| Sir William Rowley | |
|---|---|
Sir William Rowley |
|
| Born | 1690 |
| Died | 1 January 1768 |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Commands held | HMS Bideford HMS Lively HMS Barfleur |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Toulon |
| Awards | Knight of the Order of the Bath |
Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Rowley KB (c. 1690 – 1 January 1768) was a British naval commander who distinguished himself during the War of the Austrian Succession and also became a Member of Parliament.
Born the second son of William Rowley and his wife, Elizabeth Dawson, Rowley joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer in 1704.[1] Promoted to Captain in 1716, he was given command of HMS Bideford and then transferred to HMS Lively in 1719.[1] Appointed to HMS Barfleur in 1741, he greatly distinguished himself in the Battle of Toulon which was lost to the Spanish in 1744.[1][2] He became Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Fleet in the Mediterranean in 1745 and successfully kept the Spanish and French fleets out of the area.[1]
He became Rear-Admiral in 1747, Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in 1751 and Admiral of the Fleet on 17 December 1762.[1]
Rowley entered Parliament in 1750 as member for Taunton, and represented that town until 1754. in that year he was chosen to represent Portsmouth until 1761.[1]
He died in 1768 and is presumed to have been buried at Stoke-by-Nayland in Suffolk.[1]
William Rowley married Arabella Dawson and had five four sons and one daughter.[1][3] Several of his descendants reached high positions in the Navy:
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lord Anson |
Admiral of the Fleet 1762–1768 |
Succeeded by Sir Edward Hawke |
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Sir Charles Wyndham Robert Webb |
Member of Parliament for Taunton 1750 – 1754 With: Robert Webb |
Succeeded by John Halliday Lord Carpenter |
| Preceded by Sir Edward Hawke Isaac Townsend |
Member of Parliament for Portsmouth 1754 – 1761 With: Sir Edward Hawke |
Succeeded by Sir Edward Hawke Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh, Bt |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by Thomas Mathews |
Rear-Admiral of Great Britain 1749–1763 |
Succeeded by Sir Edward Hawke |