William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock

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For other people named William Waldegrave, see William Waldegrave (disambiguation).

William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock
Admiral William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock (1753-1825) by James Northcote.jpg
Admiral Lord Radstock
Born(1753-07-09)9 July 1753
Died20 August 1825(1825-08-20) (aged 72)
London, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branchNaval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy
Years of service1766–1802
RankAdmiral of the Red
Commands held
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Spouse(s)Cornelia Jacoba van Lennep
Children9, including Granville

Admiral William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock, GCB (9 July 1753 – 20 August 1825) was an officer in the Royal Navy and Governor of Newfoundland.

Naval career[]

Waldegrave was the second son of John Waldegrave, 3rd Earl Waldegrave, and Elizabeth (née Gower). Joining the navy at age 13 in 1766, Waldegrave rose rapidly through the ranks, receiving his own command, the sloop in 1775, and being promoted to vice-admiral in 1795. He was the third in command on the British side at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797,[1] and was offered a baronetcy for the role he played in the battle. Waldegrave declined the offer (on the grounds that as a son of an earl, he already held a higher station), and was appointed the Governor of Newfoundland, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, on 16 May 1797.

During Waldegrave's time as governor, he was chiefly concerned with military matters, as a French squadron had burned Bay Bulls just a year prior, and Newfoundland was still quite exposed. Another key problem was desertion, as soldiers deserting to Newfoundland were generally sheltered by the island's inhabitants. A naval mutiny occurred shortly after Waldegrave's appointment and had to be stopped; Waldegrave also took steps to ensure that soldiers garrisoned in St. John's did not try anything similar. In military matters, he was often at odds with his commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Skinner.

Waldegrave made several attempts to restrict the power of the merchants on Newfoundland, and also to bring law and order to the island. Although his efforts against the merchants were largely ineffective, Waldegrave was successful in having a chief justice appointed who would reside year round. Waldegrave also undertook various humanitarian projects, especially to help the poor. He established a "Committee for the Relief of the Poor", and contributed generously to the fund. Between 1797 and 1798, nearly 300 people received assistance from this fund.

Waldegrave finished his term as governor in 1800 and was created an Irish peer as Baron Radstock, of Castletown in the Queen's County.[2] In 1802, upon his retirement, Waldegrave was promoted to full admiral.[1] In 1815 he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

Family[]

Waldegrave was married in 1785 to Cornelia Jacoba van Lennep (17 September 1753 – 10 October 1839). They had three sons and six daughters:

  • V-Adm. Granville Waldegrave, 2nd Baron Radstock (1786–1857), married Esther Paget and had issue
  • Hon. Emily Susanna Laura Waldegrave (5 November 1787 – 12 April 1870), married Nicholas Westby of Thornhill, Mount Merrion, County Dublin, and had issue[3]
  • Maria Waldegrave (26 December 1788 – 1791)
  • Hon. Isabella Elizabeth Waldegrave (18 August 1792 – 21 October 1866)
  • Hon. Harriet Ann Frances Waldegrave (20 October 1793 – 26 July 1880), unmarried
  • Capt. Hon. William Waldegrave (7 June 1796 – 29 December 1838), married Amelia Allport
  • Hon. Caroline Waldegrave (4 October 1798 – 7 January 1878), married Rev. Carew Anthony St John-Mildmay and had issue
  • Hon. Augustus Waldegrave (4 February 1803 – November 1825), killed in a hunting accident near Mexico City
  • Elizabeth Frances (24 November 1799 – August 1800)

Arms[]

Coat of arms of William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock hide
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Radstock Escutcheon.png
Crest
Out of a ducal coronet Or a plum of five ostrich feathers per pale Argent and Gules a crescent Sable for difference.
Escutcheon
Per pale Argent and Gules a crescent Sable for difference.
Supporters
Dexter a talbot reguardant wings expanded and elevated holding in the dexter claw a thunderbolt all Proper.
Motto
St Vincent [4]

See also[]

  • O'Byrne, William Richard (1849). "Waldegrave, Granville George#cite note-William Waldegrave-1" . A Naval Biographical Dictionary . John Murray – via Wikisource.
  • Governors of Newfoundland
  • List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Waldegrave Islands
  • Cape Radstock

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Waldegrave s.v. William Waldegrave (1753–1825)" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 254.
  2. ^ "No. 15326". The London Gazette. 6 January 1801. p. 39.
  3. ^ A Collection of Curious and Interesting Epitaphs of Saint Pancras, Middlesex, Frederick Teague Cansick, Printed by J. Russell Smith, London, 1872
  4. ^ Burke's Peerage. 1949.

External links[]

Political offices
Preceded by
Sir James Wallace 		Commodore Governor of Newfoundland
1797–1800 		Succeeded by
Sir Charles Morice Pole
Peerage of Ireland
New creation Baron Radstock
1800–1825 		Succeeded by
Granville Waldegrave
Retrieved from ""