He was the second son of alderman Francis Rainsford (died 1770) and his wife, Isabella and received his first education from a cleric friend of Francis's at Great Clacton. His uncle, also Charles Rainsford (died 1778), was deputy lieutenant of the Tower of London and used his influence to get him made second cornet in General Bland's 3rd dragoons in March 1744, a unit at that time active in the Flanders theatre of the War of the Austrian Succession. Rainsford joined it immediately, carrying its standard at Fontenoy and soon after being appointed ensign in the Coldstream Guards. With his new unit he returned to England to face the Jacobite rising, rising to major of brigade and colonel's aide-de-camp. He then served as private secretary to Tyrawley, governor of Gibraltar (1756–7) before returning to England again in 1760. The following year he was given a company to command under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick in Germany, before re-joining Tyrawley as aide-de-camp, brigadier-general and chief engineer in 1762 to face the threatened Spanish invasion of Portugal. Ordered home in 1763, with promotion second major in the Grenadier Guards and equerry to William, duke of Gloucester (1766–80), he commanded the army detachment at the king's bench prison at Southwark after the May 1768 riot.
He also served as MP for Maldon (1772–74) until his patron William Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of Rochford's nephew and heir was elected. He also held Bere Alston (1787–88) thanks to help from Algernon Percy, Lord Lovaine (brother of Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland), leaving it over the Regency Bill, with Lovaine backing the government, but Gloucester and Northumberland opposing it. He was rewarded by Northumberland with Newport, Cornwall (1790–96), before leaving parliament. He had taken little part in parliamentary proceedings, serving at the same time as governor of Chester (1776–96), king's aide-de-camp (1777–82), commander of the troops stationed in Hyde Park and then Blackheath against the Gordon Riots (1780) and nominal commander of the Menorca garrison (1782, though it surrendered to the Spanish before he arrived to take up the post). He was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1779, and was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a Rosicrucian, a Freemason and researched alchemy.[citation needed] In 1782 Rainsford and Benedict Chastanier reached out to kindred Illuminist groups in Berlin and Paris by publishing a brochure in French about degrees of the Universal Society. In summer 1783 Rainsford and William Bousie, an Anglo-French merchant, began corresponding with the Parisian lodge of the Philaléthes, preparatory to the Philaléthes convention in Paris in April 1785 to review the rites of many para-Masonic and esoteric societies. Rainsford provided information on Emanuel Swedenborg, Baal Shem of London and the Kabbalistic symbolism of higher degrees. He was then sent to be Robert Boyd's second-in-command at Gibraltar on the outbreak of Britain's war with Revolutionary France, and took over after Boyd's death as Governor (1794–95). On his return to England he became governor of Cliff Fort, Tynemouth, his last active posting. On his death in London in 1809 he was buried in a vault in the chancel of the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London, alongside his first wife, his father and his uncle Charles.
Marriages and issueedit
on 18 July 1775 Elizabeth (1758–1781), daughter of Edward Miles
on 16 February 1789, Ann Cornwallis (d. 1 February 1798), youngest daughter of Sir William More Molyneux of Loseley Park, Guildford – the marriage remained childless.
He and Elizabeth had three children:
Colonel William Henry Rainsford (bap. 1776, d. 1823)
Julia Anne
Josephina, baptised with Sir Joseph Yorke as godfather, died in infancy
Worksedit
His nearly forty volumes of manuscript are now held by the British Library.
