Sir Francis Geary, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Geary was an officer of the Royal Navy
. He served during the War of the Austrian Succession
, the Seven Years' War
, and the American War of Independence, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral
.
in Ceredigion
but that moved to England shortly after his birth. He spent his early years at Areall Magna, near Wellington
, Shropshire
, and later at Cheddington
, Buckinghamshire
. Before joining the navy, he was a noted bellringer
, a member of the Ancient Society of College Youths
, he participated in several early, record-breaking peals at St Bride's Church
, Fleet Street
, London
. He entered the navy in 1727, serving as a volunteer aboard HMS Revenge
. He sailed with Revenge into the Baltic
, as part of a squadron under Admiral Sir John Norris. On her return to Britain Revenge was reassigned to sail with a fleet under Sir Charles Wager
that was despatched to relieve Gibraltar
. Geary spent the next fifteen years with the navy gradually progressing to midshipman, and then lieutenant.
, capturing a Spanish privateer
, and capturing and burning a Spanish armed ship. On 10 February 1743 he came across the Spanish chartered French merchant Pierre Joseph. The Pierre Joseph was carrying a valuable cargo of silver, cochineal
, indigo
, hides
and other goods. Geary boarded the vessel and took her as a prize. Geary then moved to command in early 1744, but was assigned to command on 17 February. He quickly departed on a cruise in company with , and on 20 February the two ships came across the French frigate Elephant, capturing her after a short battle. Geary took part in the capture of eight French merchants later in 1744, and took part in a court-martial
aboard in February 1745. He was then assigned to go to Louisbourg
and support Commodore Peter Warren's assault on the fortress
. He briefly participated, but was ordered home with despatches and so did not receive a share of the rewards.
Geary had by now secured a powerful patron, John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford
, who was then the First Lord of the Admiralty
, and through Russell's actions, Geary was appointed to command the 74-gun . He was sent to reinforce Rear-Admiral Edward Hawke
in the Bay of Biscay
in 1747, and spent the rest of the war
there, returning in 1748. He was then promoted to Commodore
and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the squadron in the Medway
, but relinquished the command in September that year. He married Mary Bartholomew that month and spent the peace in quiet retirement. He had purchased the estate of Polesden Lacey
in 1747.
The increase of tensions prior to the outbreak of the Seven Years' War
led to Geary's return to service in 1755. He was assigned to the 70-gun , and sailed to North America with Admiral Edward Boscawen
's fleet, returning in November. At the end of 1755 Geary received orders to join the Channel Squadron under Sir Edward Hawke. During the winter of 1756 and into early 1757 Geary was part of the court-martial of Admiral John Byng
. In April Geary aboard the Somerset, and in company with , captured a number of privateer
s. In February 1758 Geary was given command of , moving the following year to . He sailed Resolution as part of the fleet under Hawke, quickly being assigned to command a squadron of ten ships of the line
, two frigates and a fireship. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue on either 19 May or 5 June, and on 7 July moved his flag to the 90-gun . He moved again on 29 August to whilst the Sandwich underwent a refit, returning to Sandwich in late September.
Geary remained with Hawke, patrolling off the French coast, before returning with the fleet in November. The Sandwich had lost her main-mast in a storm, and was forced to remain in port as Hawke put to sea again. Geary was therefore unable to take part in Hawke's victory at Quiberon Bay
on 20 November. Geary spent the rest of 1759 and some of 1760 patrolling off Ushant
. After a stay in port, he put to sea again on 30 April to intercept a French squadron assembling at Rochefort
for a voyage to the East Indies
. He cruised off the port until it became clear the French had abandoned the expedition, on which he was ordered to rejoin Hawke. He returned to Britain in October and became Port Admiral at Spithead
, flying his flag aboard . He oversaw preparations for the expedition
against Belle Île
, and those for Sir George Pocock
's expedition against Cuba
.
