Roger Elliott
Encyclopedia
Major General Roger Elliott ( 1665 – 16 May 1714
) was one of the earliest British Governors of Gibraltar
. His nephew George Augustus Eliott
also became a noted Governor and defender of Gibraltar
.
Roger Elliott was born, possibly in London
but more probably in the English Colony of Tangier in Morocco
, to George Elliott
( 1636 - 1668, the Chirurgeon
to the Tangier Garrison) and his wife Catherine (née Maxwell, 1638 - 1709). George Elliott was the illegitimate son of Richard Eliot
, the wayward second son of Sir John Eliot
(1592–1632).
Roger Elliott's father, George Elliott, died at Tangier in 1668, and his widowed mother remarried there on 22 February 1670 Robert Spotswood (17 September 1637 - 1680, the assistant and replacement Chirurgeon at the Garrison), and thirdly the Rev. Dr George Mercer, the Garrison schoolmaster. Elliott was therefore an older half-brother of Alexander Spotswood
( 1676 - 6 June 1740), who would become a noted Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia.
for duelling with Ensign Bartholomew Pitts, later being cashiered for this offence. He was sent back to England in 1682 with a letter begging for his readmission into His Majesty's Service, and he was reinstated as an Ensign in his old Company on 8 March 1683. In 1684 he returned to England and probably fought against the Monmouth Rebellion
.
By 1685, he had transferred to the Queen Dowager's Regiment of Foot, and, in 1687, he became a First Lieutenant in Earl of Bath's Regiment - created by Sir John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath
(1628–1701). He was promoted to Captain on 1 May 1690. He fought and was wounded at the Battle of Steinkeerke
on 3 August 1692. On 21 December of that year, he was promoted to Major in the same Regiment, and, on 1 January 1696, promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of Sir Bevil Granville's
Regiment of Foot. In 1702, on campaign with the Duke of Marlborough
, he was shot through the body at the defence of Tongeren in Belgium
. He reputedly took on the entire French Army with only two regiments, before surrendering.
On 5 March 1704, he raised his own regiment - Colonel Elliott's Regiment of Foot. Officers were commissioned on 10 April that year at St James'. On 2 July 1704, again on campaign with the Duke of Marlborough, he fought and was wounded at the Battle of Schellenberg
. It is possible that he fought at the Battle of Blenheim
on 13 August 1704. However, he certainly did not lead the cavalry at this Battle, as has been maintained by other biographies - this was led by General Sir John 'Salamander' Cutts
.
, which was declared a free port in 1706. On 1 January 1707, he was promoted to Brigadier-General, and later that year to Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar. On 24 December, he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar. His time in office is remembered in the Gibraltar records as one of mercenary opportunity; whereas, in the London records, it appears that he proceeded with expensive but vital defensive fortification with only minimal prior financial approval. The arguments over the accounts for these defences would cause problems for the probate of his personal estate. On 1 January 1710, he was promoted to Major-General, and on 24 January 1711, he handed over the Governorship to Brigadier-General Thomas Stanwix
. He finally departed Gibraltar on 18 June 1711.
, Surrey
on 24 June 1712 where the couple settled and raised a small family.
Roger Elliott never fully recovered from his various wounds and died at Byfeld House on 16 May 1714. He was buried 21 May in the cemetery of St Mary the Virgin, Barnes.
His will was probated on 16 November 1714 but his estate took years to resolve because of the difficulties mentioned. The eventual resolution was mostly thanks to the involvement of his father-in-law, William 'the Laceman' Elliot, who sought to expedite his daughter's remarriage to Captain Thomas Burroughs.
On 4 March 1712 at St Peter's Church, Cornhill
, Roger married Charlotte Elliot (1692 - 1753), the daughter of William 'the Laceman' Elliot, and they had two children:
) was one of the earliest British Governors of Gibraltar
Governor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
. His nephew George Augustus Eliott
George Augustus Eliott, 1st Baron Heathfield
George Augustus Eliott, 1st Baron Heathfield, KB was a British Army officer who took served in three major wars during the eighteenth century. He rose to distinction during the Seven Years War when he fought in Germany and participated in the British attacks on Belle Île and Cuba...
also became a noted Governor and defender of Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
.
