John Forbes (Royal Navy officer)

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John Forbes
Battles/warsWar of the Austrian Succession

Admiral of the Fleet John Forbes (17 July 1714 – 10 March 1796), styled The Honourable from 1734, was a Royal Navy officer. After taking part in an expedition to Lisbon to support the Portuguese in the face of a Spanish threat, he saw action as captain of the third-rate HMS Norfolk at the Battle of Toulon during the War of the Austrian Succession. He was one of the few captains who really bore down on the enemy.

Forbes went on to serve as a

Member of Parliament for St Johnstown and then as Member of Parliament for Mullingar in the Parliament of Ireland
.

Early career

Born the second son of

Mediterranean, before moving with his uncle to the third-rate HMS Lion, and the two sailed together to the West Indies in 1729. Stewart promoted Forbes to lieutenant, while serving there, on 16 March 1731.[2]

Forbes became third lieutenant in the 60-gun

first rate HMS Britannia as sixth lieutenant on 21 July, rising to third lieutenant by May 1735.[1] The Britannia was at this time the flagship of Admiral Sir John Norris, and Forbes sailed with him on an expedition to Lisbon to support the Portuguese in the face of a Spanish threat.[1]

The Battle of Toulon during which Forbes commanded the third-rate HMS Norfolk

Norris promoted Forbes to

HMS Tyger on 30 June 1740.[2] He transferred to the 50-gun fourth-rate HMS Guernsey on 10 August 1740, just before she was relaunched at Chatham, and sailed her to the Nore.[1]

Forbes was given command the 80-gun third-rate HMS Norfolk in 1742 and saw action at the Battle of Toulon on 11 February 1744 during the War of the Austrian Succession.[3] He followed the example of Admiral Thomas Mathews, who was aboard the second-rate HMS Namur, and was one of the few captains who really bore down on the enemy.[1] In Summer 1746 he was called upon to give evidence at the court-martial of Vice-Admiral Richard Lestock during the recriminations after the battle.[1]

Senior command

Mary Forbes, 1722–1782. (Nicholas Farrer, 1750–1805)

Promoted to

Senate House Library at the University of London.[7][8] It was also published as a broadside.[8]

After the

Senior Naval Lord on the Admiralty Board from March 1761 to April 1763.[11]

Forbes was elected as Member for

St Mary's Watford next to his wife.[1]

Family

No. 3 Savile Row, Forbes' house in London

Forbes married Lady Mary Capell (1722–1782), the daughter of William Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex, on 2 September 1758. The marriage produced twin daughters, Katherine Elizabeth and Maria Eleanor, on 23 January 1761.[14] Katherine, married William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington, while Maria married John Villiers, 3rd Earl of Clarendon.[3]

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9838. Retrieved 25 April 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  2. ^ a b c Heathcote, p. 86
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Heathcote, p. 87
  4. ^ "No. 8658". The London Gazette. 14 July 1747. p. 2.
  5. ^ "No. 9448". The London Gazette. 4 February 1755. p. 2.
  6. ^ "Sainty, JC, Lord High Admiral and Commissioners of the Admiralty 1660-1870', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4: Admiralty Officials 1660-1870 (1975), pp. 18-31". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Précis of Forbes' justification for refusing to sign". Senate House Library, University of London. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  8. ^
    ISSN 0016-6391
    .
  9. ^ "No. 9763". The London Gazette. 4 February 1758. p. 1.
  10. ^ "Admiral John Forbes". Resources for study of the life and times of William-Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley (1788-1857). 19 January 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  11. ^ Rodger, p. 51-52
  12. ^ Beaglehole, p. 382
  13. ^ Wilson, p. 159
  14. ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James in the County of Middlesex Vol. V. 1761-1786. 15 February 1761.

Sources

Further reading

Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by
Thomas Newcomen
Thomas Newcomen
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Member of Parliament for Mullingar
1761–1768
With: George Forbes, Viscount Forbes 1761–1765
Richard Steele
1765–1768
Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded by
Senior Naval Lord

1761–1763
Succeeded by
Preceded by Admiral of the Fleet
1781–1796
Succeeded by