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General Charles Richard Fox (6 November 1796 – 13 April 1873) was a British army general, and later a politician.

Charles Richard Fox
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance
In office
1832–1834
1841
1846-1852
Member of Parliament for Tower Hamlets
In office
1841–1847
Member of Parliament for Stroud
In office
1835
Member of Parliament for Tavistock
In office
1832–1835
Member of Parliament for Calne
In office
1831–1832
Personal details
Born(1796-11-06)6 November 1796
Died13 April 1873(1873-04-13) (aged 76)
Political partyWhig
Spouse
(m. 1824)
Parents
RelativesHenry Fox (brother)
Military career
ServiceRoyal Navy
RankGeneral
UnitGrenadiers
Commands57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot

Background

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Funerary monument, Kensal Green Cemetery, London

Fox was born at Brompton, the illegitimate son of Henry Richard Vassall-Fox, 3rd Baron Holland, through a liaison with Lady Webster, whom Lord Holland would later marry.

Career

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After some service in the Royal Navy, Fox entered the Grenadiers, and was known in later life as a collector of Greek coins. His collection was bought for the royal museum of Berlin when he died in 1873. He was present around the time of Napoleon's incarceration on St Helena and subsequently removed a key to the bedroom where Napoleon was lodged. This was given to his mother - Lady Holland - due to her Napoleonphile attitudes and auctioned in 2021.[1] He married in St. George's, Hanover Square, London, on 19 June 1824 Lady Mary FitzClarence, a daughter of William IV by his mistress Dorothy Jordan. The couple had no issue.

Fox was also a politician. He represented the Whig interest and sat for Calne 1831–32, then Tavistock 1832–35. He briefly represented Stroud in 1835, but resigned that seat so Lord John Russell could contest it. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for the east London constituency of Tower Hamlets in 1841 and served until 1847.

Fox was Surveyor-General of the Ordnance in 1841 and 1846–52. He was promoted Major-General on 9 November 1846,[2] Lieutenant-General on 20 June 1854,[3] and General on 6 March 1863.[4]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ "Key to room where Napoleon died found in Scotland". Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  2. ^ "No. 20660". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 November 1846. p. 3989.
  3. ^ "No. 21564". The London Gazette. 22 June 1854. p. 1932.
  4. ^ "No. 22714". The London Gazette. 6 March 1863. p. 1357.

Bibliography

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  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
  • The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832–1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Calne
1831–1832
With: Thomas Babington Macaulay
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Tavistock
1832–1835
With: Lord Russell
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Stroud
1835
With: George Poulett Scrope
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Tower Hamlets
1841–1847
With: Sir William Clay
Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded by Surveyor-General of the Ordnance
1832–1834
Succeeded by
Preceded by Surveyor-General of the Ordnance
1841
Succeeded by
Preceded by Surveyor-General of the Ordnance
1846–1852
Succeeded by
Preceded by Colonel of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot
1865–1873
Succeeded by