George Wellesley

Sir

George Wellesley
Sir; George Wellesley
	Admiral Sir George Wellesley
Born	2 August 1814
Died	6 April 1901(aged 86); London,England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1828–1879
Rank	Admiral
Commands	First Naval Lord; North America and West Indies Station; Channel Squadron; Indian Navy; HMSCornwallis; HMSDaedalus
Battles/wars	Oriental Crisis; Crimean War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

AdmiralSir George Greville WellesleyGCB(2 August 1814 – 6 April 1901) was aRoyal Navyofficer. As a junior officer he took part in the capture ofAcreduring theOriental Crisisin 1840 and, as Captain ofHMSCornwallisin the Baltic Fleet, he took part in theBombardment of Sveaborgin August 1855 during theCrimean War.He went on to beCommander-in-Chiefof theNorth America and West Indies Stationand then Commander-in-Chief of theChannel Squadronbut was relieved of the latter post by acourt-martialafter an incident in which an armoured frigate, which had been under his command at the time, ran aground at Pearl Rock offGibraltarin July 1871. He was appointedFirst Naval Lordin November 1877 and in that capacity he secured a considerable increase in naval construction, for example on theColossus-class battleships,although some of these ships were of doubtful quality.

Early career

Born the son ofGerald Valerian Wellesley(brother of theArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington) and Lady Emily Mary (daughter ofCharles Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan), Wellesley joined theRoyal Navyin 1828.^[1]After initial training at theRoyal Navy CollegeatPortsmouthand promotion to lieutenant on 22 April 1838, he was posted to thefirst-rate HMSPrincess Charlottein theMediterranean Fleet.^[2]He transferred to thefifth-rate HMSCastorin March 1839 and took part in operations on the coast ofSyriataking part in the capture ofAcrein November 1840 during theOriental Crisis.^[1]He joined the fifth-rateHMSThaliaon theEast Indies Stationin November 1841 and, having been promoted tocommanderon 16 April 1842, he transferred to thebrig HMSChildersalso on the East Indies Station.^[2]

Promoted tocaptainon 2 December 1844, Wellesley was given command of the fifth-rateHMSDaedaluson thePacific Stationin July 1849 and then became Captain ofHMSCornwallisin the Baltic Fleet in February 1855 taking part in theBombardment of Sveaborgin August 1855 during theCrimean War.^[1]He was appointed aCompanion of the Order of the Bathin February 1856.^[2]He remained in command of HMSCornwalliswhen she moved to theNorth America and West Indies Stationin 1856 and then commanded theIndian Navyfrom 1857 until it became theBombay Marinein 1862.^[1]

Senior command

Promoted torear admiralon 3 April 1863,^[3]Wellesley became Admiral Superintendent atPortsmouthin June 1865 and thenCommander-in-Chiefof theNorth America and West Indies Station,hoisting his flag in theironclad frigate HMSRoyal Alfred,in June 1869.^[2]

Promoted tovice admiralon 26 July 1869,^[4]Wellesley went on to beCommander-in-Chiefof theChannel Squadron,hoisting his flag in thearmoured frigate HMSMinotaur,in October 1870 but was relieved of that post by acourt-martialafter an incident in which the armoured frigateHMSAgincourt,which had been under his command at the time, ran aground at Pearl Rock offGibraltarin July 1871.^[2]It was not until the fourth day after the incident that thecentral battery ironclad HMSHerculescommanded by CaptainLord Gilford,using full engines and hauling on the anchors, managed to pull HMSAgincourtfree using two chains.^[5]After that Wellesley was madeCommander-in-Chiefof the North America and West Indies Station again, this time hoisting his flag in the central battery ironcladHMSBellerophon,in September 1873.^[2]

Promoted to fulladmiralon 11 December 1875,^[6]Wellesley was appointedFirst Naval Lordin November 1877.^[2]In that capacity he secured a considerable increase in naval construction, for example on theColossus-class battleships,although some of these ships were of doubtful quality.^[1]He retired in August 1879 and was advanced toKnight Commander of the Order of the Bathon 23 April 1880.^[7]

In retirement Wellesley was advanced toKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bathon 21 June 1887^[8]and became a Commissioner of thePatriotic Fundin June 1888.^[9]He died at his home at Chester Square in London on 6 April 1901.^[1]

Family

In 1853 Wellesley married Elizabeth Doughty Lukin (c.1816 - 1906); they had one daughter, Olivia Georgiana.^[1]

References

^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^gLaughton, L. G. C. (2004). "Wellesley, Sir George Greville (1814–1901)". In rev. Andrew Lambert (ed.).Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36827.Retrieved29 December2012.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g"William Loney RN".Retrieved29 December2012.
^"No. 22725".The London Gazette.10 April 1863. p. 1970.
^"No. 23523".The London Gazette.6 August 1869. p. 4366.
^Fitzgerald, p. 209-302
^"No. 24278".The London Gazette.24 December 1875. p. 6577.
^"No. 24838".The London Gazette.27 April 1880. p. 2724.
^"No. 25773".The London Gazette.5 January 1888. p. 212.
^"No. 25826".The London Gazette.12 June 1888. p. 3247.

