# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Berkeley, Maurice Frederick Fitzhardinge

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​BERKELEY, C.B., M.P. (Captain, 1814. f-p., 17; h-p., 28.)
Maurice Frederick Fitzhardinge Berkeley, born in 1788, is second son of the late Earl of Berkeley, by Miss Mary Cole, of the co. of Gloucester; next brother of the present Earl Fitzhardinge; and nephew of Admiral Hon. Sir George Cranfield Berkeley, G.C.B., who died in 1818, also of the late Countess of Granard, and of the celebrated Margravine of Anspach.
This officer entered the Navy, in June, 1802, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Constance 24, Capt. Zachary Mudge; on accompanying whom to the West Indies, as Midshipman of the Blanche 36, he “behaved nobly, and was much to be envied for his conduct,” at the capture, 4 Nov. 1803, by a boat belonging to that ship, of an armed schooner, carrying 30 men, whose obstinate resistance occasioned a loss to themselves, in 10 minutes, of 1 man killed and 5 wounded, and to the British, who numbered 28, of 1 killed and 2 wounded. During his continuance in the Blanche, Mr. Berkeley witnessed the surrender, to a force under Commodore John Loring, of a French squadron with the remains of General Rochambeau’s army from Cape François – served on shore, as Aide-de-Camp to Capt. Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross, in the unfortunate attack on Curaçoa – and, in command of a tender, took a French privateer. Between the summer of 1805, at which period he returned home an invalid in the Theseus 74, Capt. Fras. Temple, and the date of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 9 July, 1808, we find him continuously employed in the Cygnet sloop, Capt. Dan. M‘Leod, the Phoenix frigate, Capt. Z. Mudge, the Milan, Leander, and Leopard, flag-ships on the Newfoundland station of his uncle, the Hon. G. C. Berkeley, the Driver, Capt. Wm. Love – which sloop was totally dismasted during a violent hurricane, and compelled to have her guns thrown overboard – and, as Master’s Mate, in the Triumph 74, Capt. Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy. Being then appointed to the Hydra 38, Capt. Geo. Mundy, he was constantly employed during a period of 18 months on detached service off Barcelona and other parts of the coast of Spain, and on one occasion, in command of the boats, he captured an armed felucca. In Feb. 1810, Mr. Berkeley became Flag-Lieutenant to his uncle, who had been appointed to the chief command at Lisbon, on board the Barfleur 98; and in the following autumn was sent up the Tagus in charge of a division of gunboats, for the purpose of co-operating with the troops occupying the lines of Torres Vedras. The ability he displayed in the performance of the various duties which there devolved upon him, and the gallant and successful manner in which he made a descent, on 13 Oct., upon the town of Villa Franca, obtained for him the thanks of Lord Wellington in public orders. He was promoted from the Barfleur to the command, 19 Dec. 1810, of the Vestal troop-ship, but left that vessel, after serving for some months at the defence of Cadiz, in Nov. 1811. As a Post-Captain, which rank he attained 7 June, 1814, Capt. Berkeley commanded, from 27 May, 1828, until 1831, the Semiramis 24, bearing the flag at Cork of Sir Chas. Paget, and, from 31 Jan. 1840, until superseded, 28 July, 1841, the Thunderer 84. In the latter ship he took part in all the operations of the Syrian campaign, and was most efficiently present at the camp at D’Journi, the bombardment of Beyrout, the storming of Sidon, and the capture of St. Jean d’Acre. He was in consequence nominated a C.B., and presented, in common with the other commanding officers, with the Turkish gold medal. He is at present on half-pay.
Capt. Berkeley, who was first returned to Parliament for the city of Gloucester in 1832, and again elected in 1835 and 1841, filled a seat at the Board of Admiralty from 3 April, 1833, until 23 Dec. 1834. He was re-appointed 22 July, 1837, but resigned in March, 1839, owing to a difference of opinion with his colleagues as to the propriety of sending ships to foreign stations with reduced complements of men. On the accession of the Whigs to power in the summer of 1846, Capt. Berkeley was again appointed a Lord of the Admiralty. He still officiates in that capacity. He married, first, 4 Dec. 1823, Charlotte, sixth daughter of Charles fourth Duke of Richmond, by whom, who died in 1833, he had several children; and, secondly, 30 Sept. 1834, Charlotte, third daughter of Thomas Earl of Ducie. His eldest daughter, Frederica Charlotte, married, in 1845, Lord Gifford. Capt. Berkeley is a Deputy-Lieutenant for the co. of Sussex. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1804, p. 163.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1840, p. 2603.
* ↑ Capt. Berkeley has detailed his views on this subject in ‘A Letter addressed to Sir John Barrow, Bart.,’ &c , published in 1839.
​BERKELEY. (Captain, 1814.)
Maurice Frederick Fitzhardinge Berkeley commanded the Hercules 74 from 25 March, 1836, until Aug. 1837, on the Lisbon and Home stations.