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Robert Hobart, fourth Earl of Buckinghamshire (1760–1816), statesman, was a soldier in the war against the American colonies and served as aide-de-camp to several lord lieutenants of Ireland before becoming Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1789 to 1793. He was a member of the Irish Parliament for Portarlington, Ireland, from 1784 to 1790, but from 1788 was member for Bramber in the English Parliament. Governor of Madras from 1793 (when he inherited the title of Lord Hobart) to 1798, he was meanwhile member for Armagh, Ireland from 1790 to 1797. From March 1801 to May 1804 he was Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. During this period, Hobart Town was established and named in his honour. In late 1804 he succeeded his father to the earldom.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2012
Sir Thomas Lawrence (age 39 in 1808)
Robert Dunkarton (age 64 in 1808)
Robert Hobart (age 48 in 1808)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves: who we read, who we watch, who we listen to, who we cheer for, who we aspire to be, and who we'll never forget. The Companion is available to buy online and in the Portrait Gallery Store.
Anne Sanders writes about the exhibitions Victoria & Albert: Art & Love on display at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace and the retrospective of Sir Thomas Lawrence at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
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