Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet or shortened to fleet admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to field marshal and marshal of the air force. An admiral of the fleet is typically senior to an admiral.
It is also a generic ter ...
Sir Hedworth Meux, (pronounced ''Mews''; ''né'' Lambton; 5 July 1856 – 20 September 1929) was a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
officer. As a junior officer he was present at the
bombardment of Alexandria during the
Anglo-Egyptian War
The British conquest of Egypt, also known as the Anglo-Egyptian War (), occurred in 1882 between Egyptian and Sudanese forces under Ahmed ‘Urabi and the United Kingdom. It ended a nationalist uprising against the Khedive Tewfik Pasha. It ...
.
In 1899, during the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
, Lambton stopped at
Mauritius
Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...
, and on his own initiative picked up a battalion of soldiers stationed there. Knowing that the British forces at
Ladysmith urgently needed more powerful guns, Lambton led a
naval brigade to the rescue with four twelve-pounders and two other guns. The enthusiastic response in Britain to the "heroes of Ladysmith" was enormous and made Captain Hedworth Lambton a well-known public figure. He went on to be Commander of the Third Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet and then
Commander-in-Chief of the China Station.
During the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
Meux, as he was then known, served as
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. The commanders-in-chief were based at premises in High Street, Portsmouth from the 1790s until the end of Thomas Williams (Royal Navy officer), Si ...
in which role his main responsibility was defending cross-Channel communications, including transport for the
British Expeditionary Force crossing to France. He also initiated and organised a life-saving patrol service of small boats.
Early career
Born the son of
George Lambton, 2nd Earl of Durham and Lady Beatrix Frances Hamilton (daughter of
James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn), Hedworth Lambton was educated at
Cheam School
Cheam School is a mixed preparatory school located in Headley, in the civil parish of Ashford Hill with Headley in Hampshire. Originally a boys school, Cheam was founded in 1645 by George Aldrich.
History
The school started in Cheam, Surre ...
and then joined the Royal Navy as a
cadet
A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...
in the training ship
HMS ''Britannia'' on 15 January 1870.
He joined the
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...
HMS ''Endymion'' in the
Channel Squadron in December 1871 and, having been promoted to
midshipman
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...
, he transferred to the
armoured frigate HMS ''Agincourt'', flagship of the Channel Squadron.
[Heathcote, p. 171] He joined the frigate
HMS ''Undaunted'' at
Sheerness
Sheerness () is a port town and civil parish beside the mouth of the River Medway on the north-west corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 13,249, it is the second largest town on the island after the nearby ...
in March 1875 and, having been promoted to
sub-lieutenant on 20 September 1875, he transferred to the
battleship
A battleship is a large, heavily naval armour, armored warship with a main battery consisting of large naval gun, guns, designed to serve as a capital ship. From their advent in the late 1880s, battleships were among the largest and most form ...
HMS ''Alexandra'', flagship of the
Mediterranean Fleet
The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between ...
in late 1876.
[Heathcote, p. 172] Promoted to
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
on 27 February 1879, he became flag lieutenant to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in February 1880 and was present at the
bombardment of Alexandria in July 1882 during the
Anglo-Egyptian War
The British conquest of Egypt, also known as the Anglo-Egyptian War (), occurred in 1882 between Egyptian and Sudanese forces under Ahmed ‘Urabi and the United Kingdom. It ended a nationalist uprising against the Khedive Tewfik Pasha. It ...
.
[ He was awarded the Turkish ]Order of the Medjidie
Order of the Medjidie (, August 29, 1852 – 1922) was a military and civilian order of the Ottoman Empire. The order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdulmejid I.
History
Instituted in 1851, the order was awarded in five classes, with the Firs ...
, Third Class, on 3 February 1883.
At the Bombardment of Alexandria he served as the flag lieutenant on HMS ''Invincible'' under Admiral Seymour and there made the famous signal "Well Done Condor" to the gunship ''Condor''.
