Giles Stibbert

{{Infobox military person | name = Giles Stibbert | image = | caption = | birth_date = 1734 | death_date = January 1809<ref>''England, Select Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991''</ref> | burial_label = | burial_place = St. Mary's Church, South Stoneham, Hampshire, England | birth_place = | death_place = | burial_coordinates =  | nickname = | allegiance = {{flag|Kingdom of Great Britain}} | branch = British Army | service_years = | rank = Lieutenant General | unit = | commands = Indian Army | battles = Battle of Plassey<br/>Battle of Buxar | awards = | relations = }} Lieutenant General '''Giles Stibbert''' (1734–1809) was Commander-in-Chief, India.

==Military career== Stibber arrived in India in 1756 and took part in the Battle of Plassey in 1757.<ref name=orient>[https://books.google.com/books?id=NAIbAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Giles+Stibbert%22&pg=PA119 ''The Oriental herald'', Volume 6, July to September 1825, Page 120]</ref> He then raised a battalion of native infantry at Bankipore in 1761 and commanded them at the Siege of Patna where he was wounded in 1763.<ref name=orient/> He commanded the left wing of the Army at the Battle of Buxar in 1764 and captured Chunar in 1765.<ref name=orient/> [[File:Villa stibbert, esterno 04.JPG|thumb|Stibbert Museum, Florence]] He was twice Commander-in-Chief, India, firstly from 1777 to 1779 and then again from 1783, following the death of Sir Eyre Coote, to 1785.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=P_cNAAAAQAAJ&dq=%22General+Charles+Morgan%22&pg=RA1-PR20 ''The Bengal almanac, for 1827'', compiled by S. Smith and Co.]</ref> He made a huge wealth during his service in India, when in England he resided at Hereford Street with his 3 children and wife. Stibbert then commissioned John Crunden the architect of Hereford Street to build his country estate the first Portswood House at Portswood in Hampshire in 1778.<ref>[http://portswood.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=66 Portswood's Local Website]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Some snippets of history about Portswood House and also Portswood Manor in relation to Giles Stibbert, born in 1743.. {{!}} Highfield Residents Association |url=https://www.highfieldresidents.org.uk/some-snippets-of-history-about-portswood-house-and-also-portswood-manor-in-relation-to-giles-stibbert-born-in-1743/ |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=www.highfieldresidents.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Portswood House - Sotonopedia |url=http://sotonopedia.wikidot.com/page-browse:portswood-house |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=sotonopedia.wikidot.com}}</ref>

His grandson, Frederick Stibbert, used the family's wealth to establish the Stibbert museum in Florence.<ref>[http://www.picure.l.u-tokyo.ac.jp/arc/stibbert/content/marco_e.html Frederick Stibbert and his Armoury] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702185807/http://www.picure.l.u-tokyo.ac.jp/arc/stibbert/content/marco_e.html |date=2007-07-02 }}</ref> He made the family home on the Hill of Montughi, which was originally purchased by his mother, into a museum to hold his collection.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Clearkin |first=Christine |last2=Marco |first2=Simona Di |date=2009-03-22 |title=A tale of three cities: Calcutta, Southampton and Florence: the Stibbert family and museum |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&issn=14672006&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA219821772&sid=googleScholar&linkaccess=abs |journal=British Art Journal |language=English |volume=9 |issue=3 |pages=43–55}}</ref>

He is buried in South Stoneham in Hampshire with a monument by John Bacon.<ref>Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis</ref>

==Family== He was married to Sophronia Rebecca Wright.<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42058 ''A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 5'', edited by William Page, 1912]</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box | title=Commander-in-Chief, India | before=Sir John Clavering | after=Sir Eyre Coote | years=1777–1779}} |- {{succession box | title=Commander-in-Chief, India | before=Sir Eyre Coote | after=Sir Robert Sloper | years=1783–1785}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stibbert, Giles}} Category:British Commanders-in-Chief of India Category:1734 births Category:1809 deaths Category:British East India Company Army generals Category:People from South Stoneham