Sir William Martin, 4th Baronet

Admiral

Sir William Martin

Bt, GCB
Admiral; Sir William Martin; Bt, GCB
Born	5 December 1801
Died	24 March 1895 (aged 93); Winchfield, Hampshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1813–1870
Rank	Admiral
Commands	HMS Fly; HMS Samarang; HMS Queen; HMS Trafalgar; HMS Prince Regent; Channel Squadron; Portsmouth Dockyard; Mediterranean Fleet; Plymouth Command
Battles / wars	Peruvian War of Independence
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Admiral Sir William Fanshawe Martin, 4th Baronet, GCB (5 December 1801 – 24 March 1895), was a Royal Navy officer. As a commander, he provided valuable support to British merchants at Callao in Peru in the early 1820s during the Peruvian War of Independence.^[1] He became First Naval Lord in the Second Derby–Disraeli ministry in March 1858 and in that capacity acted as a strong advocate for the procurement of Britain's first ironclad warship. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet and in that role provided important assistance during the Italian disturbances in 1860 and 1861, reformed the system of discipline in his fleet and developed a comprehensive system of manoeuvres for steam ships.

Early career

Born the eldest son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thomas Martin (a former Controller of the Navy) and Catherine Martin (daughter of Captain Robert Fanshawe RN), Martin joined the Royal Navy in June 1813.^[1] He had two brothers, one of whom became Admiral Sir Henry Martin.^[2] He joined the fifth-rate HMS Alceste on the East Indies Station in January 1816 after which he transferred to the yacht HMS Prince Regent in 1820 and then to the fifth-rate HMS Glasgow in the Mediterranean Fleet.^[1] Promoted to lieutenant on 15 December 1820, he joined the fifth-rate HMS Forte and then the fifth-rate HMS Aurora on the South America Station.^[1] Promoted to commander on 8 February 1823, he was given command of the sloop HMS Fly on the South America Station and, in her, provided valuable support to British merchants at Callao in Peru during the Peruvian War of Independence.^[1]

Promoted to captain on 5 June 1824, Martin took command of the sixth-rate HMS Samarang in the Mediterranean Fleet in November 1826 and then went onto half-pay in 1831.^[1] He took command of the first-rate HMS Queen at Sheerness in July 1844 and then the first-rate HMS Trafalgar at Sheerness in January 1845 and finally the first-rate HMS Prince Regent in the Channel Squadron in December 1847.^[3] He went on to be commodore commanding the Channel Squadron with his broad pennant in HMS Prince Regent in December 1849.^[3]

Senior command

HMS *Marlborough*, Flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet, which Martin commanded in the early 1860s

Promoted to rear-admiral on 28 May 1853,^[4] Martin became Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard, hoisting his flag in the first-rate HMS St Vincent in November 1853.^[3] Promoted to vice-admiral on 13 February 1858,^[5] he became First Naval Lord in the Second Derby–Disraeli ministry in March 1858.^[3] In that capacity he acted as a strong advocate for the procurement of Britain's first ironclad warship.^[1]

Martin went on to become Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet, hoisting his flag in the first-rate HMS Marlborough, in April 1860.^[3] In that role he provided important assistance during the Italian disturbances in 1860 and 1861, reformed the system of discipline in his fleet and developed a comprehensive system of manoeuvres for steam ships.^[1] Having been appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 28 June 1861^[6] and promoted to full admiral on 14 November 1863,^[7] he succeeded to the baronetcy on 4 December 1863: this had been conferred on his grandfather, but passed to Martin upon the death of his cousin, Sir Henry, the 3rd Baronet.^[8] He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth in October 1866 and was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 24 May 1873.^[9] He died at his home at Upton Grey near Winchfield on 24 March 1895.^[1]

Family

Martin married on 24 July 1826 Honourable Anne Best, daughter of Lord Wynford. Following her death in 1836, Martin married on 21 May 1838 Sophia Elizabeth Hurt, daughter of Richard Hurt.^[3] Martin left five daughters and one son:^[8]

Sir Richard Byam Martin (1841–1910), who succeeded as the 5th Baronet but died without issue when the title became extinct.
Sophia Elizabeth Martin (died 27 Dec 1902)^[10]
Caroline Matin
Grace Martin
Harriette Martin
Georgiana Martin

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Laughton, J. K. (2004). "Martin, Sir William Fanshawe (1801–1895)". In rev. Andrew Lambert (ed.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18222. Retrieved 31 December 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ Starkey, p. 140
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "William Loney RN". Retrieved 31 December 2012.
^ "No. 21445". The London Gazette. 3 June 1853. p. 1549.
^ "No. 22099". The London Gazette. 19 February 1858. p. 849.
^ "No. 22524". The London Gazette. 28 June 1861. p. 2689.
^ "No. 22790". The London Gazette. 20 November 1863. p. 5586.
^ ^a ^b Payson, p. 28
^ "No. 23979". The London Gazette. 24 May 1873. p. 2583.
^ "Deaths". The Times. No. 36964. London. 30 December 1902. p. 1.

