Difference between revisions of "Hedworth Meux"

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He was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 10 March, 1883.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/25211/pages/1385 no. 25211.  p. 1385.]  13 March, 1883.</ref>
 
He was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 10 March, 1883.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/25211/pages/1385 no. 25211.  p. 1385.]  13 March, 1883.</ref>
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While yet a Commander, he was appointed command of the {{UK-Powerful|f=t}} in June 1897, remaining with her into 1900.{{MackieRNW}}
  
 
==Captain==
 
==Captain==

Revision as of 12:19, 19 October 2012

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Hedworth Meux, June, 1917.

Admiral of the Fleet THE HONOURABLE SIR Hedworth Meux (pronounced mews, to rhyme with sluice),[1] G.C.B., K.C.V.O., HON. L.L.D. (Durham), Royal Navy (5 July, 1856 – 20 September, 1929) was an officer of the Royal Navy in the period leading up to the First World War. An officer of noble birth, he enjoyed an active career which saw him become a household name during the Second Boer War for his actions during the Siege of Ladysmith. His career culminated in the Command-in-Chief at Portsmouth and promoted to Admiral of the Fleet.

Early Life & Career

Meux was born Hedworth Lambton in London 5 July 1856, the third son of George Frederick D'Arcy Lambton, Second Earl of Durham, by his wife, Lady Beatrix Frances, second daughter of James Hamilton, First Duke of Abercorn. His father asked for a nomination from H. C. E. Childers, First Lord of the Admiralty, and Hedworth received a nomination in October, 1869.[2]

He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 27 February, 1879.[3]

On 5 February, 1880, Lambton was appointed Flag-Lieutenant to Sir F. Beauchamp P. Seymour, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, flying his flag in the Alexandra.[4]

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 10 March, 1883.[5]

While yet a Commander, he was appointed command of the first class protected cruiser Powerful in June 1897, remaining with her into 1900.[6]

Captain

Lambton was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1889.[7] On 4 February, 1890, he was appointed in command of the cruiser Warspite, and as Flag Captain to Rear-Admiral Charles F. Hotham, on the Pacific Station.[8]

He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria on 1 January, 1901, vice Fawkes.[9] He was reappointed in the same capacity to King Edward VII on 25 February.[10]

Flag Rank

On 3 October, 1902, Lambton was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral, vice Lord Charles Beresford.[11]

On 5 June, 1903, he was appointed Second-in-Command of the Channel Fleet, striking his flag on 24 June, 1904. On 10 November he was appointed succeed Sir Baldwin Wake Walker, Bart. in command of the Mediterranean Cruiser Division, which in December became the Third Cruiser Squadron. On the occasion of the King's visit to Corfu Lambton was appointed a Knight Commander in the Royal Victorian Order (K.C.V.O.) on 16 April, 1906.[12] He was superseded in command of the squadron on 10 November and struck his flag at Portsmouth on 1 December.

Lambton was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 1 January, 1907, vice Jenkings.[13]

On 1 January, 1908, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the China Station, and hoisted his flag in H.M.S. President. He assumed command of the Station on 21 March, vice Moore. On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, of the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 26 June.[14]

Lambton was superseded on the China Station on 25 January, 1910. He struck his flag at Portsmouth on 15 April. On 18 April he married Mildred Cecilia Harriet, Viscountess Chelsea, in a small ceremony at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge. Among those present were Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Hotham and his Flag Captain in China, Captain Lewis Clinton-Baker.[15] She was the third daughter of Lord Alington (1825 – 1904), and widow of Viscount Chelsea (1868 – 1908).

