William Young (1761–1847)
Encyclopedia
William Young was an officer of the Royal Navy
who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary
and Napoleonic Wars
.
He served on several ships during the American War of Independence, rising steadily through the ranks. With the outbreak of war with Revolutionary France he was first engaged in recruiting seamen for the service, after which he became involved in the transport and logistics side of naval warfare, which was to remain his forte for the rest of his career. His service in the West Indies, in home waters and in the Mediterranean brought him to the attention of influential army and navy leaders, who helped him to find postings and be promoted. He mixed with royalty, garnering accolades for his services, and enjoyed the friendship of kings and dukes. Advanced to flag rank
in the years after the end of the war, he fathered a large family, and died in 1847 after seventy years of naval service, and with the rank of Vice-Admiral of the blue.
, Scotland
on 27 August 1761, the second son of David Young. William Young entered the navy on 16 May 1777 as an able seaman aboard the 50-gun , under Captain Thomas Dumaresq. The Portland was at this time the flagship
of Vice-Admiral James Young, commanding in the Leeward Islands
. Young was advanced to midshipman
during his time on the Portland, and moved to the tender
to the 32-gun . Here he participated in the capture of over 50 vessels, including several privateer
s of superior force. Young was then briefly aboard the 74-gun , based at Chatham
under Captain Hugh Dalrymple, before returning to his old captain, Thomas Dumaresq, in May 1779 as master's mate aboard , a frigate armed en flûte
and serving in home waters and in the West Indies.
After leaving the Ulysses, Young served aboard the 64-gun , the flagship of Sir Peter Parker
at Jamaica
, before being promoted to an acting-lieutenancy on 5 February 1781 abo. He went on to serve aboard , carrying the flag of Rear-Admiral Joshua Rowley
, and then aboard the 32-gun under Captains the Honourable Thomas Windsor, Robert Montagu, and George Stoney. During this time he was sent to Jamaica in charge of a Spanish privateer captured near St. Domingo, and in February 1783 took part in a short action in which Fox captured the Spanish frigate Santa Catalina, with the loss of four men killed and one wounded aboard Fox.
, and in December 1794 he joined the navy's Transport department. He was the Principal Agent overseeing the embarking of the troops and civilians during the evacuation of Port-au-Prince
in May 1798, where his services brought him to the attention of Brigadier-General Thomas Maitland. Maitland recommended he be promoted to Acting-Commander, and Young received confirmation of the promotion on 3 July 1799. In October he was put in charge of the transports in the Downs
and Ramsgate
and took them to the Texel
, after which, in July 1800 he oversaw the embarkation of troops for the expedition to Ferrol, which he accompanied as Principal Agent. Young was appointed by Lord Keith to serve on his flagship, , on 17 November 1800. He was made captain of the fleet
and given the task of overseeing the details of the shipping assembled at Port Mahon for the expedition to Egypt. Young went to Egypt with the expeditionary force, but became ill with repeated bilious attacks and was forced to return to Britain in June 1801.
His service in the Mediterranean was noticed and praised by Sir Ralph Abercromby
and Lord Keith, and on their recommendations Young was advanced to Post-rank on 29 April 1802. He was presented with the gold medal of the Turkish Order of the Crescent
and received a gold-hilted sword from the masters of the ships of the expedition.
by Lord St. Vincent
to provide an escort to the Dukes of Cambridge
and Gloucester
. He was then employed under Rear-Admiral James Hawkins-Whitshed in fitting out gun-vessels at Dublin, embarking troops at Cork
, and establishing signal-posts on the south-west coast of Ireland, in preparation for a threatened French invasion. In October 1805 Young became the Inspecting Agent for Transports on the Thames
, a post he held for the next 25 years, until his retirement in February 1830. During his time in the post he became friends with King William IV
, and the Dukes of York
, Kent, Cambridge
and Gloucester
. On his retirement the different Transport-Lieutenants who had served under him presented him with a silver vase.
in October 1809. His second son, George Frederick Young
, was MP
for Tynemouth and North Shields
between 1832 and 1837. Young died at Denmark Hill
, Camberwell
, Surrey
on 11 February 1847, after spending 70 years in the 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...
