George Townshend (Royal Navy officer)

Admiral The Hon. George Townshend (29 October 1716 – August 1769) was a British naval commander.


George Townshend
Born29 October 1716
DiedAugust 1769 (aged 52)
Allegiance Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service1729–1769
RankAdmiral
Commands heldHMS Tartar
HMS Chatham
HMS Bedford
Jamaica Station
Battles/wars
RelationsCharles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend (father)
Dorothy Townshend (mother)

Naval career edit

Townshend was the eldest son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, and his second wife Dorothy, sister of Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole.[1]

Townshend served in the Royal Navy and, having been promoted to post captain on 30 January 1739, he was given command of the third-rate HMS Bedford in 1743 and saw action at the Battle of Toulon in February 1744[2] before commanding British fleet at the Siege of Genoa in 1746 during the War of the Austrian Succession.[3] He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station from 1749 to 1752, and having been promoted to rear admiral on 6 January 1755, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station again from 1755 to 1757.[4]

Promoted to vice admiral in February 1757 and to full admiral in 1765, he died in August 1769.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Lee, Sidney, ed. (1899). "Townshend, George (1715-1769)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 57. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. ^ a b "George Townshend". Three Decks. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  3. ^ Lodge pp. 201–202
  4. ^ Cundall, p. xx

Sources edit

  • Cundall, Frank (1915). Historic Jamaica. West India Committee.
  • Lodge, Sir Richard (1930). Studies in Eighteenth Century Diplomacy 1740-1748. John Murray.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica Station
1749–1752
Succeeded by
Vacant
Preceded by
Vacant
Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica Station
1755–1757
Succeeded by