William Dowell (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir William Montagu Dowell GCB
(2 August 1825 – 27 December 1912) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
.
in 1839. He served in the Black Sea
during the Crimean War
. He was given command of HMS Hornet
and HMS Barrosa and, in the latter ship, took part in the Bombardment of Shimonoseki in 1863. Later he commanded HMS Euryalus
, HMS Topaze
and then HMS Leander. He was made Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station
in 1867 before taking command of HMS Hercules
in 1871.
He became Second-in-Command of the Channel Squadron
in 1877, Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland in 1878, Commander-in-Chief, Channel Squadron
in 1882, Commander-in-Chief, China Station
in 1884 and Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
in 1888. He retired in 1890.
In retirement he became President of the Royal British Female Orphan Asylum in Plymouth
.
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...
(2 August 1825 – 27 December 1912) was a 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...
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, 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,...
.
Naval career
Dowell joined the Royal NavyRoyal 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...
in 1839. He served 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...
during 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...
. He was given command of HMS Hornet
HMS Hornet (1854)
HMS Hornet was a 17-gun wooden screw sloop of the Cruizer class of the Royal Navy, launched in 1854 and broken up in 1868.-Construction:...
and HMS Barrosa and, in the latter ship, took part in the Bombardment of Shimonoseki in 1863. Later he commanded HMS Euryalus
HMS Euryalus (1853)
HMS Euryalus was a fourth-rate wooden-hulled screw frigate of the Royal Navy, with a 400HP steam engine that could make over 12 knots. She was launched at Chatham in 1853, was 212 feet long, displaced 3125 tons and had a complement of 515...
, HMS Topaze
HMS Topaze (1858)
HMS Topaze was a 24-gun Liffey class wooden screw frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 12 May 1858, at Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth. Her crew assisted in the building of the Race Rocks Lighthouse in British Columbia, Canada, and laid a bronze tablet in 1863 at the Juan Fernández Islands...
and then HMS Leander. He was made Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station
Cape of Good Hope Station
The Cape of Good Hope Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope....
in 1867 before taking command of HMS Hercules
HMS Hercules (1868)
HMS Hercules was a central-battery ironclad of the Royal Navy in the Victorian era, and was the first warship to mount a main armament of calibre guns....
in 1871.
He became Second-in-Command 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...
in 1877, Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland in 1878, Commander-in-Chief, 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...
in 1882, Commander-in-Chief, China Station
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
in 1884 and Commander-in-Chief, 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 1888. He retired in 1890.
In retirement he became President of the Royal British Female Orphan Asylum in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
.