Roger Elliott was born, possibly in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
but more probably in the English Colony of Tangier in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, to George Elliott
George Elliott (surgeon)
George Elliott was the English surgeon to the Earl of Teviot's Regiment.Elliott was the illegitimate son of Richard Eliot , the wayward second son of Sir John Eliot and of Catherine Killigrew . George Eliott's grandson Granville Elliott spent much effort in seeking to prove that Richard had...
( 1636 - 1668, the Chirurgeon
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
to the Tangier Garrison) and his wife Catherine (née Maxwell, 1638 - 1709). George Elliott was the illegitimate son of Richard Eliot
Richard Eliot
Richard Eliot was the wayward second son of Sir John Eliot and Rhadigund Geddy .Richard went to the University of Oxford at his father's suggestion, but did not fare well with academic life. He became embroiled at Oxford in various difficulties, which are mentioned without further detail in his...
, the wayward second son of Sir John Eliot
John Eliot (statesman)
Sir John Eliot was an English statesman who was serially imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he eventually died, by King Charles I for advocating the rights and privileges of Parliament.-Family and early life:...
(1592–1632).
Roger Elliott's father, George Elliott, died at Tangier in 1668, and his widowed mother remarried there on 22 February 1670 Robert Spotswood (17 September 1637 - 1680, the assistant and replacement Chirurgeon at the Garrison), and thirdly the Rev. Dr George Mercer, the Garrison schoolmaster. Elliott was therefore an older half-brother of Alexander Spotswood
Alexander Spotswood
Alexander Spotswood was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army and a noted Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He is noted in Virginia and American history for a number of his projects as Governor, including his exploring beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains, his establishing what was perhaps the first...
( 1676 - 6 June 1740), who would become a noted Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia.
Military career
By 1680, Roger was an Ensign in the Tangier Regiment of Foot, and was wounded on 27 October fighting the local Moors. In 1681, he was suspended by Colonel Percy KirkePercy Kirke
Lieutenant General Percy Kirke , English soldier, was the son of George Kirke, a court official to Charles I and Charles II.In 1666 Kirke obtained his first commission in the Lord Admiral's regiment, and subsequently served in the Blues...
for duelling with Ensign Bartholomew Pitts, later being cashiered for this offence. He was sent back to England in 1682 with a letter begging for his readmission into His Majesty's Service, and he was reinstated as an Ensign in his old Company on 8 March 1683. In 1684 he returned to England and probably fought against the Monmouth Rebellion
Monmouth Rebellion
The Monmouth Rebellion,The Revolt of the West or The West Country rebellion of 1685, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England, King of Scots and King of Ireland at the death of his elder brother Charles II on 6 February 1685. James II was a Roman Catholic, and some...
.
By 1685, he had transferred to the Queen Dowager's Regiment of Foot, and, in 1687, he became a First Lieutenant in Earl of Bath's Regiment - created by Sir John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath
John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath
John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath PC was an English royalist statesman, whose highest position was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland....
(1628–1701). He was promoted to Captain on 1 May 1690. He fought and was wounded at the Battle of Steinkeerke
Battle of Steenkerque
The Battle of Steenkerque was fought on August 3, 1692, as a part of the Nine Years' War. It resulted in the victory of the French under Marshal François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg against a joint English-Scottish-Dutch-German army under Prince William of Orange...
on 3 August 1692. On 21 December of that year, he was promoted to Major in the same Regiment, and, on 1 January 1696, promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of Sir Bevil Granville's
Bevil Granville
Sir Bevil Grenville or Granville was an English soldier, governor of Barbados.Grenville was the grandson of Sir Bevil Grenville, and the son of Bernard Grenville, M.P., and groom of the bedchamber to Charles II, by his wife Anne, daughter and sole heiress of Cuthbert Morley of Hornby, Yorkshire....
Regiment of Foot. In 1702, on campaign with the Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
, he was shot through the body at the defence of Tongeren in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He reputedly took on the entire French Army with only two regiments, before surrendering.
