807 as a Cornet in the 10th Hussars. He served in the Peninsular as an Aide-de-Camp to General Steele at the Battle of Corunna, and as galloper for Brigadier Sir Charles Stewart in 1809. He was wounded at Toulouse during his service in the Peninsular War from 1813-1814, and had previously been wounded at Talavera. However he was dismissed after an accusation made against a commanding officer, which resulted in a Court Martial for the accused, but the result of this Court Martial were measures taken against the accusers. Consequently FitzClarence was sent, with his brother Henry, to serve in India with the 24th Light Dragoons as Aide-de-Camp to Lord Moira, the Governor-General. He took part in the campaigns of 1816-1817, but his brother Henry would not survive thetime in India, dying in 1817. FitzClarence wrote about his experiences in two books: 'Account of the British Campaign in Span and Portugal in 1809' and in an account of his journey from India to Britain with a signed peace treaty from Marharja Sindhia in 1817. After his return to Britain he obtained a troop in the 11th Light Dragoons, and served as Captain and Lieutenant Colonel of the Coldstream Guards until his retirement in 1828.
In 1831 FitzClarence was bestowed the titles Earl of Munster, Viscount FitzClarence and Baron Tewkesbury by his father (then King), and in 1833 took his place as a Privy Counsellor. In addition to these honours he became Aide-de-Camp to William IV in 1830 (a position he retained under Queen Victoria until 1841), Lieutenant of the Tower of London (1831-1833), and Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle (1833-1842). He was also elected President of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1841 (of which he was a founding member, conducting his own research), and was a fellow of the Royal Society, Royal Geographical Society, Antiquarian Society, Astronomical Society and Geological Society.
In 1819 George FitzClarence married Mary Wyndham (1792-1842), the illegitimate daughter of 3rd Earl of Egremont, and the couple had seven children: Adelaide (1820-1883), Augusta (1822-1846), William (1824-1901), Frederick (1826-1878), Mary (1832-1834), George (1836-1894), and Edward (1837-1855).
The Earl, who suffered with poor mental health thought to be influenced by his illegitimacy, died by suicide in 1842 at his house in Belgrave Square, London. He was succeeded by his eldest son to the title.
William FitzClarence (1824-1901), eldest son of the 1st Earl of Munster, was born at Dun House, Montrose, Scotland, and known as Viscount FitzClarence from 1831 until 1842 when, due to the death of his father, he inherited the title to become the 2nd Earl of Munster. He purchased various commissions in the military, firstly as an Ensign and Lieutenant in the Scots Fusilier Guards in 1842, a Sub-Lieutenancy in the Grenadier Guards the following year, and a Captaincy in 1849. He retired from the armed forces in 1851.
FitzClarence married his cousin Wilhelmina Kennedy-Erskine (1830-1906) on 17 April 1855, and the couple had nine children: Edward (1856-1870), Lionel Frederick Archibald (1857-1863), Geoffrey George Gordon, 3rd Earl of Munster (1859-1902), Arthur Falkland Manners (1860-1861), Aubrey, 4th Earl of Munster (1862-1928), William George (1864-1899), Harold Edward (1870-1926), Lillian Adelaide Katherine (1873-1948), and Dorothea Augusta (1876-1942).
The 2nd Earl of Munster died in 1901 at 23 Palmeira Square, Hove, and was interred at Cuckfield, Sussex. |
| Custodial History | See Series and File levels for detail of custodial history. |