Thomas Pye
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Pye was an officer of the Royal Navy
who served during the War of the Austrian Succession
, the Seven Years' War
, and the American War of Independence. He was briefly Member of Parliament
for Rochester
, and served as commander of several of the navy's principal stations and ports.
Born into a family with powerful political connections, Pye used these to rise rapidly through the ranks, and to receive employments in periods of peace. He commanded a number of ships during the War of the Austrian Succession, and was appointed commander-in-chief in the Leeward Islands
, but a fit of temper when he was superseded almost cost him his career. Charged with disobeying orders and other infractions, Pye returned to Britain, where he was able to use his connections, and the absence of the experienced naval officers, to ensure a lenient outcome to his court martial. Despite this he remained unemployed during the Seven Years' War, though he reached flag rank.
Pye did not receive active postings until the end of the Seven Year's War, when he commanded several of the navy's dockyards, and even returned to the Leeward Islands to take up his old post. A brief foray into politics proved lacklustre, he made no impact in parliament, and alienated his constituents. His position as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
during the American War of Independence brought the opportunity for rewards. The fleet was reviewed by the King
, and Pye received promotion and a knighthood. He retired after the end of the war and died two years later. He had conducted a long-running affair with the novelist Anna Maria Bennett
, and left two children by her, including a daughter who became the famous actress Harriet Pye Bennett.
House in Berkshire
(now Oxfordshire
) and his wife, Anne, daughter of Sir Benjamin Bathurst of Cirencester
in Gloucestershire
. He was the great grandson of Robert Pye
, the parliamentarian, and was uncle of Henry James Pye
, the poet laureate
. Through his mother, Pye was related to Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst
, a powerful politician who would use his influence to speed Pye's rise through the ranks. Pye passed his lieutenant's examination on 12 June 1734 and joined the 48-gun HMS Preston
, under Captain Charles Cotterell, on 18 April 1735 as her third lieutenant. His service was initially spent off the British coast, until transferring to the 60-gun , still under Cotterell, and moving to the Tagus
. He was then aboard the 60-gun , serving in the Mediterranean, before being promoted to his first command, that of the 24-gun , on 13 April 1741.
's fleet, and returned to the Mediterranean. Mathews sent Pye into the Adriatic Sea
to disrupt supplies being sent to the Spanish Army in Italy during the War of the Austrian Succession
. Pye was then appointed by Mathews to command the 80-gun in August 1744, and he remained in the Mediterranean after Mathews's recall, serving under Vice-Admiral Henry Medley
and providing support to the Austrian army off the south of France.
Pye returned to England in March 1748, and though the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
in October that year ended the war, he was able to use his connections to secure peacetime employment. He commanded first the 50-gun , which he took out to North America, and then the 44-gun , which he commissioned in April 1749 and sailed to the west coast of Africa. He took the 44-gun out to Nova Scotia
in June 1751, returning to Britain later that year, before being appointed to the 50-gun in February 1752 to become commander-in-chief in the Leeward Islands
.
Thomas Frankland
, arrived to supersede him in October 1755. Pye, reportedly angry at this, refused to strike his broad pennant, upon which Frankland reprimanded him for disobeying a superior officer. Frankland brought various other charges against Pye, accusing him of 'financial irregularities, interfering with the purchase of naval stores...', and with having damaged Advice by '...removing parts of her timbers for an unnecessary survey.' Claiming that he would not be able to receive a fair hearing in the Caribbean, Pye instead returned to Britain, causing a bureaucratic quandary as since he should have been tried there, the Admiralty
officials for a time did nothing. They eventually convened a court martial from 1 March to 4 March 1748, but the senior naval officers at the time, Lord Anson
and Edward Boscawen
were at sea and could not be present. Pye used his political connections again to his advantage, putting pressure on the civilian members of the board, and while he was duly reprimanded for the lesser charges Frankland brought, he was not charged with disobeying his superior.
on 5 July 1758, but received no active employment during the Seven Years' War
. He became commander-in-chief at Plymouth
in June 1763 during the subsequent peace, and was promoted to vice-admiral
on 21 October that year. He returned to his old post as commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands between 1766 and 1769, at first with the 32-gun as his flagship
, followed by the 50-gun . Pye briefly entered politics on returning to Britain, being elected to parliament as Member
for Rochester
on 9 May 1771. No records exist of him ever speaking in the House of Commons
, and he was defeated at the next general election
, on 7 October 1774, having apparently alienated his constituents.
