Background
Born in London, he was the youngest son of John Barker, a former deputy-storekeeper general in Her Majesty Treasury.
Born in London, he was the youngest son of John Barker, a former deputy-storekeeper general in Her Majesty Treasury.
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
Educated at Wimborne Grammar School and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, Hewett was commissioned into the 70th Regiment of Foot in 1762. In 1771, he went to New York to help control the Carib Uprising and in 1780 he took part in the Siege of Charlestown. In 1787, he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 43rd Regiment of Foot and in 1791, he went to Ireland where he became Adjutant-General and raised a new Regiment which was designated the 92nd Regiment of Foot.
He returned to England and became Barrackmaster-General in 1804.
In 1807, he became Commander-in-Chief, India and in 1809 he briefly took over the Government of India while the Governor-General put down a mutiny. He last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland in 1813.
He was created a Baronet, of Nether Seale in the County of Leicester, on 6 November 1813. He lived at Freemantle Park near Southampton.