Promoted to commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
on 10 March 1883, Lambton attended the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Royal Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. The equi ...
and then became aide-de-camp to John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer (27 October 1835 – 13 August 1910), known as Viscount Althorp from 1845 to 1857 (and also known as the "Red Earl" because of his distinctive long red beard), was a British Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party ...
, who was at that time Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the K ...
.[ Lambton became commanding officer of the sloop HMS ''Dolphin'' in the Mediterranean Fleet in July 1886 and commanding officer of the royal yacht HMY ''Osborne'' in February 1888.][ Promoted to ]captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
on 30 June 1889, he became flag captain to the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station
The Pacific Station was created in 1837 as one of the geographical military formations into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. The South America Station was split into the Pacific Station and the South East Coast o ...
in the cruiser HMS ''Warspite'' in 1890.[ He was also awarded the Turkish ]Order of the Medjidie
Order of the Medjidie (, August 29, 1852 – 1922) was a military and civilian order of the Ottoman Empire. The order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdulmejid I.
History
Instituted in 1851, the order was awarded in five classes, with the Firs ...
, Second Class, on 17 February 1890.
Lambton became Private Naval Secretary to Earl Spencer, who had become First Lord of the Admiralty
First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the title of the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible f ...
, in 1894 and continued in that role under Viscount Goschen
Viscount Goschen, of Hawkhurst in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1900 for the politician George Goschen, 1st Viscount Goschen, George Goschen.
History
The Goschen family descended from prom ...
when he became First Lord of the Admiralty in June 1895.[ Both Spencer and Goschen, who were politicians and not naval officers, gave Lambton's opinion considerable weight in making senior naval appointments, but his judgement did not always correspond with that of the naval lords and during this time he generally antagonised the naval lords through a "lack of consideration".][ He became commanding officer of the cruiser HMS ''Powerful'' on the China Station in 1897.][
]
Ladysmith
On the return voyage in 1899 Lambton was ordered to Durban
Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Situated on the east coast of South ...
, South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
at an important point in the Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
. He stopped at Mauritius
Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...
, and on his own initiative picked up a battalion of soldiers stationed there. Knowing that the British forces at Ladysmith urgently needed more powerful guns, Captain Percy Scott from the ''Powerful'' sister ship, the cruiser , devised carriages to transport naval cannon, and Lambton then led a naval brigade to the rescue with four 12-pounders and two other guns.[
The enthusiastic response in Britain to the "heroes of Ladysmith" was enormous and made Captain Hedworth Lambton a well-known public figure. ]Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
sent a telegram saying, "Pray express to the Naval Brigade my deep appreciation of the valuable services they have rendered with their guns" while a reception and celebratory march through London were among the first events ever recorded on film.
'' The Daily News'' described the ''Powerful'' return home: "As the great vessel steamed into Portsmouth Harbour at four o'clock this afternoon, she was greeted with thunders of applause ... vessels lying off here were dressed with flags, and their crews, swarming along the yards, swelled the roar of welcome. ... By three o'clock the jetty was thronged with men, women and children. ... A more eager, joyous gathering I never saw. ... We cheered, we waved hats and handkerchiefs and we were half wild with delight." Lambton was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Companion may refer to:
Relationships Currently
* Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance
* A domestic partner, akin to a spouse
* Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach
* Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...
(CB) for his services in South Africa on 13 March 1900.
It was against this background that Lambton met Valerie, Lady Meux, a beautiful socialite. After hearing the story of the naval guns at Ladysmith, she had ordered six 12-pounder cannon on travelling carriages to be made and sent out to South Africa. Lambton called on her to describe his experiences there, and praise the patriotic spirit of her gift. Lady Meux was "touched by this tribute" and wrote a will making Lambton the heir to the large fortune left by her husband Sir Henry Brent Meux upon his death in 1900, including her house at Theobalds Park in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...
. The only condition was that Lambton should change his name to Meux.[ He became a naval aide-de-camp to ]Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
on 9 January 1901, attended her funeral on 2 February 1901 and then became naval aide-de-camp to King Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...
on 25 February 1901.
