Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond

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Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond

Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond and Lennox, KG (9 December 1764 – August 28, 1819) was a British soldier and politician and Governor General of British North America. He was born at Gordon Castle, near Thirsk, Scotland and died near Perth, Ontario, Canada. His father was General Lord George Lennox, the younger son of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond.

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[edit] Cricket

Lennox was a keen cricketer. He was an accomplished right-hand bat and a noted wicket-keeper. He was a founder member of the Marylebone Cricket Club. In 1786, together with the Earl of Winchilsea, Lennox offered Thomas Lord a guarantee against any losses Lord might suffer on starting a new cricket ground. This led to Lord opening his first cricket ground in 1787. Although Lord's Cricket Ground has since moved twice, Lennox' and Winchilsea's guarantee provided the genesis of the best-known cricket ground in the world, a ground known as the Home of Cricket.

Nearly always listed as the Hon. Colonel Charles Lennox in contemporary scorecards, Lennox had 55 recorded first-class appearances from 1784 to 1800 and played a few more games after that.

[edit] Army general

Lennox became an British Army captain in 35th Regiment of Foot at the age of 23 in 1787. In 1789 he was involved in a duel with Frederick, Duke of York, who had accused him of ungentlemanly behaviour. A few months later he was involved in another duel, and later in the year he married Lady Charlotte Gordon, daughter of the 4th Duke of Gordon. In 1794 and 1795 he participated in naval engagements against the French in the West Indies and Gibraltar, but was sent home when he came into conflict with his superiors. He was also MP for Sussex, succeeding his father, from 1790 until he succeeded to the dukedom.

[edit] Duke

He became the 4th Duke of Richmond on December 29, 1806, after the death of his uncle, Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond. In April 1807 he became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He remained in that post until 1813, with Arthur Wellesley (the later Duke of Wellington) as his secretary. He participated in the Napoleonic Wars and in 1815 he was in command of a reserve force in Brussels, which was protecting that city in case Napoleon won the Battle of Waterloo. On June 15, the night before the Battle of Quatre Bras, his wife held a ball for his fellow officers. Although he observed the battle the next day, as well as Waterloo on June 18, he did not participate in either. In the 1970 movie Waterloo, his wife is played by Virginia McKenna, and his daughter Sarah and brother-in-law are also portrayed.

[edit] Governor General of Canada

In 1818 he was appointed Governor General of Upper Canada. While visiting the territory in 1819, he was bitten by a pet fox, and died of rabies on August 28 of that year. His title was inherited by his son, Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond.

See also: List of Governors General of Canada

[edit] Family

He had fourteen children:

[edit] Legacy

The towns of Richmond, Ontario and Richmond, Quebec as well as Richmond County, Nova Scotia were named after him. According to tradition, the town of Richmond Hill, Ontario was also named after him, as he was said to have passed through the then village during his visit in 1819.

[edit] Ancestry

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Cricket references


Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Lord George Henry Lennox
Lord Pelham		 Member of Parliament for Sussex
with Lord Pelham
1790–1801		 Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of Great Britain		 Member of Parliament for Sussex
with Lord Pelham 1801
John Fuller 1801–1806
1801–1806		 Succeeded by
John Fuller
Charles William Wyndham
Government offices
Preceded by
The Duke of Bedford		 Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
1807–1813		 Succeeded by
The Viscount Whitworth
Preceded by
Sir John Coape Sherbrooke		 Governor General of British North America
1818–1819		 Succeeded by
The Earl of Dalhousie
Military offices
Preceded by
The Viscount Howe		 Governor of Plymouth
1814–1819		 Succeeded by
The Duke of Wellington
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Duke of Norfolk		 Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
1816–1819		 Succeeded by
The Earl of Egremont
Peerage of England
Preceded by
Charles Lennox		 Duke of Richmond
3rd creation
1806 – 1819		 Succeeded by
Charles Gordon-Lennox
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by
Charles Lennox		 Duke of Lennox
2nd creation
1806 – 1819		 Succeeded by
Charles Gordon-Lennox


v • d • e
Lieutenant-Governors of Quebec
Post-Confederation (1867-present)
Province of Canada (1841-1866)*
Lower Canada (1791-1841)
British Province of Quebec (1759-1791)*
* The Crown's representative from 1759 to 1791, and from 1841 to 1866 held the office and rank of Governor-General