Thomas Pye
Sir Thomas Pye | |
|---|---|
 Pye in a memorial he dedicated to his father Henry c. 1762, at All Saints' Church, Faringdon | |
| Born | c. 1708 |
| Died | 26 December 1785 (aged 76–77) Suffolk Street, London |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1734– 1783 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Seaford HMS Norfolk HMS Norwich HMS Humber HMS Gosport HMS Advice Leeward Islands Station |
| Battles/wars |
|
Sir Thomas Pye (c. 1708 – 26 December 1785) was an admiral of the
Born into a family with powerful political connections, Pye used these to rise rapidly through the ranks, and to receive employments in periods of peace. He commanded a number of ships during the War of the Austrian Succession, and was appointed commander-in-chief in the
Pye did not receive active postings until the end of the Seven Years' War, when he commanded several of the navy's dockyards, and even returned to the Leeward Islands to take up his old post. A brief foray into politics proved lacklustre, he made no impact in parliament, and alienated his constituents. His position as
Family and early life
Thomas Pye was born c. 1708/9, the second son of Henry Pye of Faringdon House in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire) and his wife, Anne, daughter of Sir Benjamin Bathurst of Cirencester in Gloucestershire. He was the great grandson of Robert Pye, the parliamentarian, and was uncle of Henry James Pye, the poet laureate. Through his mother, Pye was related to Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst, a powerful politician who would use his influence to speed Pye's rise through the ranks.[1] Pye passed his lieutenant's examination on 12 June 1734 and joined the 48-gun HMS Preston, under Captain Charles Cotterell, on 18 April 1735 as her third lieutenant. His service was initially spent off the British coast, until transferring to the 60-gun HMS Rippon, still under Cotterell, and moving to the Tagus.[1] He was then aboard the 60-gun HMS Warwick, serving in the Mediterranean, before being promoted to his first command, that of the 24-gun HMS Seaford, on 13 April 1741.[1]
First commands
He spent the rest of the year being stationed in British waters, after which he joined Admiral Thomas Mathews's fleet, and returned to the Mediterranean.[1] Mathews sent Pye into the Adriatic Sea to disrupt supplies being sent to the Spanish Army in Italy during the War of the Austrian Succession. Pye was then appointed by Mathews to command the 80-gun HMS Norfolk in August 1744, and he remained in the Mediterranean after Mathews's recall, serving under Vice-Admiral Henry Medley and providing support to the Austrian army off the south of France.[1]
Pye returned to England in March 1748, and though the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in October that year ended the war, he was able to use his connections to secure peacetime employment.[1] He commanded first the 50-gun HMS Norwich, which he took out to North America, and then the 44-gun HMS Humber, which he commissioned in April 1749 and sailed to the west coast of Africa.[1][2] He took the 44-gun HMS Gosport out to Nova Scotia in June 1751, returning to Britain later that year, before being appointed to the 50-gun HMS Advice in February 1752 to become commander-in-chief in the Leeward Islands Station.[1][3]
Disobeying orders and court martial
Pye was commander of the station until his replacement,
Flag rank
Pye was promoted according to his seniority to
Pye became
Keppel's court martial
In his capacity as senior admiral he was president at the court martial of Admiral Augustus Keppel, which was held at Portsmouth in January 1779. He tried to avoid the duty, pleading poor health, but was compelled to take part.[1] Keppel was being investigated for his actions during the Battle of Ushant, which had taken place on 27 July 1778. His subordinate, Admiral Hugh Palliser had brought charges of misconduct and neglect of duty, which the court was compelled to examine.[7] The court was convened aboard HMS Britannia on 7 January, though the rest of the hearings were held at the house of the governor of the garrison.[7] After deliberations, the court returned its verdict on 11 February, unanimously acquitting Keppel, with Pye returning his sword with the observation that '...you will be called forth by your Sovereign to draw it once more in the defence of your country.'[7][a]
Later life and family
Pye was made lieutenant-general of marines on 26 September 1780. He stepped down after the end of the American War of Independence, leaving his post as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth on 31 March 1783, and going into retirement.[1] He died two years later, at his home on Suffolk Street, London, on 26 December 1785.[1] He was survived by his daughter Mary. His wife had died in 1762, and for seventeen years he had carried out an affair with the novelist Anna Maria Bennett, the wife of Thomas Bennett, a customs officer.[1][b] Thomas Bennett appears to have owed Pye a sizeable sum of money, which Pye forgave in his will, bequeathing his London residence to Anna Maria. Pye and Bennett appear to have at least two children together, Thomas Pye Bennet, and Harriet Pye Bennett, who went on to become a famous actress.[8]
Assessment
Pye's career was advanced through his political connections, rather than talent. His temper nearly cost him his career, while he managed to make himself so unpopular with his constituents while MP for Rochester that
Notes
- Francis Samuel Drake, Taylor Penny, John Moutray, William Bennet, Adam Duncan, Philip Boteler and James Cranston.[7]
- ^ The two met while Anna Maria was working in a chandler's shop. She subsequently became Pye's housekeeper and mistress.[8]
Citations
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/22923. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Winfield. British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792. pp. 168–9.
- ^ Winfield. British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792. p. 144.
- ^ Douglas, W. A. B. (1974). "Colvill, Alexander, 7th Baron Colvill". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. III (1741–1770) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- ^ Winfield. British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792. p. 148.
- ^ Winfield. British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792. p. 21.
- ^ Annual Register. p. 285.
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2117. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
References
- Annual Register. Vol. 24. St. Martin's Press.
- Humphreys, Jennett (2004). "'Bennett, Anna Maria (d. 1808)', rev. Rebecca Mills". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2117. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/22923. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-86176-295-5.
External links
Media related to Thomas Pye at Wikimedia Commons
Laughton, John Knox (1896). . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 47. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 73–74.