Charles Phipps (Royal Navy Officer)
Hon. Charles Phipps (10 December 1753 – 20 October 1786) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He served during the American War of Independence, seeing action in a number of battles and engagements. He also went on to have a career in Parliament sitting in the House of Commons from 1779 to 1786. Born into a family with naval and parliamentary connections, Phipps integrated them both into a short career. He promoted to his first commands during the American War of Independence, commanding a range of small ships off the North American coast and being active against American shipping. He spent the later part of the wars in European waters, commanding frigates, and supporting the fleets. He took part in the first relief of Gibraltar in 1781, and the second in 1782. By then he was captain of a 74-gun ship of the line. He retired ashore after the war, and having embarked on a political career, represented both Scarborough and Minehead before his death at a relatively young age, in 178 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough (; 14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman, and printmaker. Along with his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds, he is considered one of the most important British artists of the second half of the 18th century. He painted quickly, and the works of his maturity are characterised by a light palette and easy strokes. Despite being a prolific portrait painter, Gainsborough gained greater satisfaction from his landscapes. He is credited (with Richard Wilson (painter), Richard Wilson) as the originator of the 18th-century British landscape school. Gainsborough was a founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Academy. Youth and training Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk, Sudbury, Suffolk, the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woollen goods, and his wife Mary, sister of the Reverend Humphry Burroughs. One of Gainsborough's brothers, Humphrey Gainsborough, Humphrey, is said t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Scarborough (UK Parliament Constituency)
Scarborough was the name of a United Kingdom constituencies, constituency in Yorkshire, electing Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, at two periods. From 1295 until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough consisting only of the town of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Scarborough, electing two MPs until 1885 and one from 1885 until 1918. In 1974 the name was revived for a county constituency, covering a much wider area; this constituency was abolished in 1997. Boundaries 1974–1983: The Borough of Scarborough, the Urban Districts of Pickering and Scalby, and the Rural Districts of Pickering and Scarborough. 1983–1997: The Borough of Scarborough wards of Ayton, Castle, Cayton, Central, Danby, Derwent, Eastfield, Eskdaleside, Falsgrave, Fylingdales, Lindhead, Mayfield, Mulgrave, Newby, Northstead, Scalby, Seamer, Streonshalh, Weaponness, and Woodlands. History Scarborough was first represente ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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George Darby
Vice-Admiral George Darby ( 1720 – 1790) was an officer of the British Royal Navy. He commanded HMS ''Norwich'' at the capture of Martinique in 1762 during the Seven Years' War. He went on to command the Western Squadron during the American Revolutionary War and later in that war served as First Naval Lord when he commanded the force that relieved Gibraltar from its siege by the Spanish in April 1781. Naval career Early career Darby was the second son of Jonathan Darby (III) (d.1742/3) and Anna Marie Frend both of Leap Castle, in King's County, Ireland. He joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer in September 1742. Promoted to post-captain on 12 September 1747, he received his first command, the sixth-rate HMS ''Aldborough''. He went on to become commanding officer of the sixth-rate HMS ''Seahorse'' in 1756 and of the fourth-rate HMS ''Norwich'' in 1757 in which he served under Admiral Rodney at the capture of Martinique in 1762 during the Seven Years' War. After th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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HMNB Portsmouth
His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is located on the eastern shore of Portsmouth Harbour, north of the Solent and the Isle of Wight. For centuries it was officially known as HM Dockyard, Portsmouth: as a Royal Navy Dockyard, Portsmouth functioned primarily as a state-owned facility for building, repairing and maintaining warships; for a time it was the largest industrial site in the world. From the 1970s, the term 'Naval Base' began to be used for Portsmouth (and other Royal Dockyards), acknowledging a greater focus on personnel and support elements alongside the traditional industrial emphases. In 1984 Portsmouth's Royal Dockyard function was significantly downsized and downgraded, and was formally renamed the 'Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation' (FMRO). The FMRO was priv ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sir Francis Geary, 1st Baronet
Sir Francis Geary, 1st Baronet (1709 – 7 February 1796) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, and the American War of Independence, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral. Family and early life Geary was born in 1709 to a family that resided at Aberystwyth in Ceredigion but that moved to England shortly after his birth. He spent his early years at Ercall Magna, near Wellington, Shropshire, and later at Cheddington, Buckinghamshire. Before joining the navy, he was a noted bellringer, a member of the Ancient Society of College Youths, he participated in several early, record-breaking peals at St Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London. He entered the navy in 1727, serving as a volunteer aboard HMS ''Revenge''. He sailed with ''Revenge'' into the Baltic, as part of a squadron under Admiral Sir John Norris. On her return to Britain ''Revenge'' was reassigned to sail with a fleet under Sir Charles Wager tha ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet and originally known as the Channel Squadron was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1854 to 1909 and 1914 to 1915. History Throughout the course of Royal Navy's history there had been different squadrons stationed in home waters. One of the earliest known naval formations to be based at Plymouth was called the Western Squadron which was the forerunner of the Channel Squadron that was later known as the Channel Fleet. In 1650 Captain William Penn, Commander-in-Chief, was charged with guarding the Channel from Beachy Head to Lands End with six ships. This system continued following the Restoration. It was the start of what was to become a Western Squadron. From 1690 the squadron operated out of Plymouth Dockyard during wartime periods, which was for most of the 18th century and early 19th century. In 1854 The Channel Squadron, sometimes known as the Particular Service Squadron, was established. The Channel Sq ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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John Reynolds (Royal Navy Officer)
