Astley Cooper Key
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Sir Astley Cooper Key, GCB
, ADC
, FRS (18 January 1821 – 3 March 1888) was a Royal Navy
officer who became First Naval Lord
.
in 1833. After distinguishing himself in active service abroad, on the South American Station
(1844–1846), in the Baltic
during the Crimean War
(CB 1855) and China
(1857), Key was appointed in 1858 a member of the Royal Commission
on national defence, in 1860 Captain of the steam reserve at Devonport
, and in 1863 captain of HMS Excellent and superintendent of the Old Royal Naval College
.
He had a considerable share in advising as to the reorganization of administration, and in 1866, having become rear-admiral, was made Director of Naval Ordnance. On 4 June 1868, he was admitted a Fellow of the Royal Society. Between 1869 and 1872 he held the offices of Superintendent of Portsmouth
Dockyard and Superintendent of Malta
Dockyard.
In 1872 he was made president of the projected Royal Naval College
at Greenwich
, which was organized by him, and after its opening in 1873 he was made a KCB and a vice-admiral. In 1876 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief
on the North America and West Indies Station. Having become full admiral in 1878, he was appointed in 1879 principal ADC
, and soon afterwards First Naval Lord
, retaining this post till 1885. In 1882 he was made GCB
. He died at Maidenhead
on the 3 March 1888.
In October 1877 at Halifax he married Evelyn Bartolucci, niece of the Governor of Bermuda, Major-General J. H. Lefroy, the daughter of Vincenzo Bartolucci of Rome, and the granddaughter of General Bartolucci.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Sir Astley Cooper Key, GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, ADC
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
, FRS (18 January 1821 – 3 March 1888) was a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer who became First Naval Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
.
Naval career
Born the son of Charles Aston Key (1793–1849), a well-known surgeon, Key joined the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1833. After distinguishing himself in active service abroad, on the South American Station
Pacific Station
The Pacific Station, often referred to as the Pacific Squadron, was one of the geographical divisions into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities...
(1844–1846), in the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
(CB 1855) and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(1857), Key was appointed in 1858 a member of the Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on national defence, in 1860 Captain of the steam reserve at Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
, and in 1863 captain of HMS Excellent and superintendent of the Old Royal Naval College
Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
.
He had a considerable share in advising as to the reorganization of administration, and in 1866, having become rear-admiral, was made Director of Naval Ordnance. On 4 June 1868, he was admitted a Fellow of the Royal Society. Between 1869 and 1872 he held the offices of Superintendent of Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
Dockyard and Superintendent of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
Dockyard.
In 1872 he was made president of the projected Royal Naval College
Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
at Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, which was organized by him, and after its opening in 1873 he was made a KCB and a vice-admiral. In 1876 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
on the North America and West Indies Station. Having become full admiral in 1878, he was appointed in 1879 principal ADC
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
, and soon afterwards First Naval Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
, retaining this post till 1885. In 1882 he was made GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. He died at Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
on the 3 March 1888.
Family
On 28 April 1856 at Gonville, Jersey, he married Charlotte Lavinia McNeil, daughter of Edmund Alexander McNeill and his wife Rose, neé McNeile. Charlotte died on 30 December 1874.In October 1877 at Halifax he married Evelyn Bartolucci, niece of the Governor of Bermuda, Major-General J. H. Lefroy, the daughter of Vincenzo Bartolucci of Rome, and the granddaughter of General Bartolucci.