Referencesedit
^"Charles Rainsford (1728–1809)". royalacademy.org.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
External linksedit
"Rainsford, Charles". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23031. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
charles, rainsford, general, february, 1728, 1809, british, army, officer, born3, february, 1728west, essexdied24, 1809, 1809, aged, soho, square, londonburiedtower, londonallegiance, united, kingdomservice, branchbritish, armyrankgeneral, contents, career, ma. General Charles Rainsford 3 February 1728 24 May 1809 1 was a British Army officer Charles RainsfordBorn3 February 1728West Ham EssexDied24 May 1809 1809 05 24 aged 81 29 Soho Square LondonBuriedTower of LondonAllegiance United KingdomService wbr branchBritish ArmyRankGeneral Contents 1 Career 2 Marriages and issue 3 Works 4 References 5 External linksCareer editHe was the second son of alderman Francis Rainsford died 1770 and his wife Isabella and received his first education from a cleric friend of Francis s at Great Clacton His uncle also Charles Rainsford died 1778 was deputy lieutenant of the Tower of London and used his influence to get him made second cornet in General Bland s 3rd dragoons in March 1744 a unit at that time active in the Flanders theatre of the War of the Austrian Succession Rainsford joined it immediately carrying its standard at Fontenoy and soon after being appointed ensign in the Coldstream Guards With his new unit he returned to England to face the Jacobite rising rising to major of brigade and colonel s aide de camp He then served as private secretary to Tyrawley governor of Gibraltar 1756 7 before returning to England again in 1760 The following year he was given a company to command under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick in Germany before re joining Tyrawley as aide de camp brigadier general and chief engineer in 1762 to face the threatened Spanish invasion of Portugal Ordered home in 1763 with promotion second major in the Grenadier Guards and equerry to William duke of Gloucester 1766 80 he commanded the army detachment at the king s bench prison at Southwark after the May 1768 riot He also served as MP for Maldon 1772 74 until his patron William Nassau de Zuylestein 4th Earl of Rochford s nephew and heir was elected He also held Bere Alston 1787 88 thanks to help from Algernon Percy Lord Lovaine brother of Hugh Percy 2nd Duke of Northumberland leaving it over the Regency Bill with Lovaine backing the government but Gloucester and Northumberland opposing it He was rewarded by Northumberland with Newport Cornwall 1790 96 before leaving parliament He had taken little part in parliamentary proceedings serving at the same time as governor of Chester 1776 96 king s aide de camp 1777 82 commander of the troops stationed in Hyde Park and then Blackheath against the Gordon Riots 1780 and nominal commander of the Menorca garrison 1782 though it surrendered to the Spanish before he arrived to take up the post He was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1779 and was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London a Rosicrucian a Freemason and researched alchemy citation needed In 1782 Rainsford and Benedict Chastanier reached out to kindred Illuminist groups in Berlin and Paris by publishing a brochure in French about degrees of the Universal Society In summer 1783 Rainsford and William Bousie an Anglo French merchant began corresponding with the Parisian lodge of the Philalethes preparatory to the Philalethes convention in Paris in April 1785 to review the rites of many para Masonic and esoteric societies Rainsford provided information on Emanuel Swedenborg Baal Shem of London and the Kabbalistic symbolism of higher degrees He was then sent to be Robert Boyd s second in command at Gibraltar on the outbreak of Britain s war with Revolutionary France and took over after Boyd s death as Governor 1794 95 On his return to England he became governor of Cliff Fort Tynemouth his last active posting On his death in London in 1809 he was buried in a vault in the chancel of the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London alongside his first wife his father and his uncle Charles Marriages and issue editon 18 July 1775 Elizabeth 1758 1781 daughter of Edward Miles on 16 February 1789 Ann Cornwallis d 1 February 1798 youngest daughter of Sir William More Molyneux of Loseley Park Guildford the marriage remained childless He and Elizabeth had three children Colonel William Henry Rainsford bap 1776 d 1823 Julia Anne Josephina baptised with Sir Joseph Yorke as godfather died in infancyWorks editHis nearly forty volumes of manuscript are now held by the British Library References edit Charles Rainsford 1728 1809 royalacademy org uk Retrieved 17 December 2018 External links edit Rainsford Charles Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 23031 Subscription or UK public library membership required Parliament of Great Britain Preceded byJohn Bullock John Huske Member of Parliament for Maldon1772 1774 With John Bullock Succeeded byJohn Strutt John Savage Nassau Preceded byViscount Feilding Earl of Mornington Member of Parliament for Bere Alston1787 1788 With Viscount Feilding Succeeded byViscount Feilding John Mitford Preceded bySir John Riggs Miller William Mitford Member of Parliament for Newport1790 1796 With Viscount Feilding Succeeded byWilliam Northey Joseph Richardson Government offices Preceded bySir Robert Boyd Governor of Gibraltar1794 1795 Succeeded byCharles O Hara Military offices Preceded byJames Abercrombie Colonel 44th Foot1781 1809 Succeeded byThomas Trigge Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Rainsford amp oldid 1170329452, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
