Portal:Gibraltar/Selected biography/3

George Augustus Eliott, 1st Baron Heathfield, KB (1717-12-25-1790-07-06) was born at Wells House, near Stobs Castle, Roxburghshire, the 10th (and 8th surviving) son of Sir Gilbert Eliott, 3rd Baronet of Stobs, by his distant cousin Eleanor, daughter of William Elliot of Wells, also in Roxburghshire. His aunt Charlotte Elliot, sister of Eleanor, had married Roger Elliott, another Governor of Gibraltar.

On October 22, 1772, he was widowered. But from 1774 to 1775 he was C-in-C Ireland, Governor of Londonderry and Culmore. On March 6, 1775, he became a Privy Counsellor, and on May 25, 1777 he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar, succeeding Robert Boyd, the acting Governor. He was promoted to General in 1778. (more...)