John Irwin (British Army officer)
General Sir John Irwin KB (1727/28 – May 1788) was an Irish soldier who served in the British Army.
Sir John Irwin | |
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| Born | 1727/8 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | May 1788 Parma, Italy |
| Allegiance | .svg.png){kind=small} |
| Service/ | British Army |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | Seven Years' War |
| Awards | Knight of the Order of the Bath |
Career
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
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]
External links
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Charles Sackville Sir Thomas Hales, Bt |
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 Henry Arthur Herbert George Medley |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Edward Cornwallis |
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 John Campbell |
| Preceded by George Augustus Eliott |
Commander-in-Chief, Ireland 1775–1782 |
Succeeded by John Burgoyne |
| Governor of Londonderry 1775–1776 |
Succeeded by John Hale | |
| Preceded by Sir William Augustus Pitt |
Colonel of the 3rd Regiment of Horse (Carabiniers) 1780–1788 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Carhampton |
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