Admiral Frank Finnis CVO (8 November 1851 – 17 November 1918[1]) was a British Royal Navy admiral before the First World War.

Frank Finnis
Born8 November 1851
Died17 November 1918(1918-11-17) (aged 67)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
RankAdmiral
Commands heldHMS Amphion
HMS Cambrian
South East American Station
Chatham division
AwardsCommander of the Royal Victorian Order

Early life edit

Finnis was born in 1851, the son of Steriker Finnis, of Dover. He was educated at Highgate School from 1862 and entered the Royal Navy in 1864.[2]

Navy career edit

Finnis was promoted to lieutenant in 1874, commander in 1886, and to captain on 1 January 1893.[3] He was appointed in command of the second class cruiser HMS Amphion on 7 January 1897, and served on the Pacific Station until the ship paid off at Devonport on 13 February 1900.[4] In early February 1900 it was announced that Finnis would be appointed in command of the battleship Collingwood,[5] but the appointment was cancelled,[6] and he was appointed in command of the battleship Illustrious until early 1902. On 20 June 1902 he was appointed Commodore, 2nd class in command of the protected cruiser HMS Cambrian,[7] and Commander of the South East American Station, where the Cambrian was senior officers's ship. Before departure from London, he was received in audience by King Edward VII on 11 June, on his appointment as commander of the station,[8] and he arrived to take up the post the following month. With the Cambrian, he visited Montevideo and Santos, Brazil, in August 1902,[9] then Bahia and Rio de Janeiro the following months.[10] After spending New Year in Montevideo, she visited the Falkland Islands in early 1903.[11]

He was promoted to rear-admiral in 1905, and was appointed commander of the Chatham division in the Home Fleet the following year.[1] After his promotion to the rank of vice-admiral on 15 November 1908 he was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 9 February 1909. He was advanced to the rank of admiral on the Retired List on 20 March 1913.[12] On 24 April 1915 he was granted a temporary commission as a captain in the Royal Naval Reserve.[13]

Family edit

Finnis married, in 1906, Anna MacRobin, daughter of Professor John MacRobin, Aberdeen, and widow of Herbert Lake.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c FINNIS, Adm. Frank’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, online edition, Oxford University Press, 2014
  2. ^ Ed. Boreham, J.Y. Highgate School Register 1838–1938 (4th ed.). p. 43.
  3. ^ "No. 26359". The London Gazette. 2 January 1893. p. 2.
  4. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36065. London. 14 February 1900. p. 11.
  5. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36060. London. 8 February 1900. p. 10.
  6. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36061. London. 9 February 1900. p. 11.
  7. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36783. London. 2 June 1902. p. 9.
  8. ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36792. London. 12 June 1902. p. 12.
  9. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36862. London. 2 September 1902. p. 4.
  10. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36911. London. 29 October 1902. p. 9.
  11. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36971. London. 7 January 1903. p. 8.
  12. ^ "No. 28703". The London Gazette. 21 March 1913. p. 2159.
  13. ^ "Frank Finnis". Dreadnought Project. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander, South East American Station
1902–1904
Succeeded by