Sources

Fitzgerald, Penrose(1913).Memories of the Sea.London: Edward Arnold.ASIN B009YSMIH2.
William Loney RNCareer History

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Rodney Mundy	Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station 1869–1870	Succeeded by Sir Edward Fanshawe
Preceded by Sir Hastings Yelverton	Commander-in-Chief, Channel Squadron 1870–1871	Succeeded by Sir Geoffrey Hornby
Preceded by Sir Edward Fanshawe	Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station 1873–1875	Succeeded by Sir Astley Key
Preceded by Sir Hastings Yelverton	First Naval Lord 1877–1879	Succeeded by Sir Astley Key

[odnb-1] ^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^gLaughton, L. G. C. (2004). "Wellesley, Sir George Greville (1814–1901)". In rev. Andrew Lambert (ed.).Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36827.Retrieved29 December2012.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)

[loney-2] ^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g"William Loney RN".Retrieved29 December2012.

[3] "No. 22725".The London Gazette.10 April 1863. p. 1970.

[4] "No. 23523".The London Gazette.6 August 1869. p. 4366.

[5] Fitzgerald, p. 209-302

[6] "No. 24278".The London Gazette.24 December 1875. p. 6577.

[7] "No. 24838".The London Gazette.27 April 1880. p. 2724.

[8] "No. 25773".The London Gazette.5 January 1888. p. 212.

[9] "No. 25826".The London Gazette.12 June 1888. p. 3247.

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v t e First Sea Lordsof theRoyal Navy
Senior Naval Lords (1689–1771)	Arthur Herbert Sir John Chicheley Edward Russell Henry Priestman Earl of Orford Sir George Rooke Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Matthew Aylmer Sir George Byng Sir John Jennings Sir John Norris Sir Charles Wager Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Harry Powlett Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Vere Beauclerk Lord Anson Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen John Forbes Earl Howe Sir Charles Saunders Augustus Keppel Sir Peircy Brett Sir Francis Holburne
First Naval Lords (1771–1904)	Augustus Hervey Sir Hugh Palliser Robert Man George Darby Sir Robert Harland Sir Hugh Pigot John Leveson-Gower Lord Hood Sir Charles Middleton James Gambier Sir Thomas Troubridge James Gambier John Markham James Gambier Sir Richard Bickerton William Domett Sir Joseph Yorke Sir Graham Moore Sir William Johnstone Hope Sir George Cockburn Sir Thomas Hardy The Hon. George Dundas Charles Adam Sir George Cockburn Sir Charles Adam Sir George Cockburn Sir William Parker Sir Charles Adam Sir James Dundas The Hon. Maurice Berkeley Hyde Parker The Hon. Maurice Berkeley The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas William Martin The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas The Hon. Sir Frederick Grey Sir Alexander Milne Sir Sydney Dacres Sir Alexander Milne Sir Hastings Yelverton Sir George Wellesley Sir Astley Key Sir Arthur Hood Lord John Hay Sir Arthur Hood Sir Richard Hamilton Sir Anthony Hoskins Sir Frederick Richards Lord Walter Kerr
First Sea Lords (1904–present)	Sir John Fisher Sir Arthur Wilson Sir Francis Bridgeman Prince Louis of Battenberg The Lord Fisher Sir Henry Jackson Sir John Jellicoe Sir Rosslyn Wemyss The Earl Beatty Sir Charles Madden, Bt Sir Frederick Field The Lord Chatfield Sir Roger Backhouse Sir Dudley Pound The Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope Sir John Cunningham The Lord Fraser of North Cape Sir Rhoderick McGrigor The Earl Mountbatten of Burma Sir Charles Lambe Sir Caspar John Sir David Luce Sir Varyl Begg Sir Michael Le Fanu Sir Peter Hill-Norton Sir Michael Pollock Sir Edward Ashmore Sir Terence Lewin Sir Henry Leach Sir John Fieldhouse Sir William Staveley Sir Julian Oswald Sir Benjamin Bathurst Sir Jock Slater Sir Michael Boyce Sir Nigel Essenhigh Sir Alan West Sir Jonathon Band Sir Mark Stanhope Sir George Zambellas Sir Philip Jones Sir Antony Radakin Sir Ben Key

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Early career

Senior command

Family

See also

References

Sources