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John Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden facts for kids

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The Lord Howard de Walden
John Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden.jpg
John Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden
Born 13 March 1719
Oundle, Northamptonshire
Died 25 May 1797 (aged 78)
Audley End House, Essex
Place of burial
St Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Saffron Walden
Allegiance  Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch  British Army
Years of service 1739–1797
Rank Field Marshal
Battles/wars War of the Austrian Succession
Seven Years' War
Awards Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath
Griffin (Baron HowardDeWalden) Arms
Canting arms of Griffin: Sable, a griffin segreant argent beak and forelegs or
Baron Howard de Walden coa
Quartered arms of John Griffin Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden (1719–1797), Catton's English Peerage, 1790. Quarterly of eight: 1: Griffin; 2:?; 3:Latimer; 4: De la Warr; 5: Howard; 6: de Warrenne, Earl of Surrey; 7: Mowbray; 8: Audley of Walden

Field Marshal John Griffin Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden, 1st Baron Braybrooke (13 March 1719 – 25 May 1797), (born Whitwell), KB, of Audley End in Essex, was a British nobleman and soldier. He served as a junior officer with the Pragmatic Army in the Netherlands and Germany during the War of the Austrian Succession. After changing his surname to Griffin in 1749, he commanded a brigade of at least four battalions at the Battle of Corbach in July 1760 during the Seven Years' War. He also commanded a brigade at the Battle of Warburg and was wounded at the Battle of Kloster Kampen.

Origins

He was born John Griffin Whitwell, the son of William Whitwell by his wife Anne Griffin, sister and sole heiress of Edward Griffin, 3rd Baron Griffin of Braybrooke, and granddaughter of James Howard, 3rd Earl of Suffolk and 3rd Baron Howard de Walden (1619–1689).

Career

Whitwell was educated at Winchester College and commissioned as an ensign in the 3rd regiment of Foot Guards and lieutenant in the Army in 1739. He served with the Pragmatic Army in the Netherlands and Germany during the War of the Austrian Succession and was promoted to captain in his regiment and lieutenant colonel in the Army in March 1744.

Whitwell's aunt Elizabeth, Countess of Portsmouth agreed to leave him her interest in Audley End House if he changed his surname to Griffin: he did so in 1749, by Act of Parliament, becoming John Griffin Griffin. He became Member of Parliament for Andover in November 1749. Promoted to colonel on 29 May 1756 he became first major of his regiment on 9 May 1758. Promoted to major-general on 12 September 1759, he became colonel of the 50th Regiment of Foot in October 1759 and colonel of the 33rd Regiment of Foot in May 1760.

Griffin commanded a brigade of at least four battalions at the Battle of Corbach in July 1760 during the Seven Years' War. At Corbach, following the arrival of French reinforcements from Frankenberg, the allied army was forced to withdraw. He also commanded a brigade at the Battle of Warburg later that month where the allied army were more successful. He was present and wounded at the Battle of Kloster Kampen in October 1760.

Griffin was appointed Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath on 11 April 1761 and inherited Audley End House outright when his aunt died in 1762. Promoted to lieutenant-general on 26 March 1765, he became colonel of the 1st Troop, Horse Grenadier Guards in March 1766 and was promoted to full general on 14 April 1778. During the political crisis in the early 1780s at the end of the American Revolutionary War he was generally a supporter of William Pitt the Younger.

Pitt arranged for the Barony of Howard de Walden to be called out of abeyance in Griffin's favour, so elevating him to the House of Lords, on 3 August 1784 and for Griffin to be appointed Lord Lieutenant of Essex in November 1784. Griffin became colonel of the 4th Dragoons in March 1788, was additionally created 1st Baron Braybrooke on 30 August 1788 and was promoted to field marshal on 30 July 1796. He died at his home, Audley End House, on 25 May 1797 and was buried in the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin church at Saffron Walden.

Family

AudleyEndHouse
Audley End House

In 1749 he married Anna Maria Schutz and in 1765 he married Catherine Clayton; there were no children from either marriage.

Schlacht von Warburg
Plan of the Battle of Warburg where Griffin led his brigade to victory

Sources

  •   "Griffin, John". Dictionary of National Biography. (1885–1900). London: Smith, Elder & Co. 
Parliament of the United Kingdom (1801–present)
Preceded by
John Pollen
Member of Parliament for Andover
1749–1784
Succeeded by
Benjamin Lethieullier
Military offices


Preceded by
Studholme Hodgson
Colonel of the 50th Regiment of Foot
1759–1760
Succeeded by
Edward Carr
Preceded by
Lord Charles Hay
Colonel of the 33rd Regiment of Foot
1760–1766
Succeeded by
The Earl Cornwallis
Preceded by
Viscount Cantelupe
Captain and Colonel of the
1st Troop Horse Grenadier Guards

1766–1788
Troop abolished
Preceded by
Benjamin Carpenter
Colonel of the 4th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Dragoons
1788–1797
Succeeded by
Sir Robert Sloper
Honorary titles


Preceded by
The Earl Waldegrave
Lord Lieutenant of Essex
1784–1797
Succeeded by
The Lord Braybrooke
Vacant
Title last held by
The Earl of Rochford
Vice-Admiral of Essex
1795–1797
Vacant
Title next held by
The Lord Braybrooke
Peerage of England
Vacant
Title last held by
James Howard
Baron Howard de Walden
1794–1797
Vacant
Title next held by
Frederick Hervey
Peerage of Great Britain
New creation Baron Braybrooke
1788–1797
Succeeded by
Richard Griffin
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