Pye became commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
on 9 May 1771, a post he held for most of the American War of Independence in two periods of office. During the first he oversaw the fleet during King George III's
review at Spithead
on 22 June 1773. As a reward for his services Pye was knighted by the King on the deck of the Portsmouth guardship, the 98-gun , on 24 June 1773. At the same time the King ordered Pye promoted to admiral. Pye was replaced as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth on 18 May 1774, being succeeded by Sir James Douglas
, but resumed the command on 27 May 1777.
In his capacity as senior admiral he was president at the court martial of Admiral Augustus Keppel
, which was held at Portsmouth in January 1779. He tried to avoid the duty, pleading poor health, but was compelled to take part. Keppel was being investigated for his actions during the Battle of Ushant
, which had taken place on 27 July 1778. His subordinate, Admiral Hugh Palliser
had brought charges of misconduct and neglect of duty, which the court was compelled to examine. The court was convened aboard on 7 January, though the rest of the hearings were held at the house of the governor of the garrison. After deliberations, the court returned its verdict on 11 February, unanimously acquitting Keppel, with Pye returning his sword with the observation that '...you will be called forth by your Sovereign to draw it once more in the defence of your country.'
, the wife of Thomas Bennett, a customs officer. Thomas Bennett appears to have owed Pye a sizeable sum of money, which Pye forgave in his will, bequeathing his London residence to Anna Maria. Pye and Bennett appear to have at least two children together, Thomas Pye Bennet, and Harriet Pye Bennett, who went on to become a famous actress.
saying that the voters ‘had conceived an utter aversion to our Admiral Sir Thomas Pye, and I find they would have taken anybody who offered himself in preference to him’. He was known to junior officers as 'Goose Pye', while naval historian Nicholas Rodger
described him as ‘something of a naval grotesque who aroused mingled amusement and contempt’. Pye acknowledged his difficulty expressing himself, writing that 'I had the mortification to be neglected in my education, went to sea at 14 without any, and a man of war was my university.' His biographer Roger Knight
described him as 'not a typical mid-eighteenth-century naval officer.'
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...
who 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. He was briefly 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,...
for Rochester
Rochester (UK Parliament constituency)
Rochester was a parliamentary constituency in Kent. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
, and served as commander of several of the navy's principal stations and ports.
Born into a family with powerful political connections, Pye used these to rise rapidly through the ranks, and to receive employments in periods of peace. He commanded a number of ships during the War of the Austrian Succession, and was appointed commander-in-chief in the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, but a fit of temper when he was superseded almost cost him his career. Charged with disobeying orders and other infractions, Pye returned to Britain, where he was able to use his connections, and the absence of the experienced naval officers, to ensure a lenient outcome to his court martial. Despite this he remained unemployed during the Seven Years' War, though he reached flag rank.
Pye did not receive active postings until the end of the Seven Year's War, when he commanded several of the navy's dockyards, and even returned to the Leeward Islands to take up his old post. A brief foray into politics proved lacklustre, he made no impact in parliament, and alienated his constituents. His position as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
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,...
during the American War of Independence brought the opportunity for rewards. The fleet was reviewed by the King
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, and Pye received promotion and a knighthood. He retired after the end of the war and died two years later. He had conducted a long-running affair with the novelist Anna Maria Bennett
Anna Maria Bennett
Anna Maria Bennett was an English novelist. Some sources give her name as Agnes Maria Bennett.Her best-known work is the epistolary novel Agnes de-Courci .-Family:...
, and left two children by her, including a daughter who became the famous actress Harriet Pye Bennett.
Family and early life
Thomas Pye was born c. 1708/9, the second son of Henry Pye of FaringdonFaringdon
Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...
House 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...
(now Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
) and his wife, Anne, daughter of Sir Benjamin Bathurst of Cirencester
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. He was the great grandson of Robert Pye
Robert Pye
Sir Robert Pye was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1660. He fought on the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War....
, the parliamentarian, and was uncle of Henry James Pye
Henry James Pye
Henry James Pye was an English poet. Pye was Poet Laureate from 1790 until his death. He was the first poet laureate to receive a fixed salary of £27 instead of the historic tierce of Canary wine Henry James Pye (20 February 1745 – 11 August 1813) was an English poet. Pye was Poet Laureate...
, the poet laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
. Through his mother, Pye was related to Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst
Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst
Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst PC , known as the Lord Bathurst from 1712 to 1772, was a British politician....
