Edmund Fremantle

Sir Edmund Fremantle
Born 16 June 1836
Died 10 February 1929
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1849 - 1901
Rank Admiral
Commands held HMS Eclipse
HMS Barracouta
HMS Doris
HMS Lord Warden
HMS Invincible
HMS Dreadnought
East Indies Station
China Station
Plymouth Command
Battles/wars Second Anglo-Burmese War
New Zealand land wars
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George

Admiral Sir Edmund Robert Fremantle GCB CMG (16 June 1836 – 10 February 1929) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth.

Naval career

Born a son of Thomas Fremantle, 1st Baron Cottesloe and Louisa Elizabeth Nugent, daughter of Sir George Nugent, 1st Baronet and a descendant, through Louisa's mother Maria Skinner, of the Schuyler family and Van Cortlandt family of British North America.[1]

Fremantle joined the Royal Navy in 1849.[2] He served in the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852 and the New Zealand land wars in 1864.[2] Then in 1861 he became Commander in HMS Eclipse.[3]

Promoted to Captain in 1867, he commanded HMS Barracouta, HMS Doris, HMS Lord Warden and HMS Invincible.[3] He was made Senior Naval Officer in Gibraltar in 1881 and then went on to command HMS Dreadnought.[3] He was promoted Rear-Admiral in 1885 and was made Second-in-Command of the Channel Squadron in 1886 and Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station in 1888.[3] Promoted to Vice-Admiral from 1890 he went on to be Commander-in-Chief, China Station in 1892 and Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth in 1896.[3] He was promoted to Admiral later that year and retired in June 1901.[4]

Fremantle was granted the honorary office of Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom in July 1901,[5] and kept this until 1926.

He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1899 Birthday Honours.[6] He was described as "the Father of the British Navy" in Time Magazine.[7]

Family

In 1866 he married Barberina Rogers.[3]

References

  1. Burke, Bernard. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, Volume 2. London: Harrison 1871, page 1270
  2. 2.0 2.1 National Maritime Museum
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 William Loney RN
  4. The London Gazette: no. 27325. p. 4183. 21 June 1901.
  5. The London Gazette: no. 27338. p. 4950. 26 July 1901.
  6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 27086. p. 3585. 3 June 1899. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  7. Milestones: Feb. 25, 1929 Time Magazine, 25 February 1929

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Frederick Richards
Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
18881891
Succeeded by
Frederick Robinson
Preceded by
Sir Frederick Richards
Commander-in-Chief, China Station
18921895
Succeeded by
Sir Alexander Buller
Preceded by
Sir Algernon Lyons
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
18961899
Succeeded by
Sir Henry Fairfax
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Vacant
Last held by Sir William Martin, 4th Baronet
Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom
19011926
Succeeded by
Sir Stanley Colville