Background
De Bathe was born in Valletta, Malta in 1823 the son of Sir William Plunkett de Bathe, the 3rd Baronet.
De Bathe was born in Valletta, Malta in 1823 the son of Sir William Plunkett de Bathe, the 3rd Baronet.
In 1838 he was a page at the Coronation of Queen Victoria. He was commissioned into the Scots Fusilier Guards in 1839 and served in the Crimean War being Second-in-Command of his battalion at the Siege of Sevastopol. He was also present at the Battle of Traktir Bridge as Aide-de-Camp to Lord Rokeby.
He was appointed Commanding Officer of the Scots Guards in 1864.
He inherited his baronetcy in 1870. In 1874 he was appointed General Officer Commanding Northern District and in 1876 he was promoted to Lieutenant General.
He was promoted again to General in 1879 and retired in 1883. In 1877 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the King"s Shropshire Light Infantry.
He was a justice of the peace and Deputy Lieutenant of County Meath, and a justice of the peace for Sussex.
De Bathe"s father died in March 1870 and this removed the final objection to his marrying Charlotte Clare, who he had been living with for about thirteen years out of wedlock. They had seven children before the wedding and in February 1928 four of these children submitted a petition to the courts for declarations of legitimacy under the Legitimacy Acting, 1926. They were Viscountess Burnham, Lady Somerleyton, Mrs Winifred McCalmont and Maximilian John de Bathe.
The 90-year-old Dowager, Lady de Bathe, confirmed the facts in an affidavit and the petition was granted.
De Bathe lived at Wood End near Chichester, where he died on 5 January 1907 aged 83. Their eldest daughter, Mary Archdale, is buried close to them.