. Increasing tensions with Spain led to his return to service and his promotion to Vice-Admiral of the Red on 17 October 1770. He retired again after the relieving of tensions led to a reduction in the navy. Though not on active service, he continued to rise through the ranks based on his seniority. He became Admiral of the Blue on 31 March 1775, and Admiral of the White on 29 January 1778. The death of Admiral Sir Charles Hardy
in May 1780 led to Geary being recalled to service, despite being in poor health. He hoisted his flag aboard the 100-gun first rate , with Richard Kempenfelt
as his flag captain
and took command of the Channel Fleet. Geary put to sea, patrolling off Brest
in the hope of preventing the joining of the French and Spanish fleets. Sails were sighted on 9 July, and Geary gave chase believing them to be one of the enemy fleets. It was found that they were instead an enemy merchant convoy. Geary engaged and captured twelve of the merchants, the rest escaping under cover of fog.
in 1776. Mary died on 28 August 1778. Geary's second son, William, inherited the baronetcy on his death.
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 served during the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, and the American War of Independence, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral
Admiral (United Kingdom)
Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet...
.
Family and early life
Geary was born in 1709 to a family that resided at AberystwythAberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
in Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
but that moved to England shortly after his birth. He spent his early years at Areall Magna, near Wellington
Wellington, Shropshire
Wellington is a town in the unitary authority of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England and now forms part of the new town of Telford. The population of the parish of Wellington was recorded as 20,430 in the 2001 census, making it the third largest town in Shropshire if...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, and later at Cheddington
Cheddington
Cheddington is a village and civil parish in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire. The parish has an area of . The village is about 5 miles north-east of Aylesbury and three miles north of Tring in Hertfordshire...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. Before joining the navy, he was a noted bellringer
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
, a member of the Ancient Society of College Youths
Ancient Society of College Youths
The Ancient Society of College Youths is the world's premier society of church bellringers, founded in 1637 and based in the City of London...
, he participated in several early, record-breaking peals at St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church is a church in the City of London, England. The building's most recent incarnation was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672 on Fleet Street in the City of London, though Wren's original building was largely gutted by fire during the London Blitz in 1940. Due to its location on...
, Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He entered the navy in 1727, serving as a volunteer aboard HMS Revenge
HMS Swiftsure (1673)
HMS Swiftsure was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Sir Anthony Deane at Harwich, and launched in 1673. By 1685 she had been reduced to a 66-gun ship.In 1692 she saw action at the Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue....
. He sailed with Revenge into 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...
, as part of a squadron under Admiral Sir John Norris. On her return to Britain Revenge was reassigned to sail with a fleet under Sir Charles Wager
Charles Wager
Sir Charles Wager was a British Admiral and First Lord of the Admiralty between 1733 and 1742.Despite heroic active service and steadfast administration and diplomatic service, Wager's reputation has suffered from a profoundly mistaken idea that the navy was then at a low ebb...
that was despatched to relieve Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. Geary spent the next fifteen years with the navy gradually progressing to midshipman, and then lieutenant.
First commands
Geary was promoted to command on 30 June 1742. He cruised off MadeiraMadeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
, capturing a Spanish privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
, and capturing and burning a Spanish armed ship. On 10 February 1743 he came across the Spanish chartered French merchant Pierre Joseph. The Pierre Joseph was carrying a valuable cargo of silver, cochineal
Cochineal
The cochineal is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the crimson-colour dye carmine is derived. A primarily sessile parasite native to tropical and subtropical South America and Mexico, this insect lives on cacti from the genus Opuntia, feeding on plant moisture and...
, indigo
Indigo dye
Indigo dye is an organic compound with a distinctive blue color . Historically, indigo was a natural dye extracted from plants, and this process was important economically because blue dyes were once rare. Nearly all indigo dye produced today — several thousand tons each year — is synthetic...
