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Lot Essay
SIR CHARLES GREY
Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey (1729-1807) was born at Howick Hall north of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet of Howick and his wife Lady Hannah Grey, daughter of Thomas Wood of Fallodon in Northumberland. As the third son he pursued a career in the military and purchased in 1744 a commission as an ensign in the 6th Regiment of Foot acquiring in 1752 a lieutenancy and in 1755 a captaincy. He served as adjutant in the staff of Ferdinand of Brunswick during the Seven Years’ War moving to the staff of Wilhelm, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe during the Spanish invasion of Portugal in 1762. His numerous wounds led him to retire in 1763 but in 1772 he was made colonel and served as aide-de-camp to King George III.
Acknowledged as a successful leader during the American War of Independence (1775-1783) he was rapidly promoted major general in 1777 and earned himself the nickname ‘No-flint Grey’ when he ordered his infantry to remove their flints from their muskets and used their bayonets during a night attack on the American encampment. This technique he would use again in 1778 became his trademark and earned him a reputation as a respected and feared opponent. Recalled to England, he became a Knight of the Order of the Bath and a lieutenant general. He later was appointed commander-in-chief of the British troops in America, but hostilities ended before he could take command.
In 1793, early in the Napoleonic Wars he was sent out to the West Indies with Admiral Sir John Jervis (later Lord St. Vincent) to capture Martinique, which lasted some six weeks. The British then occupied Martinique until the Treaty of Amiens in 1802 when it was returned to the French. Grey was also involved in the invasion of Guadeloupe. In 1794 after a successful campaign in the West Indies, he returned to England when he received this freedom box from the Corporation of the City of London, the iconography of which refers to his victory over France. He then served as Commander of the Southern District, from 1798 to 1799 when he retired. In 1801 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Grey of Howick in Northumberland and in 1806 was made Earl Grey and Viscount Howick, dying the following year.
PAUL LE MESURIER
This box was presented to Earl Grey by Paul Le Mesurier (1755-1805), born in Guernsey the son of the hereditary Governor of Alderney. He made his fortune working from 1776 with his wife’s uncle, Noah Le Cras, as prize merchants during the American War of Independence. He was a ship-owner running a regular mail service between Britain and India in 1783. The following year he was made an Alderman of the city as well as a director of the East India Company and re-elected again in 1789 until his death serving each time the conventional three years.
He was elected in 1784 as M.P. for Southwark retaining the seat until 1796. In Parliament he supported William Pitt (1759-1806), nonetheless opposing him on at least two occasions: in 1785 during the debate on the Westminster election petition and again in 1787 supporting Charles James Fox’s motion for the repeal of the retail shop tax, when he advised Members to act disinterestedly and give up the right of franking letters in order to make up the deficiency which the repeal would occasion. He was a frequent speaker on a variety of subjects, but most often on East India Company affairs. Le Mesurier voted for Pitt’s parliamentary reform proposals and supported Lord Mahon’s bill for reducing expense and preventing bribery at elections, but he refused to tie himself down to vote for the whole of the bill as it stood, 'he did not admire the clause which forbade candidates inviting the electors to eat and drink at their expense, like a good citizen he was a friend to good cheer, and was sure that he could not carry an hour’s canvass without it' (cf. Debrett, xix. 127; xxi. 141, 349; xviii. 117). In 1793 he was chosen to serve as Lord Mayor of London for the following Mayoral year when he presented this box to Earl Grey. In 1795 he was made a Colonel in the Honourable Artillery Company from 1795 until he died in 1805 at his home in Upper Homerton, Middlesex.