Charles FitzRoy

Charles Augustus FitzRoy (10 June 1796 – 16 February 1858) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as governor in several British colonies during the 19th century. He was born in Derbyshire, England, the eldest son of General Lord Charles FitzRoy and Frances Mundy. His paternal grandfather was Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1768 to 1770. FitzRoy was a descendant of King Charles II and the 1st Duchess of Cleveland through an illegitimate line; the surname FitzRoy derives from this ancestry. His half-brother, Robert FitzRoy, became a notable meteorologist, surveyor, Captain of HMS Beagle, and later Governor of New Zealand.

FitzRoy received his education at Harrow School in London. At age 16, he gained a commission in the Royal Horse Guards regiment of the British Army. He participated in the Battle of Waterloo as an extra aide-de-camp on Wellington's staff and was wounded during the engagement. In 1818, he traveled to Lower Canada with the Duke of Richmond. On 11 March 1820, FitzRoy married Lady Mary Lennox, daughter of the Duke of Richmond, shortly after being promoted to the rank of captain. In 1825, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and appointed deputy adjutant general of the Cape Colony.

FitzRoy was appointed as the eleventh Governor of Prince Edward Island, taking office on 31 March 1837, and received a knighthood prior to his departure. He returned to England in 1841 and subsequently served as Governor of the Leeward Islands until 1845. In 1845, Lord Stanley appointed him as the tenth Governor of New South Wales, succeeding Sir George Gipps. FitzRoy and his family arrived in the colony aboard HMS Carysfort on 2 August 1846. During his tenure, he sought to influence policy, including advocating for the disallowance of a Tasmanian legislative act imposing import duties.

FitzRoy proposed establishing a central authority to review legislation passed by local colonies and supported the idea of federation among the Australian colonies. In 1850, he was appointed governor-general of the Australian colonies, a position that involved oversight of inter-colonial disputes. Under his administration, New South Wales saw several developments, including the cessation of convict transportation, the founding of Sydney University, the establishment of a branch of the royal mint, and the granting of responsible government.

In 1847, FitzRoy served briefly as Governor of North Australia, with Lieutenant-Governor George Barney handling key responsibilities. That year, his wife Mary was killed in a coach accident, prompting FitzRoy to consider resignation. However, financial considerations prevented his immediate departure. A memorial dedicated to Lady Mary exists in St James' Church, Sydney. In 1850, FitzRoy hosted Edward Hargraves following his discovery of gold at Ophir, New South Wales. He named the town of Grafton after his grandfather in 1851. FitzRoy remained in New South Wales for eight years, during which the colonies began to move towards federation.

In 1853, FitzRoy was appointed governor of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), South Australia, and Victoria. He held a pre-Federation role with wide-ranging powers to manage intercolonial disputes. He left Australia on 28 January 1855 and returned to England. His eldest son, Augustus FitzRoy, was killed in the Crimean War in 1855. FitzRoy married Margaret Gordon, widow of a Melbourne land agent, on 11 December 1855; there were no children from this marriage. He died in Piccadilly, London, on 16 February 1858, aged 61.

He was the father of four children with his first wife, Lady Mary Lennox, including Captain Augustus Charles Lennox FitzRoy, Mary Caroline FitzRoy, Louisa Wilhelmina Stewart, Caroline Ethel Gertrude Stewart, Edith Stewart, Blanche Caroline Stewart, Ellinor Sydney Stewart, and Hilda Eugenia Stewart. His son, George Henry FitzRoy, was born in 1826 and died in 1868.