Benjamin Bloomfield GCB GCH PC (1768 - 1846)

Born 13 Apr 1768 in Newport, County Tipperary, Ireland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 15 Aug 1846 at age 78 in Portman Square, London, England, United Kingdom

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Lt-Gen Benjamin Bloomfield was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

Biography

Benjamin Bloomfield GCB GCH PC is Notable.

Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Lord Benjamin, 1st Baron Bloomfield GCB GCH PC was born 13 April 1762 in Newport, Country Tipperary, Ireland. ^[1] . He was the only son of John Bloomfield of Newport, Co. Tipperary and Anne Charlotte Waller. Anne Charlotte was a sister of Bart. Robert Waller and a daughter of Samuel Waller; Barrister at Law, of Woowich^[2].

At the early age of 13 on 24 May 1781 (after studying at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich); ^[3]he became a Second-Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery,

Benjamin married Harriott Douglas on the 17 September 1797, who was the eldest daughter of John Douglas of Grantham County Lincoln by whom he left issue.^[4]

Benjamin's father In law was John Arthur Douglas ^[5]and his mother in law Georgianna (LIddell) Douglas (b. 13 Apr 1822) was the 16th, and youngest child of Thomas Henry Liddell (1st Lord Viscount Ravensworth and her mother was Maria Sussanah ; daughter of John Simpson. She had married John Arthur Douglas on the 4 September 1845 at Lamesley Country Durham.

Baron John Arthur Douglas married 4 September 1845 at Lamesley Country Durham, Georgianna (b. 13 Apr 1822) daughter (16th and youngest child) of Thomas Henry Liddell (1st Lord Ravensworth by Maria Sussanah (mother), daughter of John Simpson.She was 20 years his junior. John Arthur died at his home 'Ciambaltha' 17 Aug 1879, when both his Peerage and is U.K. became extinct. His widow who was born 13 Apr 1822 at Portland Place Marleybone No 51 and was one of the Maids of Honour (1841 - 1855) and in 1886 was still living.

Benjamin had a military career, a political career and also served his King receiving the commesurate rewards as a result. There are some assertions that Bloomfield became unpopular with the King as he seemed uncooperative when subtle purchases made by the King were published or publicised. The outcome of one of these incidents was the bargaining of the Order of the Bath in lieu of retiring from his post as the Keeper of the Privy Purse he accepted a sinecure worth £650 per annum and the Governorship of Fort Charles in Jamaica^[6] that he would later exchange for the post of Minister at Stockholm, where he served from 1823 to 1832^[7]

In 1781 he was 2nd Lietenant Royal Artilliery;

Benjamin served in Newfoundland, Gibraltar and at Vinegar Hill in 1798. and it was during this time he was first brought to the notice of the then Prince of Wales (later to become George IV). He was an accomplished musician and while quartered at Brighton, he seized his chance, and was soon much in the Prince’s confidence subsequently appointed to his household in 1808. ^[8]. Having been appointed chief equerry in March 1812 as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Plymouth , Devon, UK^[9]he was returned unopposed for Plymouth on Tyrwhitt’s appointment as Black Rod in July. He retained the seat without opposition at the ensuing general election; and in 1815 he was knighted.^[10] and on 4 June 1814 he was promoted to Major-General. 1817 - he was made Ducy of Cornwall^[11].

In the House, he was an apparently totally reliable, supporter of government, as well as a steady opponent of Catholic relief. (He supported emancipation as a peer in 1829 because the measure came forward ‘under the sanction of such protestant authorities’ as the King, Wellington and Peel) ^[12] He was promoted in the Regent’s service in1816 and again in 1817 when he became Private Secretary, and vacated his seat early in1818 to accommodate another of his acolytes.

As Private Secretary^[13] Benjamin, who in December 1817 received substantial financial compensation from the Regent (for surrendering his duchy of Cornwall post to Sir William Knighton); exercised considerable influence and power over four years. In 1822 his demands for a United Kingdom peerage were refused, but he was handsomely compensated with a red ribbon, a promise of an Irish peerage, a pension, two sinecures and a diplomatic posting. ^[14]. Thereafter he commanded the garrison at Woolwich for some years, where his hospitality and benevolence made him very popular, and where he founded the schools for the children of soldiers of the ordnance corps.^[15] On the 11 December 1815 he received a Knighthood and on the 19 July 1817 was made a Privy Councillor, of Plymouth, Devon. Between 1817-1822 Receiver for the Duchy of Cornwall^[16] as well as Aide-de-Camp to the Prince of Wales and Chief Equerry to the Prince of Wales and then Clerk Marshal to the Prince of Wales and then Keeper of the Privy Purse and Private Secretary to King George IV. On the 1 April 1822 he received Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and between 1823 as Envoy and between 1823 to 1832 was Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Sweden^[17] . On 21 Feb 1824 he was made Colonel Commandant of the Royal Artillery, and on the 11 May 1825 ennobled in the peerage of Ireland as Lord Bloomfield.