Sources

William Loney RN Career History
Laughton, John Knox (1901). "Martin, William Fanshawe" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography (1st supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co.
Payson, W.P. (January 1900). "William Martin, Esq". The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. LIV (213). Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society. OCLC 2564052.
Starkey, P.; Starkey, J. (2001). Travellers in Egypt. London: Tauris Parke Paperbacks. ISBN 1-86064-674-3.

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Richard Dundas	First Naval Lord 1858–1859	Succeeded by Sir Richard Dundas
Preceded by Sir Arthur Fanshawe	Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet 1860–1863	Succeeded by Sir Robert Smart
Preceded by Sir Charles Fremantle	Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth 1866–1869	Succeeded by Sir Henry Codrington
Honorary titles
Preceded by Sir William Hope-Johnstone	Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom 1878–1895	Vacant Title next held by Sir Edmund Fremantle
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Henry Martin	Baronet (of Lockynge) 1863–1895	Succeeded by Richard Martin

v t e First Sea Lords of the Royal Navy
Senior Naval Lords (1689–1771)	Arthur Herbert Sir John Chicheley Edward Russell Henry Priestman Earl of Orford Sir George Rooke Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Matthew Aylmer Sir George Byng Sir John Jennings Sir John Norris Sir Charles Wager Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Harry Powlett Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Vere Beauclerk Lord Anson Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen John Forbes Earl Howe Sir Charles Saunders Augustus Keppel Sir Peircy Brett Sir Francis Holburne
First Naval Lords (1771–1904)	Augustus Hervey Sir Hugh Palliser Robert Man George Darby Sir Robert Harland Sir Hugh Pigot John Leveson-Gower Lord Hood Sir Charles Middleton James Gambier Sir Thomas Troubridge James Gambier John Markham James Gambier Sir Richard Bickerton William Domett Sir Joseph Yorke Sir Graham Moore Sir William Johnstone Hope Sir George Cockburn Sir Thomas Hardy The Hon. George Dundas Charles Adam Sir George Cockburn Sir Charles Adam Sir George Cockburn Sir William Parker Sir Charles Adam Sir James Dundas The Hon. Maurice Berkeley Hyde Parker The Hon. Maurice Berkeley The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas William Martin The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas The Hon. Sir Frederick Grey Sir Alexander Milne Sir Sydney Dacres Sir Alexander Milne Sir Hastings Yelverton Sir George Wellesley Sir Astley Key Sir Arthur Hood Lord John Hay Sir Arthur Hood Sir Richard Hamilton Sir Anthony Hoskins Sir Frederick Richards Lord Walter Kerr
First Sea Lords (1904–present)	Sir John Fisher Sir Arthur Wilson Sir Francis Bridgeman Prince Louis of Battenberg The Lord Fisher Sir Henry Jackson Sir John Jellicoe Sir Rosslyn Wemyss The Earl Beatty Sir Charles Madden, Bt Sir Frederick Field The Lord Chatfield Sir Roger Backhouse Sir Dudley Pound The Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope Sir John Cunningham The Lord Fraser of North Cape Sir Rhoderick McGrigor The Earl Mountbatten of Burma Sir Charles Lambe Sir Caspar John Sir David Luce Sir Varyl Begg Sir Michael Le Fanu Sir Peter Hill-Norton Sir Michael Pollock Sir Edward Ashmore Sir Terence Lewin Sir Henry Leach Sir John Fieldhouse Sir William Staveley Sir Julian Oswald Sir Benjamin Bathurst Sir Jock Slater Sir Michael Boyce Sir Nigel Essenhigh Sir Alan West Sir Jonathon Band Sir Mark Stanhope Sir George Zambellas Sir Philip Jones Sir Antony Radakin Sir Ben Key

Early career

Senior command

Family

References

Sources

Further reading