Richard Edwards (governor)
Encyclopedia
Richard Edwards naval officer and colonial governor of Newfoundland.
Edwards a member of the Royal Navy
was appointed governor of Newfoundland for his first term in 1757. His main concern was defense of the colony as Britain
and France
were at war. Edwards was re-appointed governor for a second term in 1779 and was again concerned with the colony's defenses only this time against American
privateers. Edwards ordered the construction of Fort Townshend (See Lord Townshend
) and the Quidi Vidi
batteries
including those at Petty Harbour.
Service history:
Edwards a member of the 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...
was appointed governor of Newfoundland for his first term in 1757. His main concern was defense of the colony as Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
were at war. Edwards was re-appointed governor for a second term in 1779 and was again concerned with the colony's defenses only this time against American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
privateers. Edwards ordered the construction of Fort Townshend (See Lord Townshend
George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend
Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, PC , known as The Viscount Townshend from 1764 to 1787, was a British soldier who reached the rank of field marshal.-Early life:...
) and the Quidi Vidi
Quidi Vidi
Quidi Vidi is a neighbourhood in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador....
batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
including those at Petty Harbour.
Service history:
- 1740 made a lieutenant,
- 1753 made captain,
- 1757 commander-in-chiefCommander-in-ChiefA commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
and governor of Newfoundland (first term), - 1779 commander-in-chief and governor of Newfoundland (first term),
- 1780 formed the Newfoundland Volunteers under the command of Robert Pringle,
- 1787 promoted Vice-Admiral,
- 1794 promoted AdmiralAdmiralAdmiral 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"...
Family
Richard Edwards married Julia Pike of Carbonear, Newfoundland, by whom he had two daughters.See also
- Governors of Newfoundland
- List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador