Henry Keppel
Encyclopedia
Admiral of the Fleet
Sir Henry Keppel, GCB
, OM
(14 June 1809 – 17 January 1904) was a British
admiral
, son of the 4th Earl of Albemarle
and of his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Lord de Clifford.
from the old naval academy
of Portsmouth
in 1822. He became lieutenant in 1829 and commander in 1833. His first command was largely passed on the coast of Spain
, which was then in the midst of the convulsions of the Carlist War. Captain Keppel had already made himself known as a good seaman. He was engaged with the squadron stationed on the west coast of Africa
to suppress the slave trade.
In 1837 he was promoted post captain, and appointed in 1841 to the service in China
and against the Malay pirates, a service which he repeated in 1847, when in command of HMS Maeander
.
In May 1853 he was appointed to the command of the new steam line-of-battle ship HMS St Jean d'Acre
. When the Crimean War
broke out on 1854, the St Jean d'Acre formed part of the Baltic Fleet. Keppel witnessed the fall of Bomarsund
. In 1855, St Jean d'Acre was sent to the Black Sea. On 21 July 1855, Keppel swapped commands with the captain of the sailing line-of-battle ship Rodney
, whose crew was all ashore. Keppel served as commander of the Naval Brigade
which was besieging Sebastopol.
After the Crimean War he was again sent out to China, this time in command of the Raleigh, as commodore to serve under Sir M. Seymour. The Raleigh was lost on an uncharted rock near Hong Kong
, but three small vessels were named to act as her tenders, and Commodore Keppel commanded in them, and with the crew of the Raleigh, in the action with Chinese pirates at the Battle of Fatshan Creek
(June 1, 1857). He was honorably acquitted for the loss of the Raleigh, and was given command of HMS Alligator, which be held until his promotion to rear-admiral. For his share in the action at the Battle of Fatshan Creek he was made KCB
.
The prevalence of peace gave Sir Henry Keppel no further chance of active service, but he became Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station
in 1860, Commander-in-Chief, China Station
in 1867 and Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
in 1872.
He retired from the active list in 1879, two years after he attained the rank of admiral of the fleet.
, and one daughter, Maria Walpole Keppel, who married Admiral Sir Frederick Tower Hamilton
. Keppel Harbour
in Singapore is named after him. He lived at Grove Lodge at Winkfield
Row in Berkshire
and is buried in the parish church
at Winkfield.
Keppel's relationship with Lady Eliza Lucy Grey was discovered by her husband Sir George Grey
in 1860, and this, together with accusations of infidelity against Sir George Grey, led to the breakdown of their marriage.
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
Sir Henry Keppel, 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...
, OM
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
(14 June 1809 – 17 January 1904) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
admiral
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"...
, son of the 4th Earl of Albemarle
William Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle
William Charles Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle GCH, PC , briefly styled Viscount Bury between May and October 1772, was a British Whig politician.-Background:...
and of his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Lord de Clifford.
Naval career
He entered the 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...
from the old naval academy
Royal Naval Academy
The Royal Naval Academy was established at Portsmouth Dockyard as a facility to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardised training, education and admission.-Training:In 1773, a shore side...
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...
in 1822. He became lieutenant in 1829 and commander in 1833. His first command was largely passed on the coast of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, which was then in the midst of the convulsions of the Carlist War. Captain Keppel had already made himself known as a good seaman. He was engaged with the squadron stationed on the west coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to suppress the slave trade.
In 1837 he was promoted post captain, and appointed in 1841 to the service in 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...
and against the Malay pirates, a service which he repeated in 1847, when in command of HMS Maeander
HMS Maeander (1840)
HMS Meander was launched at Chatham on 5 May 1840. She was a Seringapatam-class frigate, armed originally with 16 32-pounder carronades and 28 18-pounder carronades. The length of her keel was 133 feet and her beam 42 feet; her burthen was 1221 tons. As a frigate her complement was 222 seamen, 39...
.
