Hastings_Yelverton

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Hastings Yelverton

Admiral Sir Hastings Reginald Yelverton, GCB, born Hastings Reginald Henry (March 1808 – 24 July 1878), was a British naval officer of the 19th century. Yelverton performed with distinction during the Crimean War and built an excellent reputation as an officer, but ended his career with a brief and ineffective appointment as First Sea Lord.

Early career

Hastings Henry, as he then was, was born in March 1808, the son of John Joseph Henry, of Straffan, and Lady Emily Elizabeth FitzGerald, daughter of the second duke of Leinster. On 20 August 1823, the 15-year-old Henry entered the Royal Navy as a first-class volunteer aboard Sybille, under Captain Samuel Pechell. While serving aboard Sybille, then in the Mediterranean, Henry was present for a hard-fought engagement with pirates off Candia in 1826. He subsequently served as a midshipman and mate aboard Columbine, Undaunted, and St Vincent, in home waters.

Promoted lieutenant on 18 December 1830, he went aboard Asia, flagship of Sir William Parker. Asia was then at Lisbon, protecting British interests during the Portuguese Civil War. In 1834, Lieutenant Henry joined Rattlesnake, under Captain Hobson, on the East Indies station. He was promoted commander on 28 June 1838. Henry returned to the home and Mediterranean stations from 1840 and 1843, serving aboard Styx and Devastation and as acting captain of Queen and Aigle. His promotion to post captain came on 23 September 1843.

Marriage and Crimean service

Captain Henry married the widowed Barbara Yelverton, Marchioness of Hastings, suo jure Baroness Grey de Ruthyn (d. 1858) on 9 April 1845. Hastings adopted the surname of Yelverton, borne since 1676 by the Barons Grey de Ruthyn, on 3 January 1849. Their only child was born shortly thereafter:

Hon. Barbara Yelverton (12 January 1849 – 1 October 1924), married the second Lord Churston

In 1853, Captain Yelverton was given command of Arrogant, a steam screw frigate, and took part in the Baltic campaigns. On 19 May 1854, Arrogant and Hecla cut out a Russian barque beneath the batteries at Eknas, Finland. Throughout much on 1855, Yelverton operated independently destroying Russian installations along the Finnish coast, and was created a CB for his efforts. In 1856, he took command of the battleship Brunswick and a gunboat flotilla for further operations, but the Crimean War ended before he saw service in that command. Yelverton was appointed comptroller-general of the coastguard on 3 August 1859, and held the post until April 1863.

Commands as admiral

Promoted rear admiral on 30 January 1863, Yelverton's first assignment was as second-in-command of the Mediterranean station. In 1866, he was appointed commander-in-chief, Channel Fleet, for a year to conduct shiphandling trials. The results convinced him of the necessity of building shorter and more maneuverable ironclad vessels. He was promoted vice-admiral on 25 May 1869, and was one of the committee appointed by Hugh Childers, then First Lord, to consider the new turret ship design ultimately built as HMS Devastation. He was created KCB on 2 June 1869.

Again in command of the Channel Fleet from July to October 1870, he then became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet, until January 1874. During this period, he took part in the suppression of the Cartagena revolt, which at the time commanded much of the Spanish navy. On 29 May 1875, he was made GCB.

Admiralty career

The aging Yelverton, by now suffering from deafness, was unexpectedly tapped to succeed Sir Alexander Milne as First Naval Lord in September 1876 after Sir Geoffrey Hornby refused the post. His tenure there was in sad contrast to his administratively able predecessor Milne, and Yelverton and his fellow Lords of the Admiralty truckled to the economies demanded by the Disraeli ministry. The unsuccessful Ajax-class battleships resulted from a combination of these economic constraints and Yelverton's preference for "short and handy" ships. Forced to resign in November 1877 due to failing health, he died at Bath in July 1878.