John Irwin (British Army officer)

Summary

General Sir John Irwin KB (1727/28 – May 1788) was an Irish soldier who served in the British Army.

Sir

John Irwin
Born1727/8
Dublin, Ireland
DiedMay 1788
Parma, Italy
Allegiance Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branchBritish Army
RankGeneral
Battles/warsSeven Years' War
AwardsKnight of the Order of the Bath

Career edit

Educated in Ireland, Irwin was commissioned into the 5th Regiment of Foot in 1736.[1] He served in an attack on the French coast in 1758 and then fought under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick in Germany in 1760.[1]

He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for East Grinstead from 1762 to 1783, Governor of Gibraltar from 1765 to 1767, member of the Irish privy council, and as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland from 1775 to 1782.[1] Losing the last of these posts on the fall of Lord North's administration in March 1782, he moved back into his house in Piccadilly and his place in parliament, rising to full General and retiring from parliament in 1783.[1] In debt, in 1783 he moved to France and then Parma, where he was welcomed by Ferdinand, Duke of Parma and Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma, and hosted British ex-patriates and visitors to the city until his death.[1]

Family edit

He married three times: to Elizabeth Henry in 1749, to Anne Barry in 1753 and finally to Caroline with whom he had two children.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f John Irwin at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

External links edit

  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for East Grinstead
1762–1783
With: Earl of Middlesex 1762–1765
Sir Charles Farnaby 1765–1767
Lord George Sackville 1767–1782
Henry Arthur Herbert 1782–1783
Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded by Governor of Gibraltar
1765–1767
Succeeded by
Robert Boyd
(acting)
Preceded by
Sir David Cunynghame
Colonel of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot
1767–1780
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, Ireland
1775–1782
Succeeded by
Governor of Londonderry
1775–1776
Succeeded by
Preceded by Colonel of the 3rd Regiment of Horse (Carabiniers)
1780–1788
Succeeded by