George Ferguson was a Scottish officer of the Royal Navy.
Background
Ferguson was the illegitimate son of George Ferguson (1748-1820) the fourth Laird of Pitfour, a large estate in the Buchan area of north east Scotland. His father was usually referred to as "the Governor" and Ferguson inherited the sizeable estate, money and also property in Trinidad and Tobago. As he shared the same name as his father, to help differentiate the two, he is generally known as the "Sailor" or the "Admiral", an acknowledgement of his naval career.
Career
He served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and rose to the rank of admiral. He was also a Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1837. He was the fifth laird of Pitfour in Aberdeenshire from 1821 until his death in 1867.
Ferguson was the fifth laird of Pitfour and held the title from 1821 until 1867.
He enjoyed a lavish lifestyle and squandered much of his inheritance gambling. In 1798, aged ten, Ferguson volunteered to join the navy but never actually served on HMS Vestal.
He was midshipman on HMS Hussar, a 38-gun frigate before continuing his career on HMS Loire. At 17 years of age he was promoted to lieutenant.
He continued to rise through the ranks until he left the service in September 1815, at age 27.
In November 1811, Ferguson was commander of the sloop HMS Pylades. Together with HMS Fly, the Pylades had towed two damaged ships to Peterhead harbour. Ferguson then went to visit his father at Pitfour.
However, early the next morning while Ferguson was still ashore, the Pylades broke anchor and was grounded on rocks.
Local inhabitants helped throw all the guns overboard and cut away the mast, which successfully re-floated lieutenant The Admiralty refused Ferguson"s request for a court-martial to clear his name.
He rose to the rank of rear-admiral in 1849, vice-admiral at the beginning of 1856 and admiral in February 1861 by which time he was 72 years of age. Electoral reforms were scheduled to be enacted in 1832.
Ferguson sought election for the Banffshire constituency in 1831 when only landowners were eligible.
The seat was, however, retained by the sitting candidate. He held the seat until 1837. Ferguson died in March 1867 at 37 Charles Street, in Berkeley Square, London, a mansion he had purchased from the Marquess of Bute a number of years earlier despite his financial difficulties.
He is buried in a family vault at Kensal Green Cemetery.
Membership
11th United Kingdom Parliament. 12th United Kingdom Parliament]
At the 1832 general election Ferguson was elected Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Banffshire.