William Hargrave

On a window ledge in the south aisle of the nave of Westminster Abbey is a large monument to Lt. General William Hargrave. The sculptor was Louis Francois Roubiliac and it is dated 1757. The inscription reads:

To the memory of WILLIAM HARGRAVE Esqr. Lieutenant General of his Majesty's Forces, Colonel of the Royal English Fuziliers, and Governor of GIBRALTAR who, having been 57 years a commissioned officer, died the 21st of January 1750/1, aged 79 years. His body is interred close to that of his friend Lieut. Genl. FLEMING and near to this monument.

The white marble monument consists of a rocky base on which is a sarcophagus, in front of a tumbling pyramid. In clouds above an angel sounds the last trumpet and the naked figure of Hargrave is seen emerging from the coffin, loosening his shroud. On the right is the vanquished skeleton of Death, his crown tumbling from his head, holding a spear, which a figure of Time is seizing in order to break it. The illusion of depth and perspective is achieved by painting the stone. The monument was put up by General Fleming's nephew John who inherited most of Hargrave's estate. Fleming's monument is on the adjacent window ledge.

About William Hargrave

William was baptised at St Margaret's church Westminster on 26th December 1672, a son of Captain William Hargrave and his wife Anne Atkinson. His brother John was baptised there in 1674. He fought in the Low Countries and in the War of the Spanish Succession. He was Governor of Gibraltar from 1740-1749 and died unmarried.

Further reading

"Roubiliac and the 18th century monument" by D. Bindman and M. Baker, 1995