Beresford was the second son of John Beresford, 4th Marquess of Waterford , thus despite his courtesy title as the younger son of a Marquess, he was still eligible to enter the House of Commons. He combined the two careers of the navy and a member of parliament, making a reputation as a hero in battle and champion of the navy in the House of Commons. He was a well-known and popular figure who courted publicity, widely known to the British public as "Charlie B".
He was considered by many to be a personification of John Bull , indeed was normally accompanied by his trademark, a bulldog. His later career was marked by a longstanding dispute with Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Fisher , over reforms championed by Fisher introducing new technology and sweeping away traditional practices. Fisher, slightly senior to Beresford and more successful, became a barrier to Beresford's rise to the highest office in the navy.
Beresford rose to occupy the most senior sea commands, the Mediterranean and Channel fleets, but failed in his ambition to become First Sea Lord. Beresford was born in Philipstown Daingean County Offaly and grew up in Curraghmore , Ireland, the second of five brothers.
His older brother John joined the Life Guards , succeeding to the family estate and titles in on the death of their father. The youngest brother, Delaval, became a rancher in Canada. The Beresfords traced their ancestry to an English officer serving in Ireland during the reign of James I. They subsequently married into the de la Poer family Lady Catharine Power who were of Norman origin and owned Curraghmore, hence their surname de la Poer Beresford.
Their estate covered , acres km 2 at Curraghmore near Waterford in south east Ireland, had stables for horses and employed people. Beresford had a reputation for kindness to his men, saying 'Any smart action performed by an officer or man should be appreciated publicly by signal Everyone is grateful for appreciation'.
