Beauchamp Seymour, 1st Baron Alcester
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour, 1st Baron Alcester, GCB
(12 April 1821 – 30 March 1895) was a British
naval commander. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet
between 1874 and 1877 and of the Mediterranean Fleet between 1880 and 1883.
and a cousin of the 5th Marquess of Hertford
. He was a great-grandson of the 1st Marquess of Hertford
.
in 1834, and served in the Mediterranean
and the Pacific
, and was for three years aide-de-camp
to his uncle Sir George Seymour
, and was promoted to Commander
in 1847. He also served in Burma
. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Australia Station
from 10 March 1860 and 21 July 1862 as Commodore second class with his pennant aboard . He commanded the Naval Brigade
in New Zealand
during the Maori Wars
of 1860-61, and was made a Commander of the Bath
for this.
In 1872, he became a Fourth Naval Lord
for two years, and then commander the Channel Fleet
. He became a Vice-Admiral on 31 December 1876, and was appointed KCB
in June 1877, and was promoted to GCB on 24 May 1881. From 1880 to 1883 he was Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
and from 1883 to 1885 he was Second Naval Lord
. He became an Admiral
in May 1882.
He was created Baron Alcester , of Alcester
in the County of Warwick
, in 1882 for his command of the bombardment of Alexandria
and in the subsequent operations on the coast of Egypt. He was also honoured with a parliamentary grant of £25,000, the Freedom of the City of London
and a Sword of Honour.
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Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour, 1st Baron Alcester, GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(12 April 1821 – 30 March 1895) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
naval commander. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
between 1874 and 1877 and of the Mediterranean Fleet between 1880 and 1883.
Background
Seymour was the son of Colonel Sir Horace SeymourHorace Seymour
Colonel Sir Horace Beauchamp Seymour was a Peelite Member of Parliament for Lisburn, Antrim, Oxford, Bodmin and Midhurst....
and a cousin of the 5th Marquess of Hertford
Francis Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford
Francis George Hugh Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford GCB PC , known as Francis Seymour until 1870, was a British courtier and Conservative politician...
. He was a great-grandson of the 1st Marquess of Hertford
Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford
Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford KG, PC, PC was a British courtier and politician.He was born in Chelsea, London the son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Lord Conway and Charlotte Shorter and died in Surrey, England...
.
Naval career
Seymour entered the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1834, and served in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and was for three years aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to his uncle Sir George Seymour
Sir George Seymour
-Life:He was a younger son of John Seymour and Elizabeth Coker or Croker.He was High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1498....
, and was promoted to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1847. He also served in Burma
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Australia Station
Australia Station
The Australia Station was the British—and later Australian—naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent.-History:In the early years following the establishment of the colony of New South Wales, ships based in Australian waters came under the control of the East Indies...
from 10 March 1860 and 21 July 1862 as Commodore second class with his pennant aboard . He commanded the Naval Brigade
Naval Brigade
A Naval Brigade is a body of sailors serving in a ground combat role to augment land forces.-Royal Navy:Within the Royal Navy, a Naval Brigade is a large temporary detachment of Royal Marines and of seamen from the Royal Navy formed to undertake operations on shore, particularly during the mid- to...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
during the Maori Wars
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
of 1860-61, and was made a Commander of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
for this.
In 1872, he became a Fourth Naval Lord
Fourth Sea Lord
The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.-History:...
for two years, and then commander the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
. He became a Vice-Admiral on 31 December 1876, and was appointed KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in June 1877, and was promoted to GCB on 24 May 1881. From 1880 to 1883 he was Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
and from 1883 to 1885 he was Second Naval Lord
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
. He became an Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in May 1882.
He was created Baron Alcester , of Alcester
Alcester
Alcester is an old market town of Roman origin at the junction of the River Alne and River Arrow in Warwickshire, England. It is situated approximately west of Stratford-upon-Avon, and 8 miles south of Redditch, close to the Worcestershire border...
in the County of Warwick
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, in 1882 for his command of the bombardment of Alexandria
Bombardment of Alexandria (1882)
The Bombardment of Alexandria, in 1882, by the British Mediterranean Fleet took place on 11–13 July 1882. Admiral Sir Frederick Beauchamp Seymour was in command of a fleet of fifteen Royal Navy ironclad ships which sailed to Alexandria...
and in the subsequent operations on the coast of Egypt. He was also honoured with a parliamentary grant of £25,000, the Freedom of the City of London
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
and a Sword of Honour.
Personal life
Lord Alcester never married. He died in March 1895, aged 73, when his peerage became extinct.External links
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