, a powerful politician who would use his influence to speed Pye's rise through the ranks. Pye passed his lieutenant's examination on 12 June 1734 and joined the 48-gun HMS Preston
HMS Salisbury (1698)
HMS Salisbury was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Richard and James Herring at Baileys Hard on the Beaulieu River in Hampshire, England and launched on 18 April 1698....
, under Captain Charles Cotterell, on 18 April 1735 as her third lieutenant. His service was initially spent off the British coast, until transferring to the 60-gun , still under Cotterell, and moving to the Tagus
Tagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
. He was then aboard the 60-gun , serving in the Mediterranean, before being promoted to his first command, that of the 24-gun , on 13 April 1741.
First commands
He spent the rest of the year being stationed in British waters, after which he joined Admiral Thomas MathewsThomas Mathews
Thomas Mathews was a British officer of the Royal Navy, who rose to the rank of admiral.Mathews joined the navy in 1690 and saw service on a number of ships, including during the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. He interspersed periods spent commanding ships with time at home...
's fleet, and returned to the Mediterranean. Mathews sent Pye into the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
to disrupt supplies being sent to the Spanish Army in Italy 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...
. Pye was then appointed by Mathews to command the 80-gun in August 1744, and he remained in the Mediterranean after Mathews's recall, serving under Vice-Admiral Henry Medley
Henry Medley
Henry Medley was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served as Commodore Governor of Newfoundland.Medley entered the Royal Navy in 1703 and was appointed Governor of Newfoundland in 1739 and served for two seasons.Service history:...
and providing support to the Austrian army off the south of France.
Pye returned to England in March 1748, and though the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 ended the War of the Austrian Succession following a congress assembled at the Imperial Free City of Aachen—Aix-la-Chapelle in French—in the west of the Holy Roman Empire, on 24 April 1748...
in October that year ended the war, he was able to use his connections to secure peacetime employment. He commanded first the 50-gun , which he took out to North America, and then the 44-gun , which he commissioned in April 1749 and sailed to the west coast of Africa. He took the 44-gun out to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
in June 1751, returning to Britain later that year, before being appointed to the 50-gun in February 1752 to become commander-in-chief in the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
.
Disobeying orders and court martial
Pye was commander of the station until his replacement, CommodoreCommodore (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:...
Thomas Frankland
Sir Thomas Frankland, 5th Baronet
Admiral Sir Thomas Frankland, 5th Baronet was a British naval officer, MP and slave trader. He was the second son of Henry Frankland and Mary Cross...
, arrived to supersede him in October 1755. Pye, reportedly angry at this, refused to strike his broad pennant, upon which Frankland reprimanded him for disobeying a superior officer. Frankland brought various other charges against Pye, accusing him of 'financial irregularities, interfering with the purchase of naval stores...', and with having damaged Advice by '...removing parts of her timbers for an unnecessary survey.' Claiming that he would not be able to receive a fair hearing in the Caribbean, Pye instead returned to Britain, causing a bureaucratic quandary as since he should have been tried there, the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
officials for a time did nothing. They eventually convened a court martial from 1 March to 4 March 1748, but the senior naval officers at the time, Lord Anson
George Anson, 1st Baron Anson
Admiral of the Fleet George Anson, 1st Baron Anson PC, FRS, RN was a British admiral and a wealthy aristocrat, noted for his circumnavigation of the globe and his role overseeing the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War...
and 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...
were at sea and could not be present. Pye used his political connections again to his advantage, putting pressure on the civilian members of the board, and while he was duly reprimanded for the lesser charges Frankland brought, he was not charged with disobeying his superior.
Flag rank
Pye was promoted according to his seniority to rear-admiralRear Admiral (Royal Navy)
Rear Admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It is immediately superior to Commodore and is subordinate to Vice Admiral. It is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7....
on 5 July 1758, but received no active employment during 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...
. He became commander-in-chief at 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 June 1763 during the subsequent peace, and was promoted to vice-admiral
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
on 21 October that year. He returned to his old post as commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands between 1766 and 1769, at first with the 32-gun as his flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, followed by the 50-gun . Pye briefly entered politics on returning to Britain, being elected to parliament as Member
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,...
for Rochester
Rochester (UK Parliament constituency)
Rochester was a parliamentary constituency in Kent. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
on 9 May 1771. No records exist of him ever speaking in the House of Commons
House of Commons of Great Britain
The House of Commons of Great Britain was the lower house of the Parliament of Great Britain between 1707 and 1801. In 1707, as a result of the Acts of Union of that year, it replaced the House of Commons of England and the third estate of the Parliament of Scotland, as one of the most significant...