1826 saw him as Commanding Officer of the garrison at Woolwich; then in 1830 Lieutenant General in the Army and also that same year Colonel; Commander of Royal Regiment of Artillery during which time on the 22 July 1830 was promoted to Lieutenant General.

He became Attache to Sweden in 1832.^[18]

The Bloomfield Arms for this line were: Crest^[19] Out of a mural crown Or charged with two cinquefoils in fess Azure a bull's head Proper.

Escutcheon^[20] Argent three lozenges in fess Gules between as many cinquefoils Azure on a canton of the last three ostrich feathers of the field issuing through the rim of a royal coronet Or.

Supporters^[21] On either side a horse reguardant Argent their tails flowing between the hind legs each gorged with a chaplet of oak Proper the dexter charged on the shoulder with an escocheon Gules thereon a plume of feathers as on the canton in the shield and the sinister with an escocheon Or charged with a grenade Sable fired Proper.

The Blomfield Motto of Fortes Fortuna Juvat" can be traced to the Blomfield family and more full research on the Arms of various Blomfields can be found at this Free Space Page. Blomfield Heraldic Crests.

Benjamin died on the 15th of August, 1846 at his home located at 45 Rutland Gate, Portman Square, London, Middlesex, England. This house amused many a passer-by as he would often have a placard on his front door, adorned with the words At Prayer^{[22] [23] [24]} He had delivered a full and long life at the age of 84 years and was buried in County Offaly,Ireland^[25].

Benjamin's ancestral homes had been:

• Oakhampton, County Tipperary, Ireland
• Redwood, County Tipperary, Ireland
• Clambaltha, Country Tipperary, Ireland

Benjamin's will was proved Sep, 1846^[26]

Their son in 1846 John Arthur Douglas (Bloomfield) of Ciamhaltha, Redwood and Oakhampton; only son and heir (b. 12 Nov 1802-1879) and early entered the Diplomatic Services being Attache to the Diplomatic Services at Venice 1818; at Lisbon 1824; Secretary of Legislation at Stuttgard 1825; Stockholm 1826; Secretary o Embassy at St. Petersburgh 1839; C.B. 1848; Envoy to St. Petersburgh 1844; to Berlin 1851; G.C.B 1858; PC. 1860; Ambassador to Vienna 1860-1871; when, on his reitrement 7 Aug 1871, he was made a Peer (U.K.) as Baron Bloomfield of Ciambaltha, Country Tipperary.

Research Notes

• Further research needs to be done on the father of his wife. Some sources have Thomas Douglas (brother to John?) as husband of Georgianna, however this does not seem to be correct from research.

• Gentleman-In-Waiting 1806 to King George III needs updating on Wikipedia as no entry for 1806

• On Benjamins death his homes passed to his father in law. But some sources say passed to a son? Further sourcing other than Peerage is needed.

Bloomfield, B. (1884). Memoir of Benjamin, Lord Bloomfield, G.C.B., G.C.H, Vol I and II, edited by Georgiana, Lady Bloomfield. London : Chapman and Hall, Limited.

• Hamilton, Lady Anne (1832). Secret history of the court of England from the accession of George the Third to the death of George the Fourth, including among other important matters, full particulars of the death of Princess Charlotte. William Henry Sevenson. Smith, E. A. (2000). George IV. Yale University. ISBN 978-0300088021

• Sources needed: (1815) of Oakhampton and Redwood (1768-1846). Redwood House in County Tipperary no longer exists. Oakhampton, (also in Tipperary), still stands.

• Bloomfield, B. (1884). Memoir of Benjamin, Lord Bloomfield, G.C.B., G.C.H, Vol I and II, edited by Georgiana, Lady Bloomfield. London : Chapman and Hall, Limited.

Hamilton, Lady Anne (1832). Secret history of the court of England from the accession of George the Third to the death of George the Fourth, including among other important matters, full particulars of the death of Princess Charlotte. William Henry Sevenson. Smith, E. A. (2000). George IV. Yale University. ISBN 978-0300088021

*Contrary information on inheritance of home: On Benjamins death his Homes passed to his father in law. Further sourcing other than Peerage is needed.

