Graham Moore

Sir Graham Moore
Oil on canvas portrait, c. 1792, by Sir Thomas Lawrence
Born	1764 Glasgow, Scotland
Died	25 November 1843 (aged 78–79) Cobham, Surrey
Allegiance	Great Britain  United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1777–1839
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	HMS Bonetta HMS Syren HMS Melampus HMS Indefatigable HMS Marlborough HMS Chatham HMS Fame Mediterranean Fleet Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War  • Relief of Gibraltar  • Battle of Cape Spartel  • Battle of Tory Island French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars  • Action of 5 October 1804  • Walcheren Campaign
Awards	Order of the Tower and Sword (1808) Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (1815) Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (1832) Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (1836)
Relations	Dr. John Moore (father) General Sir John Moore (brother) Harriet Jane Moore (niece)

Admiral Sir Graham Moore, GCB, GCMG (1764–1843) was a British sailor and a career officer in the Royal Navy. He was the younger brother of General Sir John Moore.

Naval career

Moore was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of the doctor and author John Moore, and Jean Simson. He entered the Navy in 1777^[1] at the age of 13. He was promoted to lieutenant on 8 March 1782 to serve aboard Crown, taking part in the relief of Gibraltar under Lord Howe, and the subsequent battle of Cape Spartel in October. During the peace he travelled through France, but was recalled to serve aboard Perseus, Dido, and then Adamant, the flagship of Sir Richard Hughes on the North American Station. On 22 November 1790 he was promoted to commander in the sloop Bonetta, before finally returning to England in 1793.^[1]

Moore was promoted to post-captain on 2 April 1794, soon after the start of the Revolutionary War, with command of the 32-gun frigate Syren,^[2] in the North Sea and the coast of France. He then commanded the 36-gun frigate Melampus from September 1795.^[1] In her he took part in the Battle of Tory Island on 12 October 1798, capturing the French frigate Résolue two days later.^[2] In February 1800 he went out to the West Indies, but was invalided home after eighteen months.^[1]

On the renewal of the war in 1803 he was appointed to Indefatigable (44),^[1] and with three other frigates — Medusa (32), Lively (38) and Amphion (32) — under his command, captured a Spanish treasure fleet of four frigates — Medea (40), Clara (34), Fama (34) and Mercedes (36) — carrying bullion from the Caribbean back to Spain off Cadiz in the Action of 5 October 1804.^[1]

Moore was then attached to Sir Robert Calder's squadron blockading Ferrol. In 1808, he served as commodore, flying his broad pennant in the new ship Marlborough^[1] assisting Admiral Sir Sidney Smith with the Portuguese royal family's escape to Brazil,^[1] and was subsequently made a Knight of the Order of the Tower and Sword.^[2]

He later served as part of the North Sea fleet for several years.^[1] At the close of the Walcheren campaign in December 1809, he was entrusted with destroying the basin, arsenal, and sea defences of Flushing (Vlissingen).^[2]

Moore commanded Chatham from March 1812, until promoted to rear-admiral on 12 August 1812,^[2] and served as Commander-in-Chief in the Baltic for a short time, flying his flag in HMS Fame. In 1814 he served as captain of the fleet to Lord Keith in the Channel, and became second-in-command, Mediterranean Fleet in 1815.^[1] Following the end of the war he served on the Board of Admiralty between 1816 and 1820,^[1] being promoted to vice-admiral in 12 August 1819.^[2] He was Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet between 1820 and 1823,^[1] promoted to full admiral on 10 January 1837, and served as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth from 1839 to 1842^[1] flying his flag in Impregnable.

Tomb of Sir Graham Moore at St. Andrew's Church, Cobham, Surrey

Moore died at his home, Brook Farm, Cobham, Surrey,^[3] on 25 November 1843,^[1] and was buried at St. Andrew's Church.^[4]

Family

In 1812 he married Dora Eden, daughter of Thomas Eden, and niece of William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland; they had one son, Captain John Moore, RN (d. 1866).^[1]

Diary

Moore kept a detailed diary from 1784 until 1806, later published in thirty-seven volumes, which provides a unique account of his service as a lieutenant, commander and captain.

Namesakes

Several places were named in his honour: the Sir Graham Moore Islands, Cape Graham Moore, and Graham Moore Bay, in northern Canada were named by William Parry, while the Sir Graham Moore Islands, Western Australia, were named by Phillip Parker King.

References

Further reading

• Wareham, Tom (September 2004). Frigate Commander. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-84415-073-1.