, hides
Hides
A hide is an animal skin treated for human use. Hides include leather from cattle and other livestock animals, alligator skins, snake skins for shoes and fashion accessories and furs from wild cats, mink and bears. In some areas, leather is produced on a domestic or small industrial scale, but most...
and other goods. Geary boarded the vessel and took her as a prize. Geary then moved to command in early 1744, but was assigned to command on 17 February. He quickly departed on a cruise in company with , and on 20 February the two ships came across the French frigate Elephant, capturing her after a short battle. Geary took part in the capture of eight French merchants later in 1744, and took part in a court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
aboard in February 1745. He was then assigned to go to Louisbourg
Fortress of Louisbourg
The Fortress of Louisbourg is a national historic site and the location of a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th century French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia...
and support Commodore Peter Warren's assault on the fortress
Siege of Louisbourg (1745)
The Siege of Louisbourg took place in 1745 when a New England colonial force aided by a British fleet captured Louisbourg, the capital of the French province of Île-Royale during the War of the Austrian Succession, known as King George's War in the British colonies.Although the Fortress of...
. He briefly participated, but was ordered home with despatches and so did not receive a share of the rewards.
Geary had by now secured a powerful patron, John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford
John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford
John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford KG, PC, FRS was an 18th century British statesman. He was the fourth son of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Howland of Streatham, Surrey...
, who was then the First Lord of the Admiralty
Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were the members of the Board of Admiralty, which exercised command over the Royal Navy.Officially known as the Commissioners for Exercising the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland &c. The Lords...
, and through Russell's actions, Geary was appointed to command the 74-gun . He was sent to reinforce Rear-Admiral Edward Hawke
Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke
Admiral of the Fleet Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke KB, PC was an officer of the Royal Navy. He is best remembered for his service during the Seven Years' War, particularly his victory over a French fleet at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759, preventing a French invasion of Britain...
in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
in 1747, and spent the rest of the war
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
there, returning in 1748. He was then promoted to Commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the squadron in the Medway
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
, but relinquished the command in September that year. He married Mary Bartholomew that month and spent the peace in quiet retirement. He had purchased the estate of Polesden Lacey
Polesden Lacey
Polesden Lacey is an Edwardian house and estate. It is located on the North Downs at Great Bookham, near Dorking, Surrey, England. It is owned and run by the National Trust and is one of the Trust's most popular properties....
in 1747.
Return to service
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
led to Geary's return to service in 1755. He was assigned to the 70-gun , and sailed to North America with Admiral Edward Boscawen
Edward Boscawen
Admiral Edward Boscawen, PC was an Admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament for the borough of Truro, Cornwall. He is known principally for his various naval commands throughout the 18th Century and the engagements that he won, including the Siege of Louisburg in 1758 and Battle of Lagos...
's fleet, returning in November. At the end of 1755 Geary received orders to join the Channel Squadron under Sir Edward Hawke. During the winter of 1756 and into early 1757 Geary was part of the court-martial of Admiral John Byng
John Byng
Admiral John Byng was a Royal Navy officer. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen he participated at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. Over the next thirty years he built up a reputation as a solid naval officer and received promotion to Vice-Admiral in 1747...
. In April Geary aboard the Somerset, and in company with , captured a number of privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
s. In February 1758 Geary was given command of , moving the following year to . He sailed Resolution as part of the fleet under Hawke, quickly being assigned to command a squadron of ten ships of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
, two frigates and a fireship. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue on either 19 May or 5 June, and on 7 July moved his flag to the 90-gun . He moved again on 29 August to whilst the Sandwich underwent a refit, returning to Sandwich in late September.
Geary remained with Hawke, patrolling off the French coast, before returning with the fleet in November. The Sandwich had lost her main-mast in a storm, and was forced to remain in port as Hawke put to sea again. Geary was therefore unable to take part in Hawke's victory at Quiberon Bay
Battle of Quiberon Bay
The naval Battle of Quiberon Bay took place on 20 November 1759 during the Seven Years' War in Quiberon Bay, off the coast of France near St. Nazaire...
on 20 November. Geary spent the rest of 1759 and some of 1760 patrolling off Ushant
Ushant
Ushant is an island at the south-western end of the English Channel which marks the north-westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany and is in the traditional region of Bro-Leon. Administratively, Ushant is a commune in the Finistère department...
