FANE, Henry (1778-1840), of Fulbeck Hall, Lincs. and Avon Tyrrell, Hants.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1802 - 1818
30 Mar. 1829 - 1830
1830 - 1831

Family and Education

b. 26 Nov. 1778, 1st s. of Hon. Henry Fane* by Anne, da. of Edward Buckley Batson; bro. of Vere Fane*. educ. Eton 1791. m. ‘privately’ Isabella, 2s. 1da.1 suc. fa. 1802; mother to mat. gdfa.’s estates 1810, KCB 5 June 1815; GCB 24 Jan. 1826.

Offices Held

Cornet, 6 Drag. Gds. 1792; a.d.c. to ld. lt. [I] 1793-4; lt. 55 Ft. 1793, capt. 1793; capt. 4 Drag. Gds. 1793, maj. 1795, lt.-col. 1797; lt.-col. 1 Drag. Gds. 1804; a.d.c. to the King; col. 1805, brig.-gen. 1808, maj.-gen. 1810; col. 23 Drag. 1814; col. 4 Drag. Gds. 1814; inspector of cav. 1814-15; lt.-gen. [on Continent] 1817, lt.-gen. 1819; col. 1 Drag. Gds. 1827; gen. 1837; surveyor-gen. of Ordnance 1829-31; c.-in-c. India 1835-9.

Biography

During the intervals of his military career,2 Fane sat for Lyme in succession to his father, giving a general support to all adminstrations except that of Lord Grenville, whose repeal of the Additional Force Act he opposed, 30 Apr. 1806. In early days his career was promoted by his uncle, the Earl of Westmorland, to whom he had been aide-de-camp as lord lieutenant of Ireland and who secured his appointment as aide-de-camp to the King.3 Later, in the Peninsular war, he was conspicuous for his ‘skill and gallantry’ in the field, and this was the only occasion of his speaking in the House, which on 26 July 1814 offered him public thanks for his services at the battles of Roliça and Vimeiro, Corunna, Talavera and Orthes. Having, since the war in the Peninsula began, apparently attended only in February 1812, when he twice voted with ministers against sinecure reform, he briefly acknowledged the honour. In 1815 he resumed attendance, voting with ministers on the civil list, 14 Apr. and 8 May. He paired in favour of the property tax, 18 Mar. 1816, and further voted with ministers on 6 and 24 May 1816, 17 and 20 June 1816, 25 Feb. 1817, 23 June 1817 and 10 Feb. 1818.

In 1818 he made way for his brother Vere at Lyme and was out of Parliament until 1829, when he became surveyor of the Ordnance. He died on his way home from India, 24 Mar. 1840.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes

  • 1. According to his will, PCC 330 Arden; Gent. Mag. (1840), ii. 427.
  • 2. DNB.
  • 3. Bucks. RO, Hobart mss J475, Westmorland to Hobart, 10 Oct. 1803.