Sir William Houston, 1st Baronet
| Sir William Houston | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 August 1766 |
| Died |
8 April 1842 (aged 75) Bromley Hill, Kent |
| Buried at | Carshalton, Surrey |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars |
French Revolutionary Wars Peninsular War |
| Awards |
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order |
General Sir William Houston, 1st Baronet GCB GCH (10 August 1766 – 8 April 1842) was a General in the British Army and the Governor of Gibraltar.
Military career
Houston was commissioned into the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot in 1781.[1] He commanded the 58th Regiment of Foot at the Capture of Minorca in 1798.[2] Later he commanded a Brigade at the Siege of Alexandria.[2] He also commanded the 7th Division during the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro in 1811 and the Battle of Badajoz in 1812.[2] He became Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth and General Officer Commanding South-West District in January 1814.[3]
Houston was Governor of Gibraltar from 8 April 1831 to 28 February 1835.[2] He set up the first official free school on Flat Bastion Road in Gibraltar whilst he was governor in 1832.[4] By the end of his career in the British Army he became a General in 1837.[5]
From 1825 to the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837 he served as a Groom of the Bedchamber to both King George IV and King William IV.[6]
On 5 November 1808 he married Lady Jane Maitland, the fourth daughter of James Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale. He died at Bromley Hill on 8 April 1842 and was interred in the catacombs at West Norwood Cemetery.[7]
References
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 12210. p. 1. 28 July 1781. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
- 1 2 3 4 William Houston at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 16851. p. 262. 1 February 1814.
- ↑ Dundas, Susan Irene (2000). "Methodism in Gibraltar and its mission in Spain, 1769-1842,". Durham etheses. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 19456. p. 63. 10 January 1837. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
- ↑ "Court officers" (PDF). Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ↑ West Norwood Cemetery, Burial register index & purchase register, Catacomb No.16H
Sources
- Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
- Leigh Rayment's list of baronets
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Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Thomas Maitland |
GOC South-West District January 1814 – September 1814 |
Succeeded by Lord Howard |
| Preceded by Sir John Stuart |
Colonel of the 20th (the East Devonshire) Regiment of Foot 1815–1842 |
Succeeded by Sir James Burns |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by George Don (acting) |
Governor of Gibraltar (acting) 1831–1835 |
Succeeded by Sir Alexander Woodford |
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by New creation |
Baronet 1836–1842 |
Succeeded by George Houstoun-Boswall |
