Raby Vane

Raby Vane (2 January 1736 – 23 October 1769) was a Royal Navy officer and Member of Parliament, a younger son of Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington.

Vane was born on 2 January 1736, the third son of Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington and his wife Lady Grace Fitzroy.[1] He was commissioned a lieutenant in the Royal Navy on 18 July 1757.[2] Vane's family had a strong electoral interest in County Durham, and when his eldest brother Viscount Barnard succeeded to the peerage on their father's death in 1758, Raby succeeded to Barnard's seat there without a contest.[3] He was promoted commander on 14 January 1759 and appointed to command the fireship Proserpine. Vane was made post-captain and given command of the frigate Arethusa, captured from the French that summer and purchased into the Royal Navy, on 4 September 1759.[2] In addition, he was chosen Mayor of Hartlepool this year. He commanded the Arethusa, capturing several privateers, until she was placed in ordinary service after the Treaty of Paris in February 1763.[2]

At the 1761 British general election, Vane accepted the offer of a seat at Carlisle from Sir James Lowther, whose sister had married Vane's eldest brother, now Earl of Darlington. He favored the peace preliminaries in December 1762.[1] Vane continued to be employed as a naval officer after the peace. He was appointed captain of the fourth-rate Achilles, guard ship at Portsmouth, on 12 May 1763. He turned Achilles over to his fellow MP, Lord William Campbell, on taking command of the third-rate Ramillies, guard ship at Chatham, on 19 March 1764. He turned over command to William Saltern Willett on 19 November; it was to be his last command afloat.[2]

Vane supported the Rockingham ministry in 1765, but had swung around to favor Lord Bute, Lowther's brother-in-law, by 1766. Newcastle, in opposition in 1767, considered him a supporter of the Chatham ministry. He did not stand at the 1768 British general election and refused an offer to sit at Richmond by Sir Lawrence Dundas in May 1769.[1]

On 18 April 1768, Vane married Elizabeth Sayer, the daughter of George Sayer, Archdeacon of Durham. However, he died on 23 October 1769 without leaving children.[1]