Stephen Fox
![Portrait by John James Baker at the [[Royal Hospital Chelsea]]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Sir_Stephen_Fox_%281627%E2%80%931716%29_by_John_James_Baker.jpg)
Sir Stephen Fox (27 March 1627 – 28 October 1716) of
Farley in Wiltshire, of
Redlynch Park in Somerset, of
Chiswick, Middlesex and of
Whitehall, was a royal administrator and courtier to King Charles II, and a politician, who rose from humble origins to become the "richest commoner in the three kingdoms". He made the foundation of his wealth from his tenure of the newly created office of
Paymaster-General of His Majesty's Forces, which he held twice, in 1661–1676 and 1679–1680. He was the principal force of inspiration behind the founding of the
Royal Hospital Chelsea, to which he contributed £13,000 ().
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