Edward Fitzmaurice Inglefield
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral Sir Edward Fitzmaurice Inglefield, KBE (1861–1945) was a Victorian
Royal Navy
officer and later secretary of Lloyd's of London
. He gave his name to the Inglefield clip
, a device he patented in 1890 for quickly attaching signal flags.
(1820–1894), Arctic explorer and Royal Navy Admiral. He married Julia Katherine Margaret; in 1891 she submitted a petition for divorce.
during her time engaged in the East African anti-slavery campaign of the late 19th century.
. She did not commission until 27 October 1892, and during the long wait he invented the Inglefield clip
, patenting the invention in 1894. The prototype device was fashioned in the naval dockyard in Valetta, and it was so successful that by 1895 it had become standard issue to Royal Navy ships. It is still in use today.
, was promoted to captain.
armoured cruiser HMS Antrim
, part of the First Cruiser Squadron of the Channel Fleet
. He was placed on the Retired List on 30 June
1907 and was appointed to the rank of rear admiral on the retired list on 9 March 1911.
, retaining the position until 1921. In 1935 he was listed in the Directory of Directors as the company chairman of the Rio de Janeiro Lighterage Company Ltd. He was appointed a Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
on 7 January 1918 and elevated to Knight Commander on 1 January 1919.
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
Royal Navy
Royal 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...
officer and later secretary of Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
. He gave his name to the Inglefield clip
Inglefield clip
The Inglefield clip is a clip for joining a flag or ensign quickly, easily and securely to flag halyards so that the flag can be hoisted. They are also used for jib sheets on small boats and on paragliders.Each clip resembles a link of chain, with a split through one side...
, a device he patented in 1890 for quickly attaching signal flags.
Family
Edward Fitzmaurice Inglefield was the youngest son of Edward Augustus InglefieldEdward Augustus Inglefield
Sir Edward Augustus Inglefield was a Royal Naval officer who led one of the searches for the missing Arctic explorer John Franklin during the 1850s. In doing so, his expedition charted previously unexplored areas along the northern Canadian coastline, including Baffin Bay, Smith Sound and...
(1820–1894), Arctic explorer and Royal Navy Admiral. He married Julia Katherine Margaret; in 1891 she submitted a petition for divorce.
Midshipman
He was promoted to Midshipman on 16 March 1876, and joined the Emerald-class screw corvette HMS Tourmaline on 5 March 1879, probably on the North America and West Indies Station.Anti-slavery in East Africa
He was promoted to Lieutenant on 3 July 1883. A painting by Lieutenant E F Inglefield survives in the National Maritime Museum entitled A Pinnace for Chasing Slaves. It seems probable that he served in HMS LondonHMS London (1840)
HMS London was a two-decker 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 September 1840 at Chatham Dockyard.In 1854, London took part in the bombardment of Fort Constantine at Sevastopol during the Crimean War, where she sustained damage.In 1858 she was converted to screw...
during her time engaged in the East African anti-slavery campaign of the late 19th century.
HMS Melita and the Inglefield Clip
Lieutenant Inglefield was sent to Malta in 1889 to become the first lieutenant of the newly-launched HMS MelitaHMS Melita (1888)
HMS Melita was a Royal Navy Mariner-class composite screw gunvessel of 8 guns. She was the only Royal Navy warship ever to be built in Malta, hence the name, which is the Latin name for the island. She was renamed HMS Ringdove in 1915 and sold as a salvage vessel to Falmouth Docks Board in 1920,...
. She did not commission until 27 October 1892, and during the long wait he invented the Inglefield clip
Inglefield clip
The Inglefield clip is a clip for joining a flag or ensign quickly, easily and securely to flag halyards so that the flag can be hoisted. They are also used for jib sheets on small boats and on paragliders.Each clip resembles a link of chain, with a split through one side...
, patenting the invention in 1894. The prototype device was fashioned in the naval dockyard in Valetta, and it was so successful that by 1895 it had become standard issue to Royal Navy ships. It is still in use today.
Promotion to commander
On 30 June 1895 he was promoted to commander, on the same day as his uncle, Frederick InglefieldFrederick Inglefield
Admiral Sir Frederick Samuel Inglefield KCB DL was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Fourth Sea Lord.-Naval career:...
, was promoted to captain.
HMS Antrim
In the last years of his naval career, he returned to sea to command the Devonshire-classDevonshire class cruiser (1903)
The Devonshire class was a class of six armoured cruisers of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1903–1904 at a cost of around £850,000 each....
armoured cruiser HMS Antrim
HMS Antrim (1903)
HMS Antrim was a 10,850 ton Devonshire-class armoured cruiser of the British Royal Navy, built by John Brown & Company and launched on 8 October 1903. Like her sisters, she served in the First World War and survived. After the war she became the first ship to be fitted with an experimental sonar...
, part of the First Cruiser Squadron 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...
. He was placed on the Retired List on 30 June
1907 and was appointed to the rank of rear admiral on the retired list on 9 March 1911.
Business interests
On leaving the Navy in 1906, he became the Secretary to Lloyd's of LondonLloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
, retaining the position until 1921. In 1935 he was listed in the Directory of Directors as the company chairman of the Rio de Janeiro Lighterage Company Ltd. He was appointed a Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
on 7 January 1918 and elevated to Knight Commander on 1 January 1919.