Emanuel Howe, 2nd Viscount Howe

Emanuel Scrope Howe, 2nd Viscount Howe (1700–1735) was a British politician and colonial administrator. He was member of parliament for Nottinghamshire from 1722 to 1732. From 1733 to 1735 he served as Governor of the West Indian colony of Barbados where he died of disease. In 1732 he had encountered financial difficulties, and the Duke of Newcastle suggested he resign his seat and take up the Governorship which was worth around £7,000 a year.^[1]

Family

His father was Scrope Howe, a Whig member of parliament from whom he inherited the viscountcy in 1713. In 1730 he also inherited the Howe baronetcy, which was merged with the viscountcy.

In 1719 he married Charlotte von Kielmansegg, daughter of Johann Adolf von Kielmansegg and Sophia Charlotte illegitimate daughter of Ernst August von Braunschweig-Lüneburg, Elector of Hannover and his mistress Clara Elisabeth von Meisenburg.

Emanuel Howe is probably best known as the father of four sons, three of whom served in the British military and the fourth as a ship's commander. The eldest George Howe, was an innovative army officer, killed at the opening of the Battle of Carillon in 1758. Richard Howe joined the navy, and rose to be an Admiral. William Howe became noted for his part in the capture of Quebec in 1759 and became a prominent soldier. During 1776-1778 his sons William and Richard commanded, respectively, the British army and naval forces in North America during the American War of Independence. They simultaneously served as peace commissioners to the Second Continental Congress. Richard Howe later won greater fame on the Glorious First of June in 1794. Thomas Howe commanded ships for the East India Company and made observations on Madeira and the hitherto little known Comoro Islands.

References

1. Syrett p.1

Bibliography

• Syrett, David. Admiral Lord Howe: A Biography. Spellmount, 2006.