Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour, First Baron Alcester
Admiral THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour, First Baron Alcester, G.C.B., D.C.L. (12 April, 1821 – 30 March, 1895) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He commanded the British fleet which bombarded Alexandria in 1882, for which he became the first naval officer raised to the peerage since 1856.
Early Life & Career
Seymour was promoted to he rank of Lieutenant on 7 March, 1842.
He was promoted to the the rank of Commander on 5 June, 1847.
He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 19 October, 1854.
Flag Rank
Seymour was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 1 April, 1870. On 16 July he was temporarily appointed Chief of Staff under the Senior Naval Lord for Coastguard work, flying his flag in Fisgard until 16 August. On 1 December he was appointed in command of the Detached Squadron, hoisting his flag in Narcissus on 3 December.
He struck his flag on 6 May, 1872, and on the same day was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, as Junior Naval Lord. He resigned on 4 March, 1874, and on 1 October hoisted his flag in command of the Channel Squadron. He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 31 December, 1876. On the occasion of the Queen's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Military Division of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, of the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 2 June, 1877.[1] He struck his flag on 9 November, 1877.
On the occasion of the Queen's birthday Seymour was appointed an Ordinary Member of the First Class, or Knight Grand Cross, of the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (G.C.B.) on 24 May, 1881.[2]
He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 6 May, 1882.
Writing to Phipps Hornby on 9 October Seymour wrote:
You were most kind in writing to me on the 21st, congratulating me on the peerage, which, I regret to say, I would give £500 to get off. I have only accepted it because I consider it an honour conferred on the service and not on me individually. I heartily wish you had got it instead of your obedient servant.[3]
Bibliography
- "Death of Lord Alcester" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 1 April, 1895. Issue 34539, col A, p. 10.
Papers
- Papers in the possession of the National Maritime Museum.
- Uncatalogued papers in the possession of the National Maritime Museum.
Service Records
- The National Archives. ADM 196/37.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/1.
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Thomas Brandreth |
Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty 22 Dec, 1868[4] |
Succeeded by Chandos S. S. Stanhope |
| Preceded by Sir John W. Tarleton |
Junior Naval Lord 1872 – Mar, 1874[Inference] |
Succeeded by The Rt. Hon. Lord Gilford |
| Preceded by Geoffrey T. Phipps Hornby |
Senior Officer in Command, Channel Squadron 1 Oct, 1874[5] – 9 Nov, 1877[6] |
Succeeded by The Rt. Hon. Lord John Hay |
| Preceded by Sir Geoffrey T. P. Hornby |
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station 5 Feb, 1880 – 7 Feb, 1883 |
Succeeded by The Rt. Hon. Lord John Hay |
| Preceded by The Rt. Hon. Lord John Hay |
Second Naval Lord 6 Mar, 1883[7] |
Succeeded by Sir Anthony H. Hoskins |
Footnotes
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 24467. p. 3497. 2 June, 1877.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 24976. p. 2673. 24 May, 1881.
- ↑ Quoted in Egerton. pp. 336-337.
- ↑ Sainty. Admiralty Officials, 1660-1870. p. 66.
- ↑ Alcester service record. The National Archives. ADM 196/37/883.
- ↑ Alcester service record. The National Archives. ADM 196/37/883.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 119.
