James Goodrich (Royal Navy officer)

Sir James Goodrich
Born 28 June 1851
Died 1 September 1925
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Rank Admiral
Commands held HMS London
Pacific Station
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

Admiral Sir James Edward Clifford Goodrich KCVO (28 June 1851 – 1 September 1925) was the last Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.

Naval career

Goorich was appointed a lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1872.[1] Promoted to Captain in 1895,[2] he was given command of HMS London[3] and then served as Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station from his appointment in 1903 to its closure in 1905.[4] Improved communications, the signing of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and the need to concentrate warships in British waters to counter the developing German High Seas Fleet, meant that the station was closed down at sunset on 1 March 1905.[5] Promoted to Rear Admiral in October 1905,[2] he was appointed Admiral Superintendent of the Gibraltar Dockyard in 1906.[6] His final promotion was to Admiral in 1913[7] on his retirement,[8] although he was recalled to serve as a Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve during World War I.[9]

He died in 1925 and a memorial to him stands in St Cyr's Churchyard in Stinchcombe in Gloucestershire.[10]

Family

He married Adeline Rose Helbert who helped with the founding of West Downs School.[11]

References

  1. ^ London Gazette: no. 23893. p. 3923. 6 September 1872. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  2. ^ a b Royal Navy Flag Officers 1904-1945
  3. ^ London Gazette: no. 27560. p. 3525. 2 June 1903. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  4. ^ Canadian Navy Maritime Forces Pacific
  5. ^ "History of CFB Esquimalt and Naden". http://www.navalandmilitarymuseum.org/info_pages/history/naden.html. Retrieved 2010-02-17. 
  6. ^ Obituary of Sir Edward Chichester The Times, 18 September 1906
  7. ^ London Gazette: no. 28725. p. 3913. 3 June 1913. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  8. ^ London Gazette: no. 28726. p. 3992. 6 June 1913. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  9. ^ London Gazette: no. 29050. p. 797. 26 January 1915. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  10. ^ Some memorial inscriptions
  11. ^ West Downs School History
Military offices
Preceded by
Andrew Bickford		 Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station
1903–1905		 Succeeded by
Post disbanded