Later career
Lambton transferred to the command of the Royal Yacht HMY ''Victoria and Albert'' in April 1901 and became Commodore, Royal Yachts on 23 July 1901, when he took command of the new Royal Yacht, also named HMY ''Victoria and Albert''.[Heathcote, p. 173] For his service to the Royal Family he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the ...
(CVO) on 16 August 1901 and was also appointed an extra equerry
An equerry (; from French language, French 'stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attend ...
to the King on 9 November 1902.
Promoted to rear admiral
Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral.
Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
on 3 October 1902, Lambton became Second-in-Command of the Channel Fleet, with his flag in the battleship HMS ''Magnificent'', in June 1903.[ He went on to be commander of the Third Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet, with his flag in the armoured cruiser HMS ''Leviathan'', in November 1904.][ During this time he became an ally of ]Lord Charles Beresford
Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Charles William de la Poer Beresford, 1st Baron Beresford, (10 February 1846 – 6 September 1919), styled Lord Charles Beresford between 1859 and 1916, was a British admiral and Member of Parliament.
Beresford w ...
in an ongoing dispute between Beresford and Sir John Fisher about navy policies.[ He was advanced to ]Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...
on 16 April 1906. Promoted to vice admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral.
Australia
In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
on 1 January 1907, he became Commander-in-Chief of the China Station, with his flag in the armoured cruiser HMS ''King Alfred'' in January 1908.[ He was advanced to ]Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...
on 26 June 1908, attended the funeral of King Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...
in May 1910 and became an extra equerry to King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
George was born during the reign of his pa ...
on 10 June 1910.
Following the death of Lady Meux in December 1910, Lambton changed his surname by royal licence to Meux, as stipulated in Lady Meux's will, thereby enabling him to inherit a substantial fortune. Promoted to full admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
on 1 March 1911, he was considered for the role of First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord, officially known as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS), is the title of a statutory position in the British Armed Forces, held by an Admiral (Royal Navy), admiral or a General (United Kingdom), general of the ...
but was considered too much of a playboy and became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. The commanders-in-chief were based at premises in High Street, Portsmouth from the 1790s until the end of Thomas Williams (Royal Navy officer), Si ...
instead in July 1912.[Heathcote, p. 174] He was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior military officers or senior civil servants, and the monarch awards it on the advice of His ...
on 3 June 1913.
When the First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
broke out, Meux's main responsibility was defending cross-Channel communications, including transport for the British Expeditionary Force crossing to France. He also initiated and organised a life-saving patrol service of small boats. He was promoted Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet or shortened to fleet admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to field marshal and marshal of the air force. An admiral of the fleet is typically senior to an admiral.
It is also a generic ter ...
on 5 March 1915 and stayed in the Royal Navy until February 1916, when he was persuaded to stand as the Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
candidate in the Portsmouth by-election. He made some speeches in parliament on naval affairs but "he was not really interested in parliamentary work" and retired at the general election of December 1918.[ He retired from the Navy on 5 July 1921.
Meux was now free to pursue his long-standing interest in horses and racing. He bred bloodstock, first with a trainer in ]Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
, then at the racing stables at Theobalds Park, part of the inheritance from Lady Meux.[ He died on 20 September 1929 at Danebury, an estate he had bought in ]Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
.[
]
Family
In 1910, Lambton married Mildred Cecilia Harriet, daughter of Henry Sturt, 1st Baron Alington and widow of Henry Cadogan, Viscount Chelsea; they had no children,[ though he acquired five step-children, who inherited the bulk of his estate.][Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003.]
References
Sources
*
External links
*
*
The ''Alexandra'' and the bombardment of Alexandria
* Conan Doyle on Ladysmith
"Captain Hedworth Lambton and his men had saved the situation."
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, -
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meux, Hedworth
1856 births
1929 deaths
Burials in Hertfordshire
Graduates of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Royal Navy personnel of the Anglo-Egyptian War
Royal Navy personnel of the Second Boer War
Royal Navy admirals of World War I
Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Royal Navy admirals of the fleet
Hedwortham
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
People educated at Cheam School
UK MPs 1910–1918
Younger sons of earls
Military personnel from London