Clutterbuck began his career as the protégé of Carteret, who, on being appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland, made him his secretary. When Carteret went out in 1730, Clutterbuck attached himself to Walpole and the Pelhams, seconding the Address at the opening of the session of 1732, at the end of which he was made a lord of the Admiralty. He spoke for the Government on the army and navy estimates, 2 and 5 Feb. 1733 and 28 Jan. 1734,
sensible, beloved and had a good character, but was lazy, indolent and mute, and of no use in Parliament but counting one in a division.
Hervey, Mems, 451, 452, 455.
He is not reported as speaking again till 1740, when he spoke several times for the Government on naval matters (24 and 29 Jan., 1 Feb.), also moving an address approving a supply for the support of the Queen of Hungary (8 Apr.). He was rewarded with a seat on the Treasury board in 1741, which he lost on Walpole’s fall next year. According to Horace Walpole,
on Sir Robert Walpole’s quitting, he appointed a board of Treasury at his own house to sign some appointments. Mr. Clutterbuck made a pretext to slip away and never returned.
Horace Walpole also states, on the authority of his father, that Clutterbuck, after losing his Treasury place, persuaded his friend, Arthur Onslow, whom he had seconded for re-election as Speaker at the opening of Parliament, to resign the post of treasurer of the navy by
telling him that the Opposition thought he would be more impartial if he had no place: this was his [Onslow’s] foible; he resigned, and Mr. Clutterbuck immediately got the place.
Corresp. H. Walpole (Yale ed.), xxx. 293 n. 25; xvii, 391 n. 10.
He died 23 Nov. 1742.