Sir James Gordon, 1st Baronet

General Sir James Willoughby Gordon, 1st Baronet, (21 October 1772 – 4 January 1851) was a general officer in the British Army. He notably served as most long-standing Quartermaster-General to the Forces, holding the position for some 40 years.

Early life He was the eldest son of Captain Francis Grant-Gordon RN and Mary, daughter of Sir Willoughby Aston, 5th Baronet of Risley, Derbyshire. His younger brothers were Admiral Charles Gordon and Rear-Admiral Henry Gordon, who was twice mayor of Bath.

Military career Gordon was commissioned into the 66th Regiment of Foot in 1783.

He was appointed Assistant Adjutant General in Ireland in 1795 and in 1801 under Colonel William Henry Clinton commanded the 85th Regiment of Foot in Madeira following its capture. Later the same year he became Deputy Adjutant-General in the West Indies.

He was given the colonelcy of the 85th (Bucks Volunteers) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) from 1815 to 1823 and of the 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) from 1823. He was promoted full general on 23 November 1841.

Gordon died at his residence in the Royal Hospital Chelsea in 1851 from a severe attack of bronchitis. His body was subsequently taken by railway and buried in the family vault at Knighton on the Isle of Wight.

Honours He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1801. He was made Baronet Gordon of Northcourt in the Isle of Wight in 1818 and awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order (GCH) in 1825 and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1831.

He was also Member of Parliament for Launceston from 1830 to 1831.

Family On 15October 1805, Gordon married Julia Lavinia, daughter of Richard Henry Alexander Bennet of Northcourt Manor, Shorwell, Isle of Wight. Their only son was Henry who became the second and last baronet.

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