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Augustus FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton

Augustus FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton: Encyclopedia - Augustus FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton

The Most Noble Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, KG, PC (28 September 1735–14 March 1811) was a British Whig statesman of the Georgian era. He was one of a handful of dukes that served as Prime Minister. He was a son of Lord Augustus FitzRoy and Elizabeth Cosby, daughter of Colonel William Cosby, who served as a colonial Governor of New York. His father was the third son of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton and Lady Henrietta Somerset, which made FitzRoy a great-grandson of both Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafto ...

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Augustus FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton - The Duke of Grafton's Government

Augustus FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton, Augustus FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton - The Duke of Grafton's Government

Augustus FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton: Encyclopedia - Augustus FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton

Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton

The Most Noble Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, KG, PC (28 September 1735–14 March 1811) was a British Whig statesman of the Georgian era. He was one of a handful of dukes that served as Prime Minister.

He was a son of Lord Augustus FitzRoy and Elizabeth Cosby, daughter of Colonel William Cosby, who served as a colonial Governor of New York. His father was the third son of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton and Lady Henrietta Somerset, which made FitzRoy a great-grandson of both Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton and the Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester. He was notably a fourth-generation descendant of King Charles II and Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland. His younger brother was Charles FitzRoy, 1st Baron Southampton. From the death of his uncle in 1747 he was styled Earl of Euston as his grandfather's heir apparent.

Lord Euston was educated at Westminster School, made the Grand Tour and obtained a degree at Peterhouse, Cambridge. In 1756, he married the Honourable Anne Liddell, daughter of Henry Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth. Later that year, he entered Parliament as MP for Boroughbridge, a pocket borough; several months later, he switched constituencies to Bury St Edmunds, which was controlled by his family. However, a year later, his grandfather died and he succeeded as 3rd Duke of Grafton, which elevated him to the House of Lords.

He first became known in politics as an opponent of Lord Bute, a favourite of King George III. Grafton allied with the Duke of Newcastle against Lord Bute, whose term as Prime Minister was short-lived. In 1765, Grafton was appointed a Privy Counsellor, then, following discussions with William Pitt the Elder, he was appointed Northern Secretary in Lord Rockingham's first government. However, he retired the following year, and Pitt (by then Lord Chatham) formed a ministry in which Grafton was First Lord of the Treasury but not Prime Minister.

Chatham's illness at the end of 1767 resulted in Grafton becoming the Government's effective leader (he is credited with entering the office of Prime Minister in 1768), but political differences and the attacks of "Junius" led to his resignation in January 1770. Also in 1768 Grafton became Chancellor of Cambridge University. He became Lord Privy Seal in Lord North's ministry (1771) but resigned in 1775, being in favour of conciliatory action towards the American colonists. In the second Rockingham ministry of 1782 he was again Lord Privy Seal. In later years he was a prominent Unitarian.

Besides his successor, the 4th Duke (1760–1844) and numerous other children, Grafton was the father of General Lord Charles FitzRoy (1764–1829), whose sons Sir Charles FitzRoy (1796–1858), governor of New South Wales, and Robert FitzRoy, the hydrographer, were notable for their achievements.

Grafton County, New Hampshire, in the United States, is named in his honour.