Lord Walter Kerr
Encyclopedia
Admiral of the Fleet
, Lord Walter Talbot Kerr, GCB
, PC (28 September 1839 – 12 May 1927) was the British First Naval Lord
from 1899 to 1904.
, Midlothian
, on 28 September 1839, the fourth son of the 7th Marquess of Lothian
(1794–1841), and his wife, the former Lady Cecil Talbot (1808–1877).
Kerr was educated at Radley College
from 1851 to 1853, when he joined the Prince Regent as a naval cadet. During the Baltic operations of the Crimean War
(1854–5) he served in the Neptune and Cornwallis and was promoted Midshipman
in August 1855. The next year he was appointed to the frigate Shannon
on the China
station.
On the outbreak of the Indian mutiny in 1857 the Shannon was ordered to Calcutta, and he landed with most of his ship's company as a naval brigade
. Kerr was wounded in an action near Cawnpore, and was given an independent command at the siege and capture of Lucknow
. For this service he was specially rated mate for the rest of the Shannons commission, and in the following year served for a few months in the same rank in the royal yacht Victoria and Albert, and was promoted Lieutenant
in September 1859.
and Cape station, for another three years. He was promoted commander in 1868 and served in the Hercules, channel squadron, until 1871, and afterwards in the Lord Warden, until promotion to captain in November 1872. While in the Hercules he was awarded the Royal Humane Society's silver medal for jumping overboard from a height of 30 feet into the Tagus to rescue a man who had fallen from the rigging.
During his first eleven years on the captains' list, four of them on half pay, Kerr's principal commands were as flag-captain to Sir Beauchamp Seymour
(afterwards Lord Alcester) in the channel squadron (1874–7), and in the Mediterranean (1880–81). In September 1880 he was sent by Seymour (who commanded the combined fleet of the five naval powers assembled to enforce, under the terms of the treaty of Berlin, the surrender of Ulcinj
to Montenegro
by Turkey
) on a special mission to Rıza Pasha, the Turkish governor of Albania
. He then had a shore appointment as captain of the Medway steam reserve until 1885, when Lord George Hamilton
, on becoming first lord of the Admiralty in Lord Salisbury
's Conservative government, appointed him his naval private secretary.
Kerr retained this appointment at the Admiralty until nearly a year after his promotion to Rear Admiral
in January 1889. He then hoisted his flag in the Trafalgar, as second in command in the Mediterranean until 1892, when he returned to the Admiralty as Junior Naval lord
. In November 1893 Kerr became Second Naval Lord
.
in February 1895 and in May 1895 Kerr was appointed commander of the Channel Squadron
, with his flag in the Majestic, for two years. In June 1895 he took part with his squadron in the celebration of the opening of the Kiel Canal. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp
to Queen Victoria and a member of the Privy Council
. In 1899 he was briefly Second Naval Lord again before being made First Naval Lord
, the professional head of the Royal Navy
. He was promoted Admiral
in March 1900 and by a special order in council he was then promoted Admiral of the Fleet
in June 1904, until Trafalgar day (21 October) of that year, when Selborne
brought Fisher back from Portsmouth to succeed him as First Naval Lord. He remained on half pay until he retired on account of age in September 1909.
He was president of the Catholic Union of Great Britain from 1917 to 1921. After his retirement Kerr resided at Melbourne Hall
, Derby
, and died there on 12 May 1927. A funeral service was held on 17 May at St David's, Dalkeith
.
. They had four sons and two daughters. Kerr's grandson was Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian
. Melbourne House has been retained by the family and currently belongs to the Lord Ralph Kerr, younger brother of the 13th Marquess, and heir presumptive to the Marquessate.
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....
, Lord Walter Talbot Kerr, 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...
, PC (28 September 1839 – 12 May 1927) was the British 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...
from 1899 to 1904.
Early Life and Indian Mutiny
He was born at Newbattle AbbeyNewbattle Abbey
Newbattle Abbey was a Cistercian monastery near the village of Newbattle in Midlothian, Scotland, which has subsequently become a stately home and then an educational institution.-Monastery:...
, Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, on 28 September 1839, the fourth son of the 7th Marquess of Lothian
John Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian
John William Robert Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian PC , styled Lord Newbottle until 1815 and Earl of Ancram from 1815 to 1824, was a Scottish Tory politician...
(1794–1841), and his wife, the former Lady Cecil Talbot (1808–1877).
Kerr was educated at Radley College
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
from 1851 to 1853, when he joined the Prince Regent as a naval cadet. During the Baltic operations of 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...
