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Little is known of the military career
of George Morgan of Biddlesdon Park, Buckinghamshire and Abercothy,
Carmarthenshire. Born on 6th August 1793, he may have been commissioned into
the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry before the ending of the Napoleonic War.
He was commissioned captain in the 2nd (or Middle) Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
Cavalry on 27th March 1818. He was a magistrate for the counties of
Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Carmarthenshire and a Deputy
Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Carmarthenshire, holding
the post of High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1826. He married, in 1820, Anna
Eliza Oliver, the marriage producing three sons. He is said to have commanded
the Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars at some period prior to his death in 1847.
In this portrait, Morgan is wearing
the uniform adopted by the 2nd Buckinghamshire Yeomanry on their adoption of
Hussar dress in 1821 - the year in which they provided an escort at the
coronation of King George IV.
Three generations of Morgans served as
officers in the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry, their service lasting almost a
century.
George Morgan, father of the sitter,
was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Marquess of Buckingham’s
troop of Buckinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry in May 1795. The regiment had been
raised in six independent troops late in 1794. In 1798, the regiment was
reorganised into three squadrons and on 10th December 1798 George Morgan was
commissioned captain-lieutenant in the Buckingham squadron. In 1803 the
Buckinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry was reorganised as 1st (Southern), 2nd
(Middle) and 3rd (Northern) regiments and, with effect from 16th July 1803,
George Morgan was commissioned captain in the 2nd (Middle) Buckinghamshire
Yeomanry Cavalry. It is probable that Morgan remained in the regiment until
c.1814, although - due to his age - he may have retired earlier. He died on
10th June 1819.
The third Morgan was George Manners
Morgan, the eldest son of George Morgan, the subject of this portrait. He was
born in 1833, was commissioned cornet in the 4th (or Royal Irish) Dragoon
Guards in 1850, promoted lieutenant in1852 and captain in 1855. He retired by
sale of his commission in 1857 and joined the Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars as
a captain in 1858, progressing to major in 1877, honorary lieutenant-colonel in
1882, honorary colonel in 1888 and colonel of the regiment in 1889; he died in
1893.
Oil on canvas by William Thomas.
Sold as lot 466 by Sotheby's at Fawley House, Oxfordshire,
14-15
October 2003.
Reproduced by courtesy of The Hon. David McAlpine. |
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