Portrait of General John Adlercron (d.1766), half-length, in an embroidered gold waistcoat and a blue jacket, wearing gloves

General John Adlercron was a member of a Huguenot family (Trepaud) whose ancestors had taken refuge in Dublin at the end of the 17th century. A career soldier, as Colonel of the 39th Regiment of Foot, he saw much service in India under Lord Clive and was Commander in Chief in the East Indies from 1753-8. He resided at Newton on the Strand, Dublin and in April 1762 entertained to dinner, the Lord Lieutenant of the day, the 1st Earl of Halifax. There, in July 1766 after eating a hearty dinner, he died of an apoplectic fit. His wife, who also belonged to a Huguenot family and was a daughter of an officer, Lieutenant-Colonel John Arabin, survived him together with two sons both of whom entered the army (see lot 39).