George Macartney

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George Macartney

Birth
Death
31 May 1806 (aged 69)
Burial
Chiswick, London Borough of Hounslow, Greater London, England Add to Map
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1st Earl. British statesman, colonial administrator and diplomat. He was born into old Scottish family and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. Upon graduation, he made an extended tour of Europe, and shortly after his return home in 1764, was appointed a special envoy to Russia, succeeding in negotiating with Catherine II an alliance between England and that country. In February 1768 he married a daughter of the Earl of Bute. He entered the British Parliament to change it soon for the seat in the Irish Parliament. In 1769 he was appointed Chief-Secretary for Ireland. In 1774 he re-entered the British Parliament; and soon was sent out as Governor of the island of Granada. In 1776 he was created Baron Macartney. On June 22nd 1781 he landed at Madras as Governor of that presidency, a post which he occupied for more than four years. He found the resources of the presidency almost exhausted; he borrowed money, raised recruits, established confidence, and repulsed the natives, drove the Dutch from the Coromandel coast, and concluded advantageous treaties with many of the Nabobs. On his arrival in England, Lord Macartney found he had been appointed Governor-General of India. From September 1792 to September 1794, he spent abroad as ambassador to China. The country was then little known, and Lord Macartney's published account of his embassy long continued the standard book of information on Chinese matters. From November 1796 to November 1798 he was Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, then newly captured from the Dutch. He spent his last years in retirement at Chiswick, London; severely suffering from gout. He died, childless, aged 68.
1st Earl. British statesman, colonial administrator and diplomat. He was born into old Scottish family and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. Upon graduation, he made an extended tour of Europe, and shortly after his return home in 1764, was appointed a special envoy to Russia, succeeding in negotiating with Catherine II an alliance between England and that country. In February 1768 he married a daughter of the Earl of Bute. He entered the British Parliament to change it soon for the seat in the Irish Parliament. In 1769 he was appointed Chief-Secretary for Ireland. In 1774 he re-entered the British Parliament; and soon was sent out as Governor of the island of Granada. In 1776 he was created Baron Macartney. On June 22nd 1781 he landed at Madras as Governor of that presidency, a post which he occupied for more than four years. He found the resources of the presidency almost exhausted; he borrowed money, raised recruits, established confidence, and repulsed the natives, drove the Dutch from the Coromandel coast, and concluded advantageous treaties with many of the Nabobs. On his arrival in England, Lord Macartney found he had been appointed Governor-General of India. From September 1792 to September 1794, he spent abroad as ambassador to China. The country was then little known, and Lord Macartney's published account of his embassy long continued the standard book of information on Chinese matters. From November 1796 to November 1798 he was Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, then newly captured from the Dutch. He spent his last years in retirement at Chiswick, London; severely suffering from gout. He died, childless, aged 68.

Inscription

North side: Sacred to the memory of the Right Honorable GEORGE, Earl of MACARTNEY / Privy Counsellor, Knight of the Order of the Bath, &c. / a nobleman / endowed by nature with the most extraordinary talents / which he cultivated with a degree of assiduity / and perseverance hardly ever equalled / The greatest part of his life was devoted to public service / He filled a variety of high and important functions / in different parts of the world with the most / unsullied honour, the strictest integrity, good credit, and advantage to his king and country. His private virtues were such as to demand universal esteem and admiration. His liberality and generosity were unbounded. His superior knowledge, sweetness of temper, amenity of disposition, and lively entertaining conversation, rendered him the delight of his friends, and the ornament of society. He was born on the 4th of June, 1737, and died on the 31st of March, 1806.

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  • Created by: julia&keld
  • Added: Jul 28, 2006
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  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15066259/george-macartney: accessed ), memorial page for George Macartney (14 May 1737–31 May 1806), Find a Grave Memorial ID 15066259, citing Old Chiswick Cemetery, Chiswick, London Borough of Hounslow, Greater London, England; Maintained by julia&keld (contributor 46812479).