George Fowler Hastings
Encyclopedia
Vice-Admiral George Fowler Hastings CB (28 November 1814 – 21 March 1876) was an officer of the Royal Navy
, who saw service during the First Opium War
and the Crimean War
. In a naval career spanning over 50 years Hastings saw service across the British Empire
, and rose to the rank of vice-admiral. His service as commander in chief on the Pacific Station
of the Royal Navy at Esquimalt on the British Columbia Coast
of what is now Canada is today commemorated in the names of several locations and geographic features.
Hastings was rated as mate on 5 September 1832, and promoted to lieutenant on 7 January 1833, followed by an appointment to the navy's gunnery training ship at Portsmouth
, . This was followed in May 1834 with a posting to the Mediterranean, initially aboard the 74-gun third rate , followed by his transfer in September 1837 to the wooden paddle sloop
.
match for pre-county club Hampshire
in 1843 against Nottinghamshire
. In the match, Hastings scored 5 runs in Hampshire's first innings before being bowled
by William Clarke. In Hampshire's second innings he was dismissed for a duck
, once again by Clarke.
in January 1839. He was appointed to the 16-gun brig-sloop in August 1841 and sent to the China station
in time to take part in the last actions of the First Opium War
then being fought. He remained in eastern waters after the end of the war, countering pirate operations on the coast of Sumatra
. He was involved in the attack by the boats from Harlequin on the pirate enclaves of Quallah Batto and 'Murdoo', and his good service in these operations led to his promotion to captain, which came when he paid off the Harlequin on 31 January 1845.
Hastings was appointed to his next command, the steam paddle frigate
, in September 1848. He commanded her on the west coast of Africa until February 1851. The crew of Cyclops are recorded as receiving bounties for the capture of the vessels Bom Successo on 25 December 1848, Esperanca on 10 May 1849, Sophia on 11 August 1849 and Apollo on 29 October 1949 (the last two in consort with ) Pilot on 10 January 1850, Ventura on 27 January 1850 (both with ), Sociedade on 17 June 1850, and an unnamed "slave brigantine
" on 20 November 1850; as the chief duty of the West Africa Squadron
was the suppression of the slave trade, presumably those ship were all slave ship
s. Hastings received £67 15 shilling
s and 11½ pence as his share from the Bom Successo, £398 18 shillings for Esperanca, £91 4 shillings 5¼ pence for Sophia and £106 19 shillings 10 pence for Apollo, £128 6 shillings 10 pence for Pilot, £250 11 shillings 11 pence for Ventura, £85 16 shillings 10 pence for Sociedade, and £333 2 shillings 10 pence for the unnamed brigantine; a total of nearly £1500, worth around £ today.
An appointment to the steam frigate followed, and Hastings served aboard her for operations in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
during the Crimean War
. While serving in the Crimea Hastings distinguished himself at the Battle of Eupatoria
in February 1855, and was Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette
of 8 March 1855, and honourably mentioned by Omar Pasha
. He was duly appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 2 January 1857, and was also awarded the third class of the Medjidie
, an award he was authorised to accept on 3 April 1858.
He remained aboard Curacoa until May 1857. He became superintendent of Haslar Hospital and the Royal Clarence victualling yard in January 1858, holding the post until his promotion to rear-admiral on 27 April 1863. His next assignment was in November 1866, when he became commander-in-chief in the Pacific
, with the broadside ironclad as his flagship
. He received another promotion on 10 September 1869 when he was raised to vice-admiral, and returned to Britain in November that year. His final position came with his appointment to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in February 1873. He retained the post for the usual three years, stepping down on 14 February 1876. He died shortly afterwards, on 21 March 1876 at his home at 41 Stanhope Gardens, South Kensington
, London
.
on 14 September 1864. A second ceremony was held the following day at the bride's home town of Saint-Omer
. The marriage produced three sons and a daughter, with Mathilde outliving George and dying in 1916.
