(1723 - 1806), 1st surv. s. of 4th D. of Argyll [S]; army officer 1739, col. 1755, gen. 1778, FM 1796; MP 1744 - 61, 1765 - 6; m. 1759 Elizabeth Gunning (1733 - 90), wid. of 6th D. of Hamilton [S]; sty. M. of Lorne [S] 1761 - 70 when suc. fa. as 5th D.
1789 - 90 [dep. London 7 Sep. 1789], Venice (21 Oct.), Rome (Nov. 1789), Naples (winter - Apr. 1790), Florence (May), Leghorn [London, 25 Jul. 1790]
The 5th Duke of Argyll and his Duchess spent the winter of 1789 - 90 in Naples for the benefit of her failing health. They travelled with their younger daughters Charlotte and Augusta, who was accompanied by her husband Henry Mordaunt Clavering and her baby daughter1 (Augusta had eloped with Clavering in 1788, causing a considerable stir). They reached Venice on 21 October and were in Rome in November.2 During the winter months at Naples, the Duchess, who was as celebrated for her propriety as she had been for her beauty, caused some surprise by treating Emma Hart with great friendliness (which was not without effect in promoting Emma's career). Charlotte, already renowned for her beauty, sat to J.H.W. Tischbein in Naples (SNPG), the artist having first seen her being frightened by rushing coaches at the close of a Royal Hunt.3 The party left Naples at the end of April 1790 and was in Florence when Augusta gave birth to a second daughter on 24 May. Clavering had meanwhile visited Leghorn with Lord Titchfield, James Clitherow and Lascelles.4 The Claverings stayed in Italy after the remainder of the party had arrived back in London on 25 July 1790.5 Five months later the Duchess died.
1. See H. Bleackley, Story of a Beautiful Duchess, 307 - 11, and Wal.Corr., 11:48. 2. Gibbes jnl.MSS (Oct. 1789). 3. Tischbein, Aus meinen Leben, [1922], 248ff. Golden Age of Naples, exh. cat., Detroit [1981], 1:178 - 9. 4. Clitherow jnl.MSS. 5. Wal.Corr., 11:48n13.