Place Name
The Duke of Clarence (August 21, 1765 – June 20, 1837) bought Petersham Lodge for 1,200 guineas from Thomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelford, when Pitt quit London to live in Italy. Soon after taking the property, he renamed it Clarence Lodge – although he never took up residence at the house. William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews; son of George III; brother of George IV (the Prince Regent); uncle of the future Queen Victoria; and, himself, the future William IV, was 19 years old and had been living at Ivy Lodge in Richmond. The title of Clarence was first granted to Lionel of Antwerp, the second son of King Edward III, in 1362, as he had married an heiress with estates including Clare in Suffolk. King William IV himself had a long naval career, earning him the nickname The Sailor King. He joined the Royal Navy at age 13 and served in the American Revolutionary War, the Caribbean, and Gibraltar. He became king in 1830 at the age of 64, making him one of the oldest monarchs to ascend the throne. Unlike his predecessors, William was known for his plain, straightforward manner. He disliked the pomp and ceremony associated with royalty, preferring a more down-to-earth approach. Despite having no legitimate children with his wife, Queen Adelaide, William fathered at least 10 illegitimate children with his longtime mistress, Dorothea Jordan, an Irish actress. These children were given the surname FitzClarence. As the Duke of Clarence, William amassed considerable debt, much of it due to his lavish lifestyle. Parliament eventually stepped in to relieve his financial burdens. The house was knocked down sometime around 1920.
