| Field Marshal Sir Alured Clarke KB |
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|---|---|
 |
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| Acting Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William | |
| In office 1797–1798 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Preceded by | Sir John Shore |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Mornington |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 November 1771 |
| Died | 16 September 1832 (aged 87) Llangollen |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  British Army |
| Rank | Field-marshal |
| Commands | Commander-in-Chief of India |
| Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War |
Field Marshal Sir Alured Clarke KB (24 November 1744 – 16 September 1832) was an officer of the British army, lieutenant governor of the colonial Province of Quebec, and civil administrator of Lower Canada. Following his service in Canada, Clarke served as commander-in-chief of the British forces in Madras, then Bengal, then all of India.
Contents |
Military career [edit]
Leaving Eton College in 1758,[1] Clarke became ensign in the 50th Foot in 1759,[2] and served in Germany under the Marquess of Granby. In 1760 he was promoted lieutenant, and in 1763 he was made captain in the 52nd Foot, where he served until 1767, when he transferred to the 5th Foot, stationed in Ireland.[2] In 1771, Clarke obtained his majority in the 54th Foot, and promoted, lieutenant-colonel in 1775, serving in America.[2]
In 1782 he became lieutenant-governor of Jamaica;[2] this led to him being recommended to George III in 1790 as a suitable person for the lieutenant-governorship of Quebec.[2]
In 1795 he was sent to India with secret instructions to interrupt the voyage at the Cape of Good Hope[2] where he and his force defeated a Dutch army at Wynberg. On 16 September he accepted their surrender and spent the next two months on arranging administrative and defence matters before proceeding to India. On arrival in India he became Governor-General of Madras.[2] Then in 1797 he was briefly Governor-General of Bengal.[2]
In September 1797 he was appointed Governor-General of India,[2] and from 1798 was commander-in-chief of the British forces there, a post he retained until 1801.[2] He attained the rank of field marshal in 1830 when William IV came to the throne.[2]
Family [edit]
Clarke married Elizabeth Catherine (Kitty) Hunter in 1770,[1] who eight years earlier had eloped with the married Earl of Pembroke.[1] Kitty had a son by Pembroke, and received a pension from him until 1790, but Clarke and Kitty had no children.[1] Kitty died in 1795.
Footnote [edit]
There was another notable Alured Clarke (1696–1742), a clergyman who became Dean of Exeter.
References [edit]
- "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Archibald Campbell |
Governor of Jamaica 1784–1790 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Effingham |
| Preceded by Sir John Shore |
Governor-General of India, acting 1797–1798 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Mornington |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Charles Morgan |
Commander-in-Chief, India 1798–1801 |
Succeeded by Sir James Craig |
|
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