John Reynolds (c. 1713 – 3 February 1788) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served for a period as the royal governor of the Province of Georgia from 1754 to 1757. At the end of a long life of service, he became admiral shortly before his death. Early life Born about 1713, he entered the Navy in 1728 as a "volunteer per order" with Captain John Gascoigne on board the frigate , in which he served for six years. He passed his examination on 31 July 1734, being then, according to his certificate, 21 years old. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 14 October 1736. War of the Austrian Succession In 1739–40 Reynolds was serving in HMS ''Argyll'' on the home station. The War of the Austrian Succession broke out; and in June 1741 he was appointed to the fireship , then in the West Indies. She was paid off in November 1742, and Reynolds went on half-pay. In 1743 he was first lieutenant of , and from her, in February 1743–44, was moved to , which he left before she sai ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Guernsey
Guernsey ( ; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; ) is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located west of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy. It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes five other inhabited islands – Alderney, Herm, Jethou, Lihou and Sark – and many small islets and rocks. The bailiwick has a population of 63,950, the vast majority of whom live on Guernsey, and the island has a land area of . Guernsey was part of the Duchy of Normandy until 1204, when the Channel Islands remained loyal to the English crown, splitting from mainland Normandy. In 1290, the Channel Islands were divided administratively and Guernsey became part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. During the World War II, Second World War, Guernsey was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany. After five years of occupation, the island was liberated on 9 May 1945, that date being celebrated annually as Liberation Day. Guernsey is administered as part of the Bailiwick of Gu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Thomas Mackenzie (Royal Navy Officer)
Admiral Thomas Mackenzie (1753 – 20 September 1813) was a prominent British Royal Navy officer of the late eighteenth century. Mackenzie's career, while successful, was blighted by a series of controversies that limited his opportunities and command, resulting in his placement in reserve for the last 19 years of his career. During his early service, Mackenzie served at a number of engagements in the American Revolutionary War and advanced rapidly, but he was caught during service in the Indian Ocean in the midst of a disagreement between two senior officers and as a result was placed in reserve at the end of the war. At the start of the French Revolutionary Wars ten years later Mackenzie was restored to service, and commanded the ship of the line at the Glorious First of June. Mackenzie was again involved in a major dispute in the aftermath of the battle over credit for the victory, with the result that he never again served at sea. Life Thomas Mackenzie was born in 1753, th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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HMS Keppel (1778)
HMS ''Keppel'' was the American privateer brig ''New Broome'', of New Haven, Connecticut, that and captured on 21 October 1778. She was sold on 5 August 1783 at Boston. Captain Israel Bishop received a commission for ''New Broome'' in July 1778. ''Ariel'', under the command of Captain Charles Phipps, captured ''New Broom'' on 22 October 1778, as well as the schooners ''Lark'' and ''Three Friends''. ''New Broom'' was armed with 16 guns and had sailed from New London when ''Ariel'' and stopped her off Nantucket shoals and sent her into New York. The British Royal Navy purchased her in Boston that month. She was commissioned under Lieutenant Richard Whitworth. In September–October 1779, ''Keppel'' was part of the Royal Navy's squadron at the siege of Savannah. In the evening of 9 September 1780 ''Keppel'', under the command of Lieutenant Robert Steel had an inconclusive, three-hour single-ship action A single-ship action is a naval engagement fought between two wars ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Privateer
A privateer is a private person or vessel which engages in commerce raiding under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or delegated authority issued commissions, also referred to as letters of marque, during wartime. The commission empowered the holder to carry on all forms of hostility permissible at sea by the usages of war. This included attacking foreign vessels and taking them as prizes and taking crews prisoner for exchange. Captured ships were subject to condemnation and sale under prize law, with the proceeds divided by percentage between the privateer's sponsors, shipowners, captains and crew. A percentage share usually went to the issuer of the commission (i.e. the sovereign). Most colonial powers, as well as other countries, engaged in privateering. Privateering allowed sovereigns to multiply their naval forces at relatively low cost by mobilizi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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George Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith
Admiral George Keith Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith (7 January 1746 – 10 March 1823) was a Royal Navy officer and politician who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Career Early service George Elphinstone was the fourth son of Charles Elphinstone, 10th Lord Elphinstone, and his wife Lady Clementina Fleming, the daughter and heiress of John Fleming, 6th Earl of Wigtown. Elphinstone was born on 7 January 1746 at Elphinstone Tower, Scotland. Of his three elder brothers, two joined the British Army while the third, William Fullerton Elphinstone, initially served in the Royal Navy before joining the East India Company. Elphinstone followed his third brother into the navy, joining the 100-gun ship of the line on 4 November 1761. He stayed in her only briefly, transferring to the 44-gun frigate , commanded by Captain John Jervis, on 1 January of the following year. Serving in ''Gosport'' on the North American Station, Elphinstone saw action in the campai ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |