Sir Thomas Sabine Pasley, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Thomas Sabine Pasley, 2nd Baronet KCB
(1804–1884) was an officer of the British Royal Navy
during the nineteenth century who never saw action but served across the globe in numerous positions. A career officer, Pasley inherited his grandfather Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet
's title aged only four and spent much of his career in shore appointments as he paid for and cared for his large family.
He was the son of Major John Sabine of the Grenadier Guards
and Maria Pasley, daughter of admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet
, a long-serving officer who had lost a leg at the Glorious First of June
. As Pasley had no male heirs, his baronetcy would have become extinct but for an act of parliament permitting the title to fall to his grandson on his death. When Pasley senior died in 1808, his four year old grandson became Sir Thomas and added the Pasley to his surname.
Young Pasley was schooled at Dr. Pearson's School in East Sheen
and subsequently Burnfoot School in Durham
. In 1817, aged 14, Pasley attended the Royal Naval Academy
and the following year joined Sir Thomas Fremantle's ship HMS Rochefort as a midshipman
under the patronage of his relation Pulteney Malcolm
. The ship was later commanded by Sir Graham More. In 1823, Pasley moved to the brig
HMS Redpole and later HMS Arachne. In 1824 he was promoted to lieutenant
and joined HMS Tweed
for service off the Brazil
ian Coast.
Returning in 1826, Pasley married Jane Matilda Lily Wynyard and the couple would ultimately have seven sons and two daughters, putting great financial strain on Pasley and once his sons entered the Navy, forcing him to provide patronage for all of them by doing favours for other officers. As a result his career would stalemate. In 1828, Pasley was promoted to commander and he joined HMS Cameleon and HMS Procris in command. As acting captain he also commanded the frigates HMS Rattlesnake
and HMS Blonde
.
Pasley was made full captain in 1831, and spent several years on the Brazilian station in HMS Curacoa. In 1848, after a period of unemployment he took over Pembroke Dockyard and in 1856 he was made rear-admiral and commanded HMS Royal Albert and HMS Agamemnon
in the Black Sea
at the end of the Crimean War
. On his return in 1859 Pasley commanded Devonport Dockyard
and in 1866 became commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
. His lengthy shore commands were the result of the pressures maintaining his large family placed him under.
In 1869, Pasley retired as a full admiral and in 1873 was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. He died in 1884 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his grandson Thomas Edward Sabine Pasley, his eldest son having died in 1870. He was buried in Shedfield Chuchyard.
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...
(1804–1884) was an officer of the British 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...
during the nineteenth century who never saw action but served across the globe in numerous positions. A career officer, Pasley inherited his grandfather Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet was a senior and highly-experienced British Royal Navy officer of the eighteenth century, who served with distinction at numerous actions of the Seven Years War, American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary Wars...
's title aged only four and spent much of his career in shore appointments as he paid for and cared for his large family.
He was the son of Major John Sabine of the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
and Maria Pasley, daughter of admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet was a senior and highly-experienced British Royal Navy officer of the eighteenth century, who served with distinction at numerous actions of the Seven Years War, American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary Wars...
, a long-serving officer who had lost a leg at the Glorious First of June
Glorious First of June
The Glorious First of June [Note A] of 1794 was the first and largest fleet action of the naval conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the First French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars...
. As Pasley had no male heirs, his baronetcy would have become extinct but for an act of parliament permitting the title to fall to his grandson on his death. When Pasley senior died in 1808, his four year old grandson became Sir Thomas and added the Pasley to his surname.
Young Pasley was schooled at Dr. Pearson's School in East Sheen
East Sheen
East Sheen, also known as 'Sheen', is an affluent suburb of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It forms part of the London post town in the SW postcode area....
and subsequently Burnfoot School in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
. In 1817, aged 14, Pasley attended the Royal 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...
and the following year joined Sir Thomas Fremantle's ship HMS Rochefort as a 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...
under the patronage of his relation Pulteney Malcolm
Pulteney Malcolm
Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm GCB GCMG was a British naval officer. He was born at Douglan, near Langholm, Scotland, on 20 February 1768, the third son of George Malcolm of Burnfoot, Langholm, in Dumfriesshire, and his wife Margaret, the sister of Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley...
. The ship was later commanded by Sir Graham More. In 1823, Pasley moved to the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
HMS Redpole and later HMS Arachne. In 1824 he was promoted to 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...
and joined HMS Tweed
HMS Tweed
HMS Tweed may refer to several Royal Navy ships, including:*HMS Tweed *HMS Tweed was a 28-gun Sixth Rate frigate built in 1823 at Portsmouth and sold in 1852.*HMS Tweed , torpedo gunboat...
for service off the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Coast.
Returning in 1826, Pasley married Jane Matilda Lily Wynyard and the couple would ultimately have seven sons and two daughters, putting great financial strain on Pasley and once his sons entered the Navy, forcing him to provide patronage for all of them by doing favours for other officers. As a result his career would stalemate. In 1828, Pasley was promoted to commander and he joined HMS Cameleon and HMS Procris in command. As acting captain he also commanded the frigates HMS Rattlesnake
HMS Rattlesnake (1822)
HMS Rattlesnake was an Atholl-class 28-gun sixth-rate corvette of the Royal Navy launched in 1822. She made a historic voyage of discovery to the Cape York and Torres Strait areas of northern Australia.-Construction:...
and HMS Blonde
HMS Blonde (1819)
HMS Blonde was a 46-gun modified Apollo-class fifth-rate frigate of 1,103 tons burthen. She undertook an important voyage to the Pacific in 1824...
.
Pasley was made full captain in 1831, and spent several years on the Brazilian station in HMS Curacoa. In 1848, after a period of unemployment he took over Pembroke Dockyard and in 1856 he was made rear-admiral and commanded HMS Royal Albert and HMS Agamemnon
HMS Agamemnon (1852)
HMS Agamemnon was a Royal Navy 91-gun battleship ordered by the Admiralty in 1849 in response to the perceived threat from France by their possession of ships of the Napoléon class...
in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
at the end 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...
. On his return in 1859 Pasley commanded Devonport Dockyard
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 1866 became commander-in-chief at 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...
. His lengthy shore commands were the result of the pressures maintaining his large family placed him under.
In 1869, Pasley retired as a full admiral and in 1873 was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. He died in 1884 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his grandson Thomas Edward Sabine Pasley, his eldest son having died in 1870. He was buried in Shedfield Chuchyard.