Sir Robert Rich, 5th Baronet

Summary

Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Rich, 5th Baronet (1717 – 19 May 1785) was a British Army general and Governor of Londonderry and Culmore.

Sir

Robert Rich

Rich in 1756, by Arthur Devis
Born1717
Died19 May 1785
Bath, Somerset
Buried
AllegianceKingdom of Great Britain
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1735–1774
RankLieutenant-General
Unit1st Foot Guards
Commands held4th Regiment of Foot
Governor of Londonderry
Battles/wars
Alma materWestminster School
Spouse(s)
Mary Ludlow
(m. 1752⁠–⁠1755)
Elizabeth Williams
(m. 1771⁠–⁠1785)
Children2
RelationsSir Robert Rich, 4th Baronet (father)
Elizabeth Griffith (mother)

He fought at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 as colonel of the 4th King's Own (Barrell's) Regiment, where he lost his left hand to a sword cut and nearly lost the right forearm to another, in addition to six cuts to his head.[1]

In 1756 he was appointed Governor of Londonderry and Culmore, in Ireland, and in 1760, made a Lieutenant-General.

He married Mary, sister of Peter Ludlow, 1st Earl Ludlow, and had an only daughter, Mary Frances. She married on 4 January 1784 the Reverend Charles Bostock of Shirley House, Hampshire.

On 4 May 1785, he died at Bath, Somerset. He left his estates to his daughter. These included Waverley Abbey in Surrey and Roos Hall in Suffolk.[2]

The baronetcy passed to his brother, George. His son-in-law, Charles, assumed the surname of Rich in 1790 and was himself created a baronet in 1791. He died on 19 May 1785 at age 68.

References edit

  1. ^ Cannon, Richard (1839). Historical record of the fourth, or the King's own regiment of foot, containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1680 and of its subsequent services to 1839. London: Longman, Orme and Co. p. 148. OCLC 457261349.
  2. ^ Ayerst, Francis (1853). The Ghost of Junius: Or, the Authorship of the Celebrated 'Letters' by this Anonymous Writer Deduced from a Letter, &c. Addressed in 1775-6. by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Robert Rich ... to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Barrington ... Illustrated with a Genealogical Chart, Shewing the Connection Between Sir Robert Rich and the Ennobled Families of Grenville, Lyttelton, Etc. Thomas Bosworth. p. 13. OCLC 11180804.
  • National biography
Military offices
Preceded by Colonel of the 4th (King's Own) Regiment of Foot
1749–1756
Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Londonderry
1756–1774
Succeeded by
Baronetage of England
Preceded by Baronet
(of London)
1768–1785
Succeeded by
George Rich