, and he was defeated at the next general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, on 7 October 1774, having apparently alienated his constituents.
Pye became commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
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,...
on 9 May 1771, a post he held for most of the American War of Independence in two periods of office. During the first he oversaw the fleet during King George III's
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
review 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...
on 22 June 1773. As a reward for his services Pye was knighted by the King on the deck of the Portsmouth guardship, the 98-gun , on 24 June 1773. At the same time the King ordered Pye promoted to admiral. Pye was replaced as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth on 18 May 1774, being succeeded by Sir James Douglas
Sir James Douglas, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir James Douglas, 1st Baronet naval officer and Commodore of Newfoundland.-Naval career:Douglas became a captain in the Royal Navy in 1744 In 1745 commanded the HMS Mermaid at Louisbourg and in 1746 he commanded the HMS Vigilante at Louisbourg. In 1746 was appointed Commodore of...
, but resumed the command on 27 May 1777.
Keppel's court martial
Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel
Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel PC was an officer of the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the War of American Independence...
, which was held at Portsmouth in January 1779. He tried to avoid the duty, pleading poor health, but was compelled to take part. Keppel was being investigated for his actions during the Battle of Ushant
Battle of Ushant (1778)
The Battle of Ushant took place on 27 July 1778, during the American War of Independence, fought between French and British fleets 100 miles west of Ushant, a French island at the mouth of the English Channel off the north-westernmost point of France...
, which had taken place on 27 July 1778. His subordinate, Admiral Hugh Palliser
Hugh Palliser
Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, 1st Baronet was an officer of the British Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War...
had brought charges of misconduct and neglect of duty, which the court was compelled to examine. The court was convened aboard on 7 January, though the rest of the hearings were held at the house of the governor of the garrison. After deliberations, the court returned its verdict on 11 February, unanimously acquitting Keppel, with Pye returning his sword with the observation that '...you will be called forth by your Sovereign to draw it once more in the defence of your country.'
Later life and family
Pye was made lieutenant-general of marines on 26 September 1780. He stepped down after the end of the American War of Independence, leaving his post as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth on 31 March 1783, and going into retirement. He died two years later, at his home on Suffolk Street, London, on 26 December 1785. He was survived by his daughter Mary. His wife had died in 1762, and for seventeen years he had carried out an affair with the novelist Anna Maria BennettAnna Maria Bennett
Anna Maria Bennett was an English novelist. Some sources give her name as Agnes Maria Bennett.Her best-known work is the epistolary novel Agnes de-Courci .-Family:...
, the wife of Thomas Bennett, a customs officer. Thomas Bennett appears to have owed Pye a sizeable sum of money, which Pye forgave in his will, bequeathing his London residence to Anna Maria. Pye and Bennett appear to have at least two children together, Thomas Pye Bennet, and Harriet Pye Bennett, who went on to become a famous actress.
Assessment
Pye's career was advanced through his political connections, rather than talent. His temper nearly cost him his career, while he managed to make himself so unpopular with his constituents while MP for Rochester that Philip Stephens, the Secretary to the Admiralty, wrote to Lord HardwickePhilip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke
Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke PC was an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor. He was a close confidant of the Duke of Newcastle, Prime Minister between 1754 and 1756 and 1757 until 1762....
saying that the voters ‘had conceived an utter aversion to our Admiral Sir Thomas Pye, and I find they would have taken anybody who offered himself in preference to him’. He was known to junior officers as 'Goose Pye', while naval historian Nicholas Rodger
Nicholas Rodger
Professor Nicholas Andrew Martin Rodger FBA is a historian of the British navy and Senior Research Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.-Life and academia:...
described him as ‘something of a naval grotesque who aroused mingled amusement and contempt’. Pye acknowledged his difficulty expressing himself, writing that 'I had the mortification to be neglected in my education, went to sea at 14 without any, and a man of war was my university.' His biographer Roger Knight
R. J. B. Knight
R. J. B. Knight is one of Britain's leading naval historians of the 18th century, a former Deputy Director of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, and author of a distinguished biography of Admiral Lord Nelson....
described him as 'not a typical mid-eighteenth-century naval officer.'