Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley, KT (18 February 1715 – 9 January 1755) was the son of Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley, and the former Lady Louisa Lennox. He was made an ensign in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards in November 1734, and succeeded his father on 17 August 1736 as 4th Earl of Berkeley, 12th Baron Berkeley and 4th Viscount Dursley. In 1737, he was created Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and Constable of St. Briavel's Castle, offices which he held until his death, and was made lieutenant-colonel of
Maurice Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley was disinherited by his elder brother William Berkeley, 1st Marquess of Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley (1426–1492), who died without surviving progeny. As he never therefore possessed Berkeley Castle, he had no claim to the ancient feudal barony of Berkeley, which was dependent on landholdings. It was assumed (according to a very unusual legal rationale) that the barony by writ created in 1412 was also held dependent on the tenure of Berkeley Castle (that is to say it was deemed a feudal barony or barony by tenure), and that it had thereby been forfeited by association, and thus Maurice never assumed