Hastings's period as commander of the Pacific station during a period of extensive mapping and exploration around the region led to his name being commemorated, particularly in numerous geographic features. Hastings Street
, a main east-west corridor in Vancouver is named for him, and other placenames in the city are derived from it, such as Hastings Park
and the adjacent neighbourhood of Hastings-Sunrise
. The fjord
Hastings Arm
on the North Coast of British Columbia
was named after him, as was the nearby Mount Fowler.
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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...
, who saw service during the First Opium War
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
and the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. In a naval career spanning over 50 years Hastings saw service across the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, and rose to the rank of vice-admiral. His service as commander in chief on the Pacific Station
Pacific Station
The Pacific Station, often referred to as the Pacific Squadron, was one of the geographical divisions into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities...
of the Royal Navy at Esquimalt on the British Columbia Coast
British Columbia Coast
The British Columbia Coast or BC Coast is Canada's western continental coastline on the Pacific Ocean. The usage is synonymous with the term West Coast of Canada....
of what is now Canada is today commemorated in the names of several locations and geographic features.
Family and early life
Hastings was born on 28 November 1814, the second son of Hans Hastings, 12th Earl of Huntingdon, and his first wife Frances. His father had a naval career, and George followed him into the navy in either August or September 1824. After several years service as a midshipmanMidshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
Hastings was rated as mate on 5 September 1832, and promoted to lieutenant on 7 January 1833, followed by an appointment to the navy's gunnery training ship at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, . This was followed in May 1834 with a posting to the Mediterranean, initially aboard the 74-gun third rate , followed by his transfer in September 1837 to the wooden paddle sloop
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
.
Cricket
Hastings played a single first-classFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
match for pre-county club Hampshire
Hampshire county cricket teams
Hampshire county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that...
in 1843 against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
. In the match, Hastings scored 5 runs in Hampshire's first innings before being bowled
Bowled
Bowled is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. This method of dismissal is covered by Law 30 of the Laws of cricket.A batsman is out bowled if his wicket is put down by a ball delivered by the bowler...
by William Clarke. In Hampshire's second innings he was dismissed for a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
, once again by Clarke.
Command
Hastings was promoted to commander on 30 June 1838, and was appointed to the CoastguardHer Majesty's Coastguard
Her Majesty's Coastguard is the service of the government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating air-sea rescue.HM Coastguard is a section of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of all civilian maritime Search and Rescue within the UK...
in January 1839. He was appointed to the 16-gun brig-sloop in August 1841 and sent to the China station
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
in time to take part in the last actions of the First Opium War
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
then being fought. He remained in eastern waters after the end of the war, countering pirate operations on the coast of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. He was involved in the attack by the boats from Harlequin on the pirate enclaves of Quallah Batto and 'Murdoo', and his good service in these operations led to his promotion to captain, which came when he paid off the Harlequin on 31 January 1845.
Hastings was appointed to his next command, the steam paddle frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
, in September 1848. He commanded her on the west coast of Africa until February 1851. The crew of Cyclops are recorded as receiving bounties for the capture of the vessels Bom Successo on 25 December 1848, Esperanca on 10 May 1849, Sophia on 11 August 1849 and Apollo on 29 October 1949 (the last two in consort with ) Pilot on 10 January 1850, Ventura on 27 January 1850 (both with ), Sociedade on 17 June 1850, and an unnamed "slave brigantine
Brigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
" on 20 November 1850; as the chief duty of the West Africa Squadron
West Africa Squadron
The Royal Navy established the West Africa Squadron at substantial expense in 1808 after Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act of 1807. The squadron's task was to suppress the Atlantic slave trade by patrolling the coast of West Africa...
was the suppression of the slave trade, presumably those ship were all slave ship
Slave ship
Slave ships were large cargo ships specially converted for the purpose of transporting slaves, especially newly purchased African slaves to Americas....
s. Hastings received £67 15 shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s and 11½ pence as his share from the Bom Successo, £398 18 shillings for Esperanca, £91 4 shillings 5¼ pence for Sophia and £106 19 shillings 10 pence for Apollo, £128 6 shillings 10 pence for Pilot, £250 11 shillings 11 pence for Ventura, £85 16 shillings 10 pence for Sociedade, and £333 2 shillings 10 pence for the unnamed brigantine; a total of nearly £1500, worth around £ today.
