William Holburne (also known as William Holborne and William Holburn) was an officer 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...

.

William was the brother of Francis Holburne

Francis Holburne

Admiral Sir Francis Holburne was a Royal Navy officer who also served as a Member of Parliament.-Naval career:Francis entered the Navy in 1720 as a volunteer aboard , passing his examinations in 1725...

, a naval officer who rose to flag rank. William also entered the navy, and may have served aboard the 74-gun third rate , during her time with Admiral Sir Edward Hawke's

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...

 fleet at the Battle of Cape Finisterre

Second battle of Cape Finisterre (1747)

The Second Battle of Cape Finisterre was a naval battle which took place on 25 October 1747 during the War of the Austrian Succession...

.

Holburne was promoted to command a sloop

Sloop-of-war

In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...

 on 21 April 1747, and was further advanced to command HMS Prince Frederick

HMS Expedition (1679)

HMS Expedition was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1679.Expedition was rebuilt as a 70-gun third rate in 1699 at Chatham Dockyard. She was rebuilt for a second time as a 70-gun third rate to the 1706 Establishment at Portsmouth Dockyard,...

 on 15 April 1748. He was appointed to command HMS Ramillies

HMS Royal Katherine (1664)

HMS Royal Katherine was an 84-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched in 1664 at Woolwich Dockyard.In the Second Anglo-Dutch War she fought at the Battle of Lowestoft , the Four Days' Battle , and the St. James's Day Battle...

 in 1755, 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...

. Ramillies was part of a squadron commanded by William's brother, Commodore Francis Holburne. William took command of the 74-gun in 1755, and Francis shifted his pennant to her.

William Holburne took command of the 80-gun , which formed part of the expedition to Louisbourg

Louisbourg Expedition (1757)

The Louisbourg Expedition was a failed British attempt to capture the French fortress of Louisbourg on Île Royale during the Seven Years' War ....

 under his brother in 1757. He went to the Mediterranean in 1759, and served as part of Admiral Sir Edward Boscawen's

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...

 fleet at the Battle of Lagos

Battle of Lagos

The naval Battle of Lagos between Britain and France took place on August 19, 1759 during the Seven Years' War off the coasts of Spain and Portugal, and is named after Lagos, Portugal. For the British, it was part of the Annus Mirabilis of 1759.-Origins:...

. During the battle Boscawen's flagship, was badly damaged and un-manoeuvrable. Boscawen therefore shifted his flag to Holburne's Newark. Holburne did not command any more ships after Newark, and died on 1 April 1760.