- George Delaval
George Delaval ("c." 1667 –
22 June 1723 ) was an English naval admiral and diplomat.Family
He was of a junior branch of the Delaval family, the son of George Delaval of North Dissington,
Northumberland . His father left him a legacy of only £100 but he went on to make a large fortune from his naval and diplomatic career.Naval career
He joined the
Royal Navy and by 1693 had achieved the rank of 3rd lieutenant aboard HMS "Lenox". In 1698 he travelled to North Africa to negotiate the release of British prisoners and on his return as Captain Delaval in May 1700 he took command of the newly commissioned 4th rate man of war HMS "Tilbury".He commanded "Tilbury" in the vanguard at the
Battle of Malaga in theWar of the Spanish Succession on24 August 1704 . He was promoted toRear Admiral in 1718 and toVice Admiral in 1722.Diplomatic career
His diplomatic career took him in 1705 to
Spain with Lord Peterborough, in 1707 as Envoy toLisbon andMorocco and in 1710 to Portugal as Envoy Extraordinary to the King of Portugal.He served as the member for West Looe,
Cornwall in the first and second parliaments of George I from 1715 to 1723 and was appointedDeputy Lieutenant ofNorthumberland in 1716.Estates
In 1716 he purchased for £5000 the forfeited estate of the Shafto family at
Bavington Hall , Northumberland and in 1718 he bought the ancient seat of the Delaval family atSeaton Delaval from an impoverished cousin. He retained the services of architectJohn Vanbrugh began an ambitious rebuilding ofSeaton Delaval Hall . He did not live to see the new house completed. In 1723 at the age of 55 he died as a result of falling off his horse.He left no issue. He restored Bavington Hall to the Shaftos by bequeathing it to George Shafto, who had married his sister. He left Seaton Delaval to his nephew
Francis Blake Delaval References
* Delaval Family Papers and Delaval Hastings Manuscripts. Northumberland Record Office
* [http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/18t.HTM Ships of the Royal Navy]
*
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