who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
He served on several ships during the American War of Independence, rising steadily through the ranks. With the outbreak of war with Revolutionary France he was first engaged in recruiting seamen for the service, after which he became involved in the transport and logistics side of naval warfare, which was to remain his forte for the rest of his career. His service in the West Indies, in home waters and in the Mediterranean brought him to the attention of influential army and navy leaders, who helped him to find postings and be promoted. He mixed with royalty, garnering accolades for his services, and enjoyed the friendship of kings and dukes. Advanced to flag rank
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
in the years after the end of the war, he fathered a large family, and died in 1847 after seventy years of naval service, and with the rank of Vice-Admiral of the blue.
Family and early life
Young was born in BorrowstonessBo'ness
Bo'ness, properly Borrowstounness, is a coastal town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on a hillside on the south bank of the Firth of Forth within the Falkirk council area, north-west of Edinburgh and east of Falkirk. At the 2001 census, Bo'ness had a resident population of 13,961...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on 27 August 1761, the second son of David Young. William Young entered the navy on 16 May 1777 as an able seaman aboard the 50-gun , under Captain Thomas Dumaresq. The Portland was at this time the 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...
of Vice-Admiral James Young, commanding 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...
. Young was advanced to 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...
during his time on the Portland, and moved to the tender
Ship's tender
A ship's tender, usually referred to as a tender, is a boat, or a larger ship used to service a ship, generally by transporting people and/or supplies to and from shore or another ship...
to the 32-gun . Here he participated in the capture of over 50 vessels, including several 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 of superior force. Young was then briefly aboard the 74-gun , based at Chatham
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
under Captain Hugh Dalrymple, before returning to his old captain, Thomas Dumaresq, in May 1779 as master's mate aboard , a frigate armed en flûte
En flûte
Arming a ship en flûte means removing some or all of the artillery. Since ships have a limited amount of cargo space, they may be armed en flûte to make room for other cargo, such as troops and ammunition...
and serving in home waters and in the West Indies.
After leaving the Ulysses, Young served aboard the 64-gun , the flagship of Sir Peter Parker
Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet was a British naval officer.-Naval career:Peter Parker was born probably in Ireland. He became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1743 and captain in 1747. In 1761, he took command of HMS Buckingham and helped cover operations on Belle Île...
at Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, before being promoted to an acting-lieutenancy on 5 February 1781 abo. He went on to serve aboard , carrying the flag of Rear-Admiral Joshua Rowley
Sir Joshua Rowley, 1st Baronet
Vice-Admiral Sir Joshua Rowley was the eldest son of Admiral Sir William Rowley. Sir Joshua was probably born on 1 May 1730 at the family home of Tendring Hall in Suffolk. Rowley served with distinction in a number of battles throughout his career and was highly praised by his contemporaries...
, and then aboard the 32-gun under Captains the Honourable Thomas Windsor, Robert Montagu, and George Stoney. During this time he was sent to Jamaica in charge of a Spanish privateer captured near St. Domingo, and in February 1783 took part in a short action in which Fox captured the Spanish frigate Santa Catalina, with the loss of four men killed and one wounded aboard Fox.
French Revolutionary Wars
With the outbreak of war with Revolutionary France, Young was at first engaged in raising upwards of 1000 seamen through voluntary subscriptions from the merchants, bankers, and others of the city of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, and in December 1794 he joined the navy's Transport department. He was the Principal Agent overseeing the embarking of the troops and civilians during the evacuation of Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
in May 1798, where his services brought him to the attention of Brigadier-General Thomas Maitland. Maitland recommended he be promoted to Acting-Commander, and Young received confirmation of the promotion on 3 July 1799. In October he was put in charge of the transports in the Downs
The Downs
The Downs are a roadstead or area of sea in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast, between the North and the South Foreland in southern England. In 1639 the Battle of the Downs took place here, when the Dutch navy destroyed a Spanish fleet which had sought refuge...
and Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
and took them to the Texel
Texel
Texel is a municipality and an island in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the biggest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea, and also the westernmost of this archipelago, which extends to Denmark...
