Lieutenant-General Cadwallader Blayney, 9th Baron Blayney (2 May 1720 – 21 November 1775) was a British Army officer and freemason. Having fought during the War of the Austrian Succession, he became colonel of the regiment to the 38th Regiment of Foot in 1766. He served as Grand Master of the
Premier Grand Lodge of England between 1764 and 1767.
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Early life
Cadwallader Blayney was born on 2 May 1720, the son of Cadwallader Blayney, 7th Baron Blayney, an Irish peer.
Military career
Blayney served as a captain in Pepperrell's Regiment during the War of the Austrian Succession. He fought at the Siege of Louisbourg in 1745 and continued on in North America, commanding the regiment in 1747 when the commanding officer was cashiered. Blayney was promoted to major on 25 February 1747, joining Shirley's Regiment, and then transferred to the Coldstream Guards upon promotion to lieutenant-colonel on 26 June 1753.
Blayney raised the 91st Regiment of Foot in Ireland in 1759, becoming its first and only lieutenant-colonel-commandant. He was then advanced to brevet colonel in 1761. On 29 September the same year he inherited the family title as Baron Blayney on the death of his older brother Charles Blayney, 8th Baron Blayney. Continuing in the army, Blayney was promoted to major-general in 1765 and in the following year was appointed colonel of the regiment to the 38th Regiment of Foot.
Blayney was subsequently promoted to lieutenant-general on 26 May 1772 and held command at Munster until his death on 21 November 1775. He was buried at Castleblayney.
Freemasonry
Blayney was appointed Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England in 1764. He had probably been part of a military lodge prior to this, having been initiated into freemasonry when young. Supportive of the ritualistic traditions of the freemasons, Blayney constituted seventy-four new lodges before he relinquished his role in 1767.
Personal life
Blayney married Elizabeth Eloise Tipping on 20 December 1767. She died on 17 May 1775. They had four children:
Cadwallader Blayney, 10th Baron Blayney
Andrew Blayney, 11th Baron Blayney
Sophia Blayney
Mary Blayney