In December he was left a fortune by Lady Valerie Susie, widow of Sir Henry Brent Meux, brewer, Third Baronet, of Theobald's Park, Waltham Cross. During the Second Boer War Lady Meux, on hearing of the landing of the naval guns for the defence of Ladysmith, had ordered six naval 12-pounder guns, mounted on travelling carriages, to be made at Elswick and sent out to the Commander-in-Chief of the Army in South Africa, Lord Roberts. They were known as the Elswick battery. On his return to England later in that year, Lambton had called upon Lady Meux, described the work of his guns at Ladysmith, and praised her patriotic action in sending similar guns to the front. Touched by this tribute, Lady Meux, after making many wills, decided to make Lambton her heir on the sole condition that he changed his name to Meux. This he did by Royal Licence on 2 September, 1911.[16] He had been promoted to the rank of Admiral on 1 March.[17] Meux, as he now was, succeeded Sir Arthur W. Moore as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth on 30 July, 1912.[18] On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the First Class, or Knight Grand Cross, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (G.C.B.) on 3 June, 1913.[19] He was promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet on 5 March, 1915, vice Noel.[20]

Post-War & Retirement

He was placed on the Retired List for age on 5 July, 1921.[21]

There are portraits of Meux, painted by P. A. de László and Ambrose McEvoy, in the possession of his widow, who subsequently married Lord Charles Montagu. A cartoon of him by ‘Spy’ appeared in Vanity Fair 28 June 1900.

Footnotes

  1. Reaney; Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames. p. 307.
  2. The National Archives. ADM 6/447. f. 16.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 24686. p. 1793. 28 February, 1879.
  4. The Navy List (March, 1880). p. 188, p. 193.
  5. The London Gazette: no. 25211. p. 1385. 13 March, 1883.
  6. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  7. The London Gazette: no. 25969. p. 4738. 30 August, 1889.
  8. The Navy List (March, 1891). p. 266.
  9. The London Gazette: no. 27265. p. 229. 11 January, 1901.
  10. The London Gazette: no. 27289. p. 1417. 26 February, 1901.
  11. The London Gazette: no. 27483. p. 6569. 17 October, 1902.
  12. The London Gazette: no. 27908. p. 2875. 27 April, 1906.
  13. The London Gazette: no. 27982. p. 30. 1 January, 1907.
  14. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28151. p. 4641. 26 June, 1908.
  15. "Marriage" (Marriages). The Times. Tuesday, 19 April, 1910. Issue 39250, col A, p. 13.
  16. The London Gazette: no. 28530. p. 6729. 12 September, 1911.
  17. The London Gazette: no. 28473. p. 1958. 7 March, 1911.
  18. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 16 July, 1912. Issue 39952, col D, p. 13.
  19. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28724. p. 3903. 3 June, 1913.
  20. The London Gazette: no. 29094. p. 2365. 9 March, 1915.
  21. The London Gazette: no. 32394. p. 5733. 19 July, 1921.

Bibliography

  • "Admiral of the Fleet Sir H. Meux" (Obituaries). The Times. Saturday, 21 September, 1929. Issue 45314, col B, p. 12.

Service Records

  • The National Archives. ADM 196/86. Volume 1. f. 80.
  • The National Archives. ADM 196/39. Volume 2. ff. 774-775.
  • The National Archives. ADM 196/19. Volume 7. ff. 364, 500.


Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Richard H. Hamond
Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty
1894 – 1897
Succeeded by
Wilmot H. Fawkes

Preceded by
Sir John R. T. Fullerton
Rear-Admiral Commanding,
H.M. Yachts

1901 – 1903
Succeeded by
Sir A. Berkeley Milne

Preceded by
The Hon. Assheton G. Curzon-Howe
Second-in-Command,
Channel Fleet

1903 – 1904
Succeeded by
Francis C. B. Bridgeman

Preceded by
New Command
Rear-Admiral Commanding,
Third Cruiser Squadron

1904 – 1906
Succeeded by
Henry D. Barry

Preceded by
Sir Arthur W. Moore
Commander-in-Chief on the China Station
1908 – 1910
Succeeded by
Sir Alfred L. Winsloe

Preceded by
Sir Arthur W. Moore
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
1912 – 1916
Succeeded by
The Hon. Sir Stanley C. J. Colville

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