Lord Colchester

A carte-de-visite portrait of Lord Colchester (1798-1867).

Charles Abbot was born on 12 March 1798, the son of Charles Abbot, 1st Baron Colchester of Colchester and Elizabeth née Gibbes. He was educated at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth in Devon. He succeeded to the title of 2nd Baron of Colchester on 8 May 1829.

On 4 February 1836 he married Hon. Elizabeth Susan Law, daughter of Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough.

He held the office of President of the Royal Geographic Society between 1845 and 1847. He held the office of Postmaster-General between 1850 and 1859. He held the office of Vice-President of the Board of Trade in 1852. He was invested as a Privy Counsellor in 1852. He held the office of Paymaster-General in 1852. He gained the rank of Rear-Admiral in 1854, Vice-Admiral in 1860 and Admiral in 1864.

Lord Colchester died on 18 October 1867 at the age of 69.

Photographed by Camille Silvy of London on 29 April 1861.