(1854–5) he served in the Neptune and Cornwallis and was promoted Midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in August 1855. The next year he was appointed to the frigate Shannon
HMS Shannon (1855)
HMS Shannon was a Liffey-class steam frigate of the Royal Navy.She was originally ordered as a sail driven Leander-class frigate,. but was re-ordered as screw frigate on 4 April 1851. She was built at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched on 24 November 1855...
on the 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...
station.
On the outbreak of the Indian mutiny in 1857 the Shannon was ordered to Calcutta, and he landed with most of his ship's company as a 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...
. Kerr was wounded in an action near Cawnpore, and was given an independent command at the siege and capture of Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
. For this service he was specially rated mate for the rest of the Shannons commission, and in the following year served for a few months in the same rank in the royal yacht Victoria and Albert, and was promoted Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in September 1859.
1860 to 1894
In 1860 he was appointed to the Emerald for three years' service in the channel, and in 1864 he went to the Princess Royal, flagship on the East IndiesEast Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
and Cape station, for another three years. He was promoted commander in 1868 and served in the Hercules, channel squadron, until 1871, and afterwards in the Lord Warden, until promotion to captain in November 1872. While in the Hercules he was awarded the Royal Humane Society's silver medal for jumping overboard from a height of 30 feet into the Tagus to rescue a man who had fallen from the rigging.
During his first eleven years on the captains' list, four of them on half pay, Kerr's principal commands were as flag-captain to Sir Beauchamp Seymour
Frederick Seymour, 1st Baron Alcester
Admiral Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour, 1st Baron Alcester, GCB was a British naval commander. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet between 1874 and 1877 and of the Mediterranean Fleet between 1880 and 1883....
(afterwards Lord Alcester) in the channel squadron (1874–7), and in the Mediterranean (1880–81). In September 1880 he was sent by Seymour (who commanded the combined fleet of the five naval powers assembled to enforce, under the terms of the treaty of Berlin, the surrender of Ulcinj
Ulcinj
Ulcinj is a coastal resort town and municipality in Montenegro. The town of Ulcinj has a population of 10,828 of which the majority are Albanians...
to Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
by Turkey
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
) on a special mission to Rıza Pasha, the Turkish governor of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. He then had a shore appointment as captain of the Medway steam reserve until 1885, when Lord George Hamilton
Lord George Hamilton
Lord George Francis Hamilton GCSI, PC, JP was a British Conservative Party politician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Background:...
, on becoming first lord of the Admiralty in Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
's Conservative government, appointed him his naval private secretary.
Kerr retained this appointment at the Admiralty until nearly a year after his promotion to Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in January 1889. He then hoisted his flag in the Trafalgar, as second in command in the Mediterranean until 1892, when he returned to the Admiralty as Junior Naval lord
Fourth Sea Lord
The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.-History:...
. In November 1893 Kerr became Second Naval Lord
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
.
1894 to 1927
He was promoted Vice AdmiralVice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
in February 1895 and in May 1895 Kerr was appointed commander of the Channel Squadron
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
, with his flag in the Majestic, for two years. In June 1895 he took part with his squadron in the celebration of the opening of the Kiel Canal. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp
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...
to Queen Victoria and a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. In 1899 he was briefly Second Naval Lord again before being made 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...
, the professional head of the 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...
. He was promoted 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"...
in March 1900 and by a special order in council he was then promoted 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....
in June 1904, until Trafalgar day (21 October) of that year, when Selborne
William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne
William Waldegrave Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne KG, GCMG, PC , styled Viscount Wolmer between 1882 and 1895, was a British politician and colonial administrator.-Background and education:...
brought Fisher back from Portsmouth to succeed him as First Naval Lord. He remained on half pay until he retired on account of age in September 1909.
He was president of the Catholic Union of Great Britain from 1917 to 1921. After his retirement Kerr resided at Melbourne Hall
Melbourne Hall
Melbourne Hall, Derbyshire, England was once the seat of the Victorian Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, and thus is the ultimate origin for the naming of Melbourne, Australia. The house is now the seat of Lord Ralph Kerr and Lady Kerr and is open to the public...
, Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, and died there on 12 May 1927. A funeral service was held on 17 May at St David's, Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
.
Family
In 1873 he married Lady Amabel Cowper, the youngest daughter of George Augustus Frederick Cowper, 6th Earl CowperGeorge Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper
George Augustus Frederick Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper , styled Viscount Fordwich until 1837, was a British Whig politician...
. They had four sons and two daughters. Kerr's grandson was Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian
Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian
Peter Francis Walter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian, KCVO was a British peer, politician and landowner....
. Melbourne House has been retained by the family and currently belongs to the Lord Ralph Kerr, younger brother of the 13th Marquess, and heir presumptive to the Marquessate.