Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke,
KBThe 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 medieval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(21 February 1705 – 16 October 1781) was a naval officer of the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
. He is best remembered for his victory over a French fleet at the
Battle of Quiberon BayThe naval Battle of Quiberon Bay took place on 20 November 1759 during the Seven Years' War in Quiberon Bay, off the coast of France near St. Nazaire...
in 1759, preventing a French invasion of Britain. A number of Royal Navy warships were named after him, in commemoration of this. He also served as First Lord of the Admiralty for five years between 1766 and 1771.
Born in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, he joined the navy in 1720, but did not see fighting until the Battle of Toulon in 1744.
Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke,
KBThe 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 medieval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(21 February 1705 – 16 October 1781) was a naval officer of the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
. He is best remembered for his victory over a French fleet at the
Battle of Quiberon BayThe naval Battle of Quiberon Bay took place on 20 November 1759 during the Seven Years' War in Quiberon Bay, off the coast of France near St. Nazaire...
in 1759, preventing a French invasion of Britain. A number of Royal Navy warships were named after him, in commemoration of this. He also served as First Lord of the Admiralty for five years between 1766 and 1771.
Biography
Born in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, he joined the navy in 1720, but did not see fighting until the Battle of Toulon in 1744. During the
War of the Austrian SuccessionThe War of the Austrian Succession involved nearly all the powers of Europe...
he was promoted to
Rear AdmiralRear Admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain, and below that of a Vice Admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "Admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "Flag officers" and/or "Flag ranks"...
in 1747 and in the same year captured six ships of a French squadron in the
Bay of BiscayThe Bay of Biscay or the Cantabrian Sea is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea...
in the
second battle of Cape FinisterreThe Second Battle of Cape Finisterre was a naval battle which took place on 25 October 1747 during the War of the Austrian Succession...
.
Seven Years War
In the
Seven Years' WarThe Seven Years' War lasted between 1754 and 1763 and involved all of the major European powers of the period. The war pitted Prussia and Britain and a coalition of smaller German states against an alliance consisting of Austria, France, Russia, Sweden, and Saxony...
, Hawke replaced Admiral
John ByngAdmiral John Byng was a Royal Navy officer who was court-martialled and executed for failing to "do his utmost" during the Battle of Minorca, at the beginning of the Seven Years' War.- Early life and career :...
as commander in the Mediterranean in 1756. Byng had been unable to relieve Minorca following the
Battle of MinorcaThe Battle of Minorca was a naval battle between French and British fleets, leading to the court-martial and execution of the British commander. It was the opening sea battle of the Seven Years' War in the European theatre. Shortly after Great Britain declared war on the House of Bourbon, their...
and he was sent back to Britain where he was tried and executed. Hawke spent three months cruising off
MinorcaMinorca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
and
MarseilleMarseille , formerly known as Massalia , is the 2nd most populous French city as well as the oldest city in France...
before returning home.
He blockaded
RochefortRochefort is a commune in south-western France, a seaport on the Atlantic Ocean. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime département.-History:...
in 1757 and in 1758 he directed the blockade of
BrestBrest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in north-western France.Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, Brest is an important seaport and naval base. The 1999 census recorded 303,484 inhabitants of the Brest metropolitan area, while the...
for six months.
In 1759 Hawke was tasked with stopping a
planned French invasion fleetA French invasion of Great Britain was planned to take place in 1759 during the Seven Year's War, but due to various factors including naval defeats at the Battle of Lagos and the Battle of Quiberon Bay was never launched. The French planned to land 100,000 French soldiers in Britain to end British...
from reaching Britain. His ships continued their close blockade of Brest. When Hawke's force was driven off station by a storm, the French fleet under
Hubert de Brienne, Comte de ConflansHubert de Brienne, Comte de Conflans was a French naval commander.-Early life:The son of Henri Jacob marquis de Conflans and Marie du Bouchet, at 15 he was made a knight of the Order of Saint Lazarus and the following year entered the Gardes de la Marine school at Brest...
, took advantage and left port. On 20 November 1759 he followed the French warships and during a gale he won a sufficient victory in the
Battle of Quiberon BayThe naval Battle of Quiberon Bay took place on 20 November 1759 during the Seven Years' War in Quiberon Bay, off the coast of France near St. Nazaire...
, when combined with
Edward BoscawenAdmiral Edward Boscawen, PC, RN was a British admiral and politician.Boscawen was the third son of Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth. He entered the Royal Navy early, and, in 1730, distinguished himself at the taking of Porto Bello...
's victory at Lagos, to remove the French invasion threat.
He then retired from active duty, and given the honorary rank of Vice-Admiral of Great Britain in November 1765. He was made First Lord of the Admiralty in December 1766 and served until January 1771. He was made a baron in 1776.
Towards the end of his life he lived at Swaythling House, near Southampton, although he died in
Sunbury-on-ThamesSunbury-on-Thames, also known as Sunbury, is town in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne, England, and part of the London commuter belt. It is located 16 miles southwest of central London and bordered by Feltham and Hampton, flanked on the south by the River Thames.-History:The earliest evidence of...
. His memorial, depicting the Battle of Quiberon Bay, is in North Stoneham church near Swaythling.
External links
- Chap. II, Hawke: The Spirit, in
See also
Places named after Hawke:
- Cape Hawke
Cape Hawke is a coastal headland in Australia on the New South Wales coast, just south of Forster/Tuncurry and within the Booti Booti National Park....
, New South Wales
- Hawke Bay
Hawke Bay is a large bay on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It stretches from the Mahia Peninsula in the northeast to Cape Kidnappers in the southwest, a distance of some 100 kilometres....
, New Zealand
- Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The regional council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings.-Geography:The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island...
, New Zealand region adjacent to Hawke Bay
- Hawke's Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
Hawke's Bay is a town at the mouth of Torrent River southeast of Point Riche in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The town was named after Edward Hawke by James Cook in 1766. This was to commemorate Hawke's victory in the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759...
Organisations adopting the Hawke title:
- Hawke Sea Scouts, New Zealand - Martin Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke
Martin Bladen Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke was an English cricketer and administrator who, Wisden wrote:Martin Bladen Hawke was educated at Eton and Magdalene College, Cambridge...
consented to use of family name, crest and became patron