George Seymour (Royal Navy officer)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order

PC (17 September 1787 – 20 January 1870) was a Royal Navy officer. After serving as a junior officer during the French Revolutionary Wars, Seymour commanded the third-rate HMS Northumberland under Admiral Sir John Duckworth at the Battle of San Domingo during the Napoleonic Wars. He also commanded the sloop HMS Kingfisher at the blockade of Rochefort and the fifth-rate HMS Pallas under Admiral Lord Gambier at the Battle of the Basque Roads. He then saw active service during the War of 1812
.

Seymour became

Third Naval Lord in the Second Peel ministry and went on to be Commander-in-Chief Pacific Station. In late 1844 the French Admiral Abel Aubert du Petit-Thouars entered into a confrontation with Queen Pōmare IV of Tahiti and with the English missionary and consul George Pritchard, expelling the consul and establishing a French protectorate over the territory during the Franco-Tahitian War. This matter became known as the "Pritchard Affair". Seymour handled this matter tactfully and avoided a confrontation with the French Government, which had already denounced Thouars' actions. Seymour later served as Commander-in-Chief North America and West Indies Station and then as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
.

Early career

Seymour was the eldest son of Vice-Admiral

Rayo in October 1805.[3]

The third-rate HMS Northumberland (right), which Seymour commanded in the West Indies

Promoted to commander on 23 January 1806, Seymour became commanding officer of the third-rate HMS Northumberland, flagship of the West Indies Squadron, in January 1806 and fought under Admiral Sir John Duckworth at the Battle of San Domingo where he was wounded off the southern coast of the French-occupied Spanish colony San Domingo in the Caribbean Sea in February 1806.[3] He went on to be commanding officer of the sloop HMS Kingfisher and took part in the blockade of Rochefort.[3] He became commanding officer of the sloop HMS Aurora in the Mediterranean Squadron in June 1806 and, having been promoted to captain on 29 July 1806, he was given command of the fifth-rate HMS Pallas in February 1808.[3] In HMS Pallas he fought under Admiral Lord Gambier at the Battle of the Basque Roads in April 1809.[3] In the summer of 1809 he was called as a witness at the Court-martial of James, Lord Gambier which assessed whether Gambier had failed to support Captain Lord Cochrane at the battle. Gambier was controversially cleared of all charges. [4] He went on to be commanding officer of the fifth-rate HMS Manilla in September 1809.[3]

Seymour became commanding officer of the fifth-rate

William IV, Seymour's last act as Master of the Robes to the King.[7]

Senior command

French Admiral Abel Aubert du Petit-Thouars's squadron arriving in Tahiti

Seymour was appointed

United States were high as a result of the Oregon boundary dispute and Seymour avoided inflaming this situation in discussions over fisheries.[9]

Eaton Square in London: Seymour lived at No. 115

Promoted to

vice-admiral on 27 March 1850,[11] Seymour became Commander-in-Chief North America and West Indies Station, with his flag in the third-rate HMS Cumberland, in January 1851.[9] He was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 6 April 1852[12] and became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, with his flag in the first-rate HMS Victory in 1856.[9] Promoted to full admiral on 14 May 1857[13] and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 18 May 1860,[14] he was appointed Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom on 16 May 1863[15] and Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom on 23 September 1865.[16] Promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 20 November 1866,[17] he died of bronchitis at his home at Eaton Square in London on 20 January 1870.[1] Seymour's body was placed in a tomb, on which rests a recumbent marble sculpture of him by Victor Gleichen, at Holy Trinity Church in Arrow, not far from the Seymour family seat at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire.[18]

Family

In March 1811 Seymour married Georgiana Mary Berkeley (a daughter of Sir George Berkeley) and they had three sons (Francis Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford, Vice-Admiral Henry Seymour and General Lord William Seymour) and four daughters (including Laura Williamina Seymour, a Princess by marriage with a nephew of Queen Victoria).[3]

Recognition

Seymour Narrows in British Columbia, where he commanded the Pacific Station from 1844 to 1848, is named for Seymour.[19]: 240 

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/25170. Retrieved 21 February 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  2. ^ a b c Heathcote 2002, p. 229
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Heathcote 2002, p. 130
  4. ^ Gurney, W.B. (1809). Minutes of a court-martial . . . on the trial of James Lord Gambier. Mottey, Harrison & Miller.
  5. ^ "No. 17061". The London Gazette. 16 September 1815. p. 1877.
  6. ^ "No. 18788". The London Gazette. 29 March 1831. p. 594.
  7. ^ "No. 19519". The London Gazette. 13 July 1837. p. 1777.
  8. ^ "No. 20044". The London Gazette. 24 November 1841. p. 3015.
  9. ^ a b c d Heathcote 2002, p. 231
  10. ^ O'Brien 2006, p. 108-129
  11. ^ "No. 21081". The London Gazette. 29 March 1850. p. 929.
  12. ^ "No. 21307". The London Gazette. 6 April 1852. p. 988.
  13. ^ "No. 22004". The London Gazette. 22 May 1857. p. 1807.
  14. ^ "No. 22387". The London Gazette. 18 May 1860. p. 1915.
  15. ^ "No. 22737". The London Gazette. 19 May 1863. p. 2632.
  16. ^ "No. 23017". The London Gazette. 26 September 1865. p. 4587.
  17. ^ "No. 23187". The London Gazette. 20 November 1866. p. 6158.
  18. ^ "Holy Trinity Church, Arrow, Warwickshire, England". Maritime memorials. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  19. ISBN 0-7748-0636-2

Sources

Further reading

External links

Court offices
Preceded by Master of the Robes
1830–1837 		Last permanent holder
Military offices
Preceded by
Third Naval Lord

1841–1844 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station
1844–1847 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief,
North America and West Indies Station
1851–1853 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
1856–1859 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom
1863–1865 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
1865–1866
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Seymour_(Royal_Navy_officer)&oldid=1220736810"