FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan 1788 – 1855

Biography

FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, was born on September 30, 1788, in Badminton, where he spent his formative years in the Gloucestershire countryside. He would go on to become a prominent figure in British public life, holding significant responsibilities that reflected his standing among the nation’s leadership during a transformative period in the nineteenth century.

His life spanned nearly seven decades of considerable change in Britain, during which he witnessed and participated in the major developments of his era. His career and influence extended far beyond his birthplace, though Badminton remained deeply significant to him throughout his life. He carried the weight of his position and responsibilities with the gravity expected of a peer of his standing.

In his final years, FitzRoy faced profound personal struggles with depression, a condition that ultimately claimed his life on June 28, 1855, in Sevastopol. His death marked the end of a substantial chapter in the Somerset family’s long history. He was laid to rest at St Michael and All Angels Church in Badminton, returning finally to the place of his birth, where he remains remembered among his ancestors and community.