. After a stay in port, he put to sea again on 30 April to intercept a French squadron assembling at Rochefort
Rochefort, Charente-Maritime
Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...
for a voyage to the East Indies
East 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...
. He cruised off the port until it became clear the French had abandoned the expedition, on which he was ordered to rejoin Hawke. He returned to Britain in October and became Port Admiral at Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
, flying his flag aboard . He oversaw preparations for the expedition
Capture of Belle Île
The Capture of Belle Île was a British amphibious expedition to capture the French island of Belle Île off the Brittany Coast in 1761, during the Seven Years War. After an initial British attack was repulsed, a second attempt under General Studholme Hodgson forced a beachhead...
against Belle Île
Belle Île
Belle-Île or Belle-Île-en-Mer is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the département of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is 14 km from the Quiberon peninsula.Administratively, the island forms a canton: the canton of Belle-Île...
, and those for Sir George Pocock
George Pocock
Sir George Pocock, KB was a British officer of the Royal Navy. He rose to the rank of admiral.Pocock was from Chieveley in Berkshire, the son of Thomas Pocock, a chaplain in the navy. George Pocock entered the navy in 1718, serving aboard under the patronage of his maternal uncle, Captain...
's expedition against Cuba
British expedition against Cuba
The Battle of Havana was a military action from March to August 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War. British forces besieged and captured the city of Havana, which at the time was an important Spanish naval base in the Caribbean, and dealt a serious blow to the Spanish navy...
.
Further advances
Geary was promoted to Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 21 October 1762. He remained at Spithead, with a brief period in command at the Nore, until the peace in 1763 ended the war. He struck his flag and entered another period of retirement until November 1769, when he became Commander-in-Chief, PortsmouthCommander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
. Increasing tensions with Spain led to his return to service and his promotion to Vice-Admiral of the Red on 17 October 1770. He retired again after the relieving of tensions led to a reduction in the navy. Though not on active service, he continued to rise through the ranks based on his seniority. He became Admiral of the Blue on 31 March 1775, and Admiral of the White on 29 January 1778. The death of Admiral Sir Charles Hardy
Charles Hardy
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Hardy was a Royal Navy officer and colonial governor of New York.-Early career:Born at Portsmouth, the son of a vice admiral, Charles Hardy joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer in 1731....
in May 1780 led to Geary being recalled to service, despite being in poor health. He hoisted his flag aboard the 100-gun first rate , with Richard Kempenfelt
Richard Kempenfelt
Richard Kempenfelt was a British rear-admiral who gained a reputation as a naval innovator. He is best known for his victory against the French at the Second Battle of Ushant and for his death when the HMS Royal George accidentally sank at Portsmouth the following year.He was born at Westminster...
as his flag captain
Flag captain
In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First Captain", with the "flag captain" as the ship's...
and took command of the Channel Fleet. Geary put to sea, patrolling off Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
in the hope of preventing the joining of the French and Spanish fleets. Sails were sighted on 9 July, and Geary gave chase believing them to be one of the enemy fleets. It was found that they were instead an enemy merchant convoy. Geary engaged and captured twelve of the merchants, the rest escaping under cover of fog.
Retirement and death
Geary returned to port in August, but was taken ill and returned to Polesden Lacey. Feeling himself unfit to retain command, he requested and received permission to resign. He was created a baronet on 3 August 1782, and died at the age of 86 on 7 February 1796.Family and personal life
Geary married Mary Bartholomew in 1747. The marriage produced two sons and three daughters. His eldest son, also named Francis, joined the army. He became a Cornet, but was killed in North America in an ambushAmbush of Geary
The Ambush of Geary was a skirmish of the American Revolutionary War fought on December 14, 1776 near Ringoes in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey...
in 1776. Mary died on 28 August 1778. Geary's second son, William, inherited the baronetcy on his death.