On 5 March 1704, he raised his own regiment - Colonel Elliott's Regiment of Foot. Officers were commissioned on 10 April that year at St James'. On 2 July 1704, again on campaign with the Duke of Marlborough, he fought and was wounded at the Battle of Schellenberg
Battle of Schellenberg
The Battle of Schellenberg, also known as the Battle of Donauwörth, was fought on 2 July 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. The engagement was part of the Duke of Marlborough's campaign to save the Habsburg capital of Vienna from a threatened advance by King Louis XIV's Franco-Bavarian...
. It is possible that he fought at the Battle of Blenheim
Battle of Blenheim
The Battle of Blenheim , fought on 13 August 1704, was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. Louis XIV of France sought to knock Emperor Leopold out of the war by seizing Vienna, the Habsburg capital, and gain a favourable peace settlement...
on 13 August 1704. However, he certainly did not lead the cavalry at this Battle, as has been maintained by other biographies - this was led by General Sir John 'Salamander' Cutts
John Cutts, 1st Baron Cutts
Lieutenant-General John Cutts, 1st Baron Cutts PC , British soldier and author, came from an Essex family.After a short university career at Catharine Hall, Cambridge, he inherited the family estates, but showed a distinct preference for the life of court and camp...
.
Gibraltar
In March 1705, Colonel Elliott's Regiment of Foot embarked for Spain and served at GibraltarGibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, which was declared a free port in 1706. On 1 January 1707, he was promoted to Brigadier-General, and later that year to Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar. On 24 December, he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar. His time in office is remembered in the Gibraltar records as one of mercenary opportunity; whereas, in the London records, it appears that he proceeded with expensive but vital defensive fortification with only minimal prior financial approval. The arguments over the accounts for these defences would cause problems for the probate of his personal estate. On 1 January 1710, he was promoted to Major-General, and on 24 January 1711, he handed over the Governorship to Brigadier-General Thomas Stanwix
Thomas Stanwix
Brigadier General Thomas Stanwix was a British Army officer, politician and Governor of Gibraltar.-Career:Stanwix joined the Army and had become a Captain-Lieutenant in Hasting's Foot Regiment by 1692. In March 1702 he was elected Member of Parliament for Carlisle...
. He finally departed Gibraltar on 18 June 1711.
Return to England
Having returned to England, he was married on 4 March 1712 to Charlotte Elliot, the daughter of a rich London merchant, William 'the laceman' Elliot of Brugh and Wells. Roger leased Byfeld House in Church Road, BarnesMunicipal Borough of Barnes
Barnes was a local government district in north west Surrey from 1894 to 1965.It was formed as an urban district in 1894 and became a municipal borough in 1932....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
on 24 June 1712 where the couple settled and raised a small family.
Roger Elliott never fully recovered from his various wounds and died at Byfeld House on 16 May 1714. He was buried 21 May in the cemetery of St Mary the Virgin, Barnes.
His will was probated on 16 November 1714 but his estate took years to resolve because of the difficulties mentioned. The eventual resolution was mostly thanks to the involvement of his father-in-law, William 'the Laceman' Elliot, who sought to expedite his daughter's remarriage to Captain Thomas Burroughs.
Family
Mary Elliott, who married Garrett Fitzmaurice (died May 1738) in Ireland, claimed to be a natural daughter of Roger Elliott.On 4 March 1712 at St Peter's Church, Cornhill
St Peter upon Cornhill
St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church in the City of London, located on the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street. It is currently a satellite church in the parish of St Helen's Bishopsgate, and is used for staff training, bible studies and a youth club.The church was used by the Tank...
, Roger married Charlotte Elliot (1692 - 1753), the daughter of William 'the Laceman' Elliot, and they had two children:
- Granville ElliottGranville ElliottMajor-General Granville Elliott , was a British military officer. He served with distinction in several other European armies and subsequently in the British Army...
(7 October 1713 - 10 October 1759, General, Graf von Eliot, Comte de Morhange) - Catherine (Kitty) Elliott (18 September 1714 - 15 January 1757), who married firstly 1735 to Charles Boyle (of Araglin Bridge, co Cork, related to the Earls of Cork and OrreryOrreryAn orrery is a mechanical device that illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the Solar System in a heliocentric model. Though the Greeks had working planetaria, the first orrery that was a planetarium of the modern era was produced in 1704, and one was presented...
), and secondly, in 1742, to the Very Rev Robert Bligh, the Dean of Elphin and a younger brother of the 1st Earl of Darnley.