In May 1853 he was appointed to the command of the new steam line-of-battle ship HMS St Jean d'Acre
HMS St Jean d'Acre (1853)
HMS St Jean d'Acre was the Royal Navy's first 101 gun screw two-decker line-of-battle ship. She served in the Crimean War.The St Jean d'Acre was a Surveyor's Department design. The design was approved on 15 February 1851, and she was ordered the same day. Her keel was laid down at Devonport...
. When 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...
broke out on 1854, the St Jean d'Acre formed part of the Baltic Fleet. Keppel witnessed the fall of Bomarsund
Bomarsund
Bomarsund may refer to:*Bomarsund, Åland, fortress in the Åland Islands, in the Baltic Sea*Bomarsund, Northumberland, village in Northumberland, England...
. In 1855, St Jean d'Acre was sent to the Black Sea. On 21 July 1855, Keppel swapped commands with the captain of the sailing line-of-battle ship Rodney
HMS Rodney (1833)
HMS Rodney was a two-deck 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 18 June 1833 at Pembroke Dockyard.Rodney was the ship where William Hall , later to become the first Black man and one of the first Canadians to win the Victoria Cross, began his naval career in 1852.Rodney...
, whose crew was all ashore. Keppel served as commander of the Naval Brigade
Naval Brigade
A Naval Brigade is a body of sailors serving in a ground combat role to augment land forces.-Royal Navy:Within the Royal Navy, a Naval Brigade is a large temporary detachment of Royal Marines and of seamen from the Royal Navy formed to undertake operations on shore, particularly during the mid- to...
which was besieging Sebastopol.
After the Crimean War he was again sent out to China, this time in command of the Raleigh, as commodore to serve under Sir M. Seymour. The Raleigh was lost on an uncharted rock near Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, but three small vessels were named to act as her tenders, and Commodore Keppel commanded in them, and with the crew of the Raleigh, in the action with Chinese pirates at the Battle of Fatshan Creek
Battle of Fatshan Creek
The Battle of Fatshan Creek was a naval engagement fought between the United Kingdom's Royal Navy and Chinese pirates on June 1, 1857. Commodore Henry Keppel sought out and destroyed the Chinese fleet before advancing to the city of Canton for its capture....
(June 1, 1857). He was honorably acquitted for the loss of the Raleigh, and was given command of HMS Alligator, which be held until his promotion to rear-admiral. For his share in the action at the Battle of Fatshan Creek he was made KCB
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...
.
The prevalence of peace gave Sir Henry Keppel no further chance of active service, but he became Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station
Cape of Good Hope Station
The Cape of Good Hope Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope....
in 1860, Commander-in-Chief, China Station
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
in 1867 and Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
in 1872.
He retired from the active list in 1879, two years after he attained the rank of admiral of the fleet.
Family
Keppel married twice: firstly Katherine Louisa Crosbie, daughter of General Sir John Crosbie on 25 February 1839 and secondly Jane Elizabeth West, daughter of Martin John West on 31 October 1861. By his second wife, he had one son, Colin Richard KeppelColin Richard Keppel
Admiral Sir Colin Richard Keppel GCVO, KCIE, CB, DSO was a British sailor and Extra Equerry to four kings.-Background:...
, and one daughter, Maria Walpole Keppel, who married Admiral Sir Frederick Tower Hamilton
Frederick Hamilton (Royal Navy officer)
|-...
. Keppel Harbour
Keppel Harbour
Keppel Harbour is a stretch of water in Singapore between the mainland and the southern islands of Pulau Brani and Sentosa. Its naturally sheltered and deep waters was to meet the requirements of British colonists attempting to establish a Far East maritime colony in that part of the world, and...
in Singapore is named after him. He lived at Grove Lodge at Winkfield
Winkfield
Winkfield is a village and civil parish in the Bracknell Forest unitary authority of Berkshire, England.-Geography:According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 15,271...
Row in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and is buried in the parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
at Winkfield.
Keppel's relationship with Lady Eliza Lucy Grey was discovered by her husband Sir George Grey
George Grey
George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...
in 1860, and this, together with accusations of infidelity against Sir George Grey, led to the breakdown of their marriage.