• From G.E. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage 1887:

^[27] 1825: Barony: Only son and heir of John Bloomfield of Newport, County Tipperary, by (mother) Anne Sister of Sir Robert Waller (Bart) Woolwich (before) da (daughter) of Samuel Waller Barrister of Law: 13 April 1762, ed at Woolwich; 2nd Lietenant R.A. 1781; Served at Newfoundland and at Vinegar HIll, during the Irish Reballion in 1798; From probably his social and musical attainments he was made by the Prince of Wales a Gent-In-Waiting in 1898 and subsequently a Clerk Marshall and Chief Equerry; M.P for Plymouth 1812-1818; Knighted 11 Dec 1815; From 1817-1822 Receiver for the Ducy of Cornwall; Keeper of the Privy Purse and Private Secretary; P.C. 1817; Lieutenant General in the Army 1830; and Colonel Commander of Royal Regiment of Artillery; Envoy to the Court of Sweden 1823-1832 (where he joined the Sect of the Wesleyan); K.C.H 1815; G.C.H. 1819; G.C.B. 1822; 14 May 1825 he was Cr. Bloomfield of Oakhampton and Redwood, County Tipperary; He was subsequently in command of the Garrison at Woowich.

• Another source has Benjamin dying at a different location : 15 Aug 1846 died in Ireland likely at the village of Moneygall beside the Loughton Estate and is buried at Borrisnafarney Parish Church, County Offaly, Ireland located 1.5 kilometres away from the Estate. ^[28]

• J de Angulo comments : Edmund Burke Nagle served with Sir Benjamin Bloomfield likewise as an equerry and aide de camp to George IV. I m curious as to who created the portrait as displayed in this wikitree profile. Reply: As the commentor was not logged into Wikitree I have replied here save spam or otherwise : Images were loaded on the profile in 2014 and no accreditation was noted in regard to images. An extensive Google Portrait/Image Search has rendered no further author of this image. One can only hope that at some time in the future we may find out who was responsible and with apologies the upload did not note this and will be rectified now as Unknown author / Unknown Artist.

Sources

1. ↑ [1]
2. ↑ G.E. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage; First edition, Volume 1. A to Bo. (1887); Pages 319 and 366: (accessed 3 Oct 2022)
3. ↑ [2] (accessed 22 Oct 2022)
4. ↑ G.E. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage, First edition, Volume 1. A to Bo. (1887); Pages 319 and 366; (accessed 3 Oct 2022)
5. ↑ "G.E. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage"; [First edition] Volume 1. A to Bo. (1887); Pages 319 and 366: [3]; Accessed 3 Oct 2022
6. ↑ "No. 17842 The London Gazette"(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_London_Gazette); 10 August 1822. p. 1315. Accessed 3 Oct 2022
7. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Bloomfield,_1st_Baron_Bloomfield#cite_note-8
8. ↑ Reminiscences of Court and Diplomatic Life (Vol I), 1883: record of Georgiana's career as a courtier and the wife of a diplomat.
9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth
10. ↑ https://www.royal.uk/george-ii#:~:text=George%20III%20was%20born%20on,Princess%20Augusta%20of%20Saxe%2DGotha.
11. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_office_holders_of_the_Duchy_of_Cornwall
12. ↑ Wikipedia, Lord Bloomfieldaccessed 22 Oct 2022)
13. ↑ https://www.royal.uk/george-ii#:~:text=George%20III%20was%20born%20on,Princess%20Augusta%20of%20Saxe%2DGotha.
14. ↑ Lundy's Peerage(accessed 22 Oct 2022)
15. ↑ Article by Henry Manners Chichester - 1885
16. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_office_holders_of_the_Duchy_of_Cornwall
17. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_ambassadors_of_the_United_Kingdom_to_Sweden
18. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_ambassadors_of_the_United_Kingdom_to_Sweden
19. ↑ Benjamin Bloomfield (accessed 4 Dec 2022)
20. ↑ Benjamin Bloomfield (accessed 4 Dec 2022)
21. ↑ Benjamin Bloomfield (accessed 4 Dec 2022)
22. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Bloomfield,_1st_Baron_Bloomfield#cite_note-8
23. ↑ Benjamin Bloomfield (accessed 4 Dec 2022)
24. ↑ Free BMD UK:Deaths Sep 1846 (>99%) Bloomfield Benjamin, Baron Marylebone 1 192 Scan available - click to view[4]
25. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial ID: 193385041 Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193385041/benjamin-bloomfield: accessed 02 June 2023), memorial page for LTG Benjamin Bloomfield (13 Apr 1768–15 Aug 1846), Find a Grave Memorial ID 193385041, citing Borrisnafarney Church Graveyard, Moneygall, County Offaly, Ireland; Maintained by Find a Grave.
26. ↑ "G.E. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage"; [First edition] Volume 1. A to Bo. (1887); Pages 319 and 366: [5]; Accessed 3 Oct 2022
27. ↑ "G.E. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage"; [First edition] Volume 1. A to Bo. (1887); Pages 319 and 366: [6]; (accessed 3 Oct 2022)
28. ↑ https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/14946008/borrisnafarney-church-of-ireland-church-ballycormick-offaly