An appointment to the steam frigate followed, and Hastings served aboard her for operations in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. While serving in the Crimea Hastings distinguished himself at the Battle of Eupatoria
Battle of Eupatoria
The Battle of Eupatoria was the most important military engagement of the Crimean War on the Crimean theatre in 1855 outside Sevastopol.- Battle :...
in February 1855, and was Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
of 8 March 1855, and honourably mentioned by Omar Pasha
Omar Pasha
Omar Pasha Latas was a Ottoman general and governor. He was a Serb convert to Islam, who managed to quickly climb in Ottoman ranks, crush several rebellions throughout the Empire and defeat Russia the Crimean War.-Early life:...
. He was duly appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 2 January 1857, and was also awarded the third class of the Medjidie
Medjidie
Medjidie or Mejidie is the name of a military and knightly order of the Ottoman Empire. The Order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdülmecid I.-Order of the Medjidie:...
, an award he was authorised to accept on 3 April 1858.
He remained aboard Curacoa until May 1857. He became superintendent of Haslar Hospital and the Royal Clarence victualling yard in January 1858, holding the post until his promotion to rear-admiral on 27 April 1863. His next assignment was in November 1866, when he became commander-in-chief in the Pacific
Pacific Station
The Pacific Station, often referred to as the Pacific Squadron, was one of the geographical divisions into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities...
, with the broadside ironclad as his flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
. He received another promotion on 10 September 1869 when he was raised to vice-admiral, and returned to Britain in November that year. His final position came with his appointment to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in February 1873. He retained the post for the usual three years, stepping down on 14 February 1876. He died shortly afterwards, on 21 March 1876 at his home at 41 Stanhope Gardens, South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Family and legacy
Hastings married Mathilde Alice at the British consulate at CalaisCalais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
on 14 September 1864. A second ceremony was held the following day at the bride's home town of Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area....
. The marriage produced three sons and a daughter, with Mathilde outliving George and dying in 1916.
Hastings's period as commander of the Pacific station during a period of extensive mapping and exploration around the region led to his name being commemorated, particularly in numerous geographic features. Hastings Street
Hastings Street (Vancouver)
Hastings Street is one of the most important east-west traffic corridors in the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, and used to be a part of the decommissioned Highway 7A...
, a main east-west corridor in Vancouver is named for him, and other placenames in the city are derived from it, such as Hastings Park
Hastings Park
Hastings Park is located in the northeast sector of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in a neighbourhood called Hastings-Sunrise. Its name references Hastings, B.C., also known as New Brighton, which lay at the end of the Douglas Road from New Westminster, founded as a resort and watering-hole...
and the adjacent neighbourhood of Hastings-Sunrise
Hastings-Sunrise
Hastings-Sunrise is a neighbourhood located in the northeastern corner of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia.The name "Hastings" is a common and historical one in Vancouver for roads, businesses and even a townsite. It is commonly thought to have been derived from the Battle of Hastings from...
. The fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
Hastings Arm
Hastings Arm
Hastings Arm is a fjord on the North Coast of British Columbia, which is the northwest arm of Observatory Inlet, one of the two main branchings of Portland Inlet, the other being the better-known Portland Canal, which forms part of the Canada-United States border...
on the North Coast of British Columbia
British Columbia Coast
The British Columbia Coast or BC Coast is Canada's western continental coastline on the Pacific Ocean. The usage is synonymous with the term West Coast of Canada....
was named after him, as was the nearby Mount Fowler.
External links
- George Hastings at CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
- George Hastings at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...
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