, after which, in July 1800 he oversaw the embarkation of troops for the expedition to Ferrol, which he accompanied as Principal Agent. Young was appointed by Lord Keith to serve on his flagship, , on 17 November 1800. He was made captain of the fleet
Captain of the fleet
In the Royal Navy of the 18th and 19th centuries a Captain of the Fleet could be appointed to assist an admiral when the admiral had ten or more ships to command....
and given the task of overseeing the details of the shipping assembled at Port Mahon for the expedition to Egypt. Young went to Egypt with the expeditionary force, but became ill with repeated bilious attacks and was forced to return to Britain in June 1801.
His service in the Mediterranean was noticed and praised by Sir Ralph Abercromby
Ralph Abercromby
Sir Ralph Abercromby was a Scottish soldier and politician. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in the British Army, was noted for his services during the Napoleonic Wars, and served as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland.He twice served as MP for Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire, and was...
and Lord Keith, and on their recommendations Young was advanced to Post-rank on 29 April 1802. He was presented with the gold medal of the Turkish Order of the Crescent
Order of the Crescent
The Imperial Order of the Crescent was a chivalric order of the Ottoman Empire. It was instituted in 1799 by Sultan Selim III when he wished to reward Horatio Nelson, an Anglican Christian, for his victory at the Battle of the Nile...
and received a gold-hilted sword from the masters of the ships of the expedition.
Napoleonic Wars
With the resumption of hostilities in 1803 Young was sent to HanoverHanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
by Lord St. Vincent
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent GCB, PC was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom...
to provide an escort to the Dukes of Cambridge
Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
The Prince Adolphus, 1st Duke of Cambridge , was the tenth child and seventh son of George III and Queen Charlotte. He held the title of Duke of Cambridge from 1801 until his death. He also served as Viceroy of Hanover on behalf of his brothers George IV and William IV...
and Gloucester
Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George II and a younger brother of George III.-Early life:...
. He was then employed under Rear-Admiral James Hawkins-Whitshed in fitting out gun-vessels at Dublin, embarking troops at Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, and establishing signal-posts on the south-west coast of Ireland, in preparation for a threatened French invasion. In October 1805 Young became the Inspecting Agent for Transports on the Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, a post he held for the next 25 years, until his retirement in February 1830. During his time in the post he became friends with King William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
, and the Dukes of York
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
The Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
, Kent, Cambridge
Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
The Prince Adolphus, 1st Duke of Cambridge , was the tenth child and seventh son of George III and Queen Charlotte. He held the title of Duke of Cambridge from 1801 until his death. He also served as Viceroy of Hanover on behalf of his brothers George IV and William IV...
and Gloucester
Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George II and a younger brother of George III.-Early life:...
. On his retirement the different Transport-Lieutenants who had served under him presented him with a silver vase.
Later life
Young was advanced to rear-admiral on the retired list on 10 January 1837, and was restored to the active list on 17 August 1840. He was promoted to vice-admiral on 9 November 1846. Young had married Ann Spencer on 15 February 1789, with the union producing 13 children. His eldest son, William Hall Young, followed his father into the navy, and served as a midshipman in the West Indies, but died at PlymouthPlymouth
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...
in October 1809. His second son, George Frederick Young
George Frederick Young
George Frederick Young was an English shipbuilder and politician. He was Member of Parliament for Tynemouth and North Shields 1832-1838. He was the first member elected for the newly-created constituency in the 1832 general election, and lost his seat to Charles Edward Grey on 23 February 1838...
, was MP
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 Tynemouth and North Shields
Tynemouth and North Shields (UK Parliament constituency)
Tynemouth and North Shields was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1832 and 1885...
between 1832 and 1837. Young died at Denmark Hill
Denmark Hill
Denmark Hill is an area and road in the London Borough of Southwark. The road forms part of the A215; north of Camberwell Green it becomes Camberwell Road; south of Red Post Hill it becomes Herne Hill. Its postcode is SE5. Nearby streets whose names refer to different aspects of the same...
, Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
on 11 February 1847, after spending 70 years in the navy.