John Norris (admiral)
Encyclopedia
Admiral of the Fleet
Sir John Norris (1670 or 1671 – 13 or 14 June 1749) was a British naval officer of the 17th and 18th centuries, who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy under George II
.
, which greatly aided his distinguished career. He was given command of HMS Britannia
, flagship of Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell
, in 1703 knighted in 1705 and made an admiral in 1709. He was a Member of Parliament
from 1708 until his death. In 1707, Norris serving under Shovell, took part in the unsuccessful Battle of Toulon
. Sailing aboard his flagship HMS Torbay
, Norris was present during the great naval disaster off the Isles of Scilly
when Shovell and four of his ships were lost, claiming the lives of nearly 2,000 sailors.
Norris, whose nickname was "foul-weather Jack", saw a good deal of service during the War of the Spanish Succession
under William III
and Anne
. Under George I
he was sent several times with a fleet into the Baltic Sea
to forward the king's policy by giving the northern nations some idea of the strength of Great Britain.
. He fraternized in Reval with the Russians and got on friendly terms with tsar Peter
, who offered him command of the Russian navy. However, in October that year he returned to England. In May 1716 he was again sent to Nordic waters with orders to prevent a possible Swedish attempt by Jacobite
interests to conquer Scotland. After some hassles and various meetings with Danish, Russian and other ships, he set sail back again in November that year.
In 1717 he again negotiated with tsar Peter, now in Amsterdam
, but without results. To the Baltic Sea he returned in 1718 with minor troops.
After the death of King Charles XII of Sweden
, negotiations between George I and Sweden were initiated, and John Norris was now commissioned to prevent Russian ravages on Sweden's east coast. By the time he got there, however, the Russians had already set back home, and Norris returned to England again.
He was sent on some further expeditions with the purpose of holding the Russians off Sweden's back, the last one in 1727.
In 1734 he became Admiral of the Fleet
and commander-in-chief.
In 1739, Norris was one of many founding governors for a new charitable ventures in London, the Foundling Hospital
, which sought to lessen the capital's problem of child abandonment
.
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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 John Norris (1670 or 1671 – 13 or 14 June 1749) was a British naval officer of the 17th and 18th centuries, who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy under George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
.
Early career
In May 1699 he married Elizabeth Aylmer, daughter of Admiral Matthew AylmerMatthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer
Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer was an Irish Admiral of the Royal Navy.Lord Aylmer, Admiral and Commander-in-Chief, was the second son of Sir Christopher Aylmer of Balrath, County Meath, and entered the Royal Navy under the protection of the Duke of Buckingham, as a Lieutenant, in 1678...
, which greatly aided his distinguished career. He was given command of HMS Britannia
HMS Britannia (1682)
HMS Britannia was a 100-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Phineas Pett II at Chatham Dockyard, and launched in 1682....
, flagship of Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell
Cloudesley Shovell
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudesley Shovell , was an English naval officer. Rising through the ranks and fighting in many of the important battles of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, he became a popular British hero, whose celebrated career was brought to an end in a disastrous shipwreck in...
, in 1703 knighted in 1705 and made an admiral in 1709. He was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from 1708 until his death. In 1707, Norris serving under Shovell, took part in the unsuccessful Battle of Toulon
Battle of Toulon (1707)
The Battle of Toulon was fought from July 29 to August 21, 1707 at Toulon, France during the War of the Spanish Succession. During the battle, a French and Spanish force defeated one from Austria, the Dutch Republic, Savoy and Great Britain....
. Sailing aboard his flagship HMS Torbay
HMS Torbay (1693)
HMS Torbay was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford Dockyard on 16 December 1693. In 1707, she served as flagship of Rear-Admiral of the Blue Sir John Norris and belonged to Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell's fleet...
, Norris was present during the great naval disaster off the Isles of Scilly
Scilly naval disaster of 1707
Scilly naval disaster of 1707 is an umbrella term for the events of 22 October 1707 that led to the sinking of a British naval fleet off the Isles of Scilly. With four large ships and more than 1,400 sailors lost in stormy weather, it was one of the greatest maritime disasters in the history of...
when Shovell and four of his ships were lost, claiming the lives of nearly 2,000 sailors.
Norris, whose nickname was "foul-weather Jack", saw a good deal of service during the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
under William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
. Under George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
he was sent several times with a fleet into the Baltic Sea
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...
to forward the king's policy by giving the northern nations some idea of the strength of Great Britain.
Baltic Operations
In 1715 he was sent with a fleet to the Baltic Sea, officially to protect the English merchandise, but in reality to pressure Sweden on account of Hannover, where George I was ElectorPrince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
. He fraternized in Reval with the Russians and got on friendly terms with tsar Peter
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
, who offered him command of the Russian navy. However, in October that year he returned to England. In May 1716 he was again sent to Nordic waters with orders to prevent a possible Swedish attempt by Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
interests to conquer Scotland. After some hassles and various meetings with Danish, Russian and other ships, he set sail back again in November that year.
In 1717 he again negotiated with tsar Peter, now in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, but without results. To the Baltic Sea he returned in 1718 with minor troops.
After the death of King Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
, negotiations between George I and Sweden were initiated, and John Norris was now commissioned to prevent Russian ravages on Sweden's east coast. By the time he got there, however, the Russians had already set back home, and Norris returned to England again.
He was sent on some further expeditions with the purpose of holding the Russians off Sweden's back, the last one in 1727.
In 1734 he became Admiral of the Fleet
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....
and commander-in-chief.
In 1739, Norris was one of many founding governors for a new charitable ventures in London, the Foundling Hospital
Foundling Hospital
The Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply...
, which sought to lessen the capital's problem of child abandonment
Child abandonment
Child abandonment is the practice of relinquishing interests and claims over one's offspring with the intent of never again resuming or reasserting them. Causes include many social and cultural factors as well as mental illness. An abandoned child is called a foundling .-Causes:Poverty is often a...
.
French Invasion
In 1744 he was given total control over the home defence to defend Britain from an imminent French Invasion. He was preparing for battle against the French fleet, when storms intervened, saving the smaller French force from a likely defeat - but also scattering the invasion transports, with heavy loss of life, thereby ending the immediate threat of invaion. Following this Norris retired from the navy later that year.Further reading
- J. F. Chance, George I and the northern war (1909).
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