William FitzGerald-de Ros, 23rd Baron de Ros

General William Lennox Lascelles FitzGerald-de Ros, 23rd Baron de Ros, PC (1 September 1797 – 6 January 1874) was the third son of Lord Henry FitzGerald and his wife Charlotte FitzGerald-de Ros, 21st Baroness de Ros.

As a younger son, he embarked upon a military career, joining the Life Guards as a cornet on 29 March 1819. He subsequently became a lieutenant on 24 August 1821, and captain on 23 October 1824.

On 7 June 1824, he married Lady Georgiana Lennox (d. 1891), daughter of Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, by whom he had three children:
*Dudley FitzGerald-de Ros, 24th Baron de Ros (1827–1907)
*Frances Charlotte FitzGerald-de Ros (c. 1830 – 21 February 1851)
*Blanche Arthur Georgina FitzGerald-de Ros (1832 – 10 March 1910), married on 11 July 1865 James Rannie Swinton (see Clan Swinton )

He became a major on 5 June 1827 and a lieutenant-colonel on 8 September 1831.

In July 1835, Lt. Col. FitzGerald-de Ros and the Earl of Durham travelled to the Black Sea for half a year to investigate Russian military preparations. He was appointed a Gentleman Usher Quarter Waiter to Queen Victoria in 1836, but had surrendered the post by 1839, when he inherited the Barony of de Ros on the death of his eldest brother. (A middle brother, Arthur, had predeceased them.) He became a colonel on 9 November 1846, and was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the Tower of London on 13 February 1852. He was sworn of the Privy Council the same year.

Lord de Ros served as Quartermaster-General for the British Army in Turkey during the Crimean War between April and July 1854, being promoted major-general on 20 June 1854. Due to a severe attack of fever in July, perhaps brought on by his then-eccentric devotion to sunbathing, he was forced to return home as the army embarked for the Crimea.

He was promoted lieutenant-general on 12 March 1861, appointed colonel of the 4th (Queen's Own) Hussars on 6 February 1865, and promoted general on 10 November 1868.

External links

* [http://www.proni.gov.uk/records/private/de_ros.htm de Ros Papers]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D04h.htm regiments.org]
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p5831.htm#i58305 thePeerage.com]
* [http://www.battlefield-site.co.uk/first_last_anecdotes.htm Portrait of Lord de Ros]