John Clevland

John Clevland, (c1707-19 June 1763), MP was Secretary to the Admiralty 1751–1763 (First Secretary from 1759).

John Clevland was the son of Captain William Clevland, of Lanarkshire who rose to being the Controller of the Storekeepers' Accounts for the Navy Board (1718 - 1732). His mother, Ann Davie of Orleigh Court, was the daughter of John Davie. John grew up on the Tapeley Park esatate on the River Torridge in North Devon. His brother, William Clevland became King of the Banana Islands, Sierra Leone.

His father used his position to advance his son, first as a Clerk (Storekeepers' Accounts) and then Chief Clerk (1726-1731) at the Navy Board. In 1731 Clevland was appointed clerk to the cheque and master muster at Plymouth. He then became clerk of the acts in 1744 and joint secretary to the Lords commissioners of admiralty in 1748. Then in 1751 he succeeded Thomas Corbett as secretary.

Around 1750 he bought Bideford Manor.

Clevland was MP first for Saltash (1741-1747), then Sandwich (1747-1754) and then Saltash again (1754-1761).

He had sons John Clevland MP for Barnstaple and Director of Greenwich Hospital and Augustus Clevland, Collector of Bhagalpur