Everything about Sir William Martin 4th Baronet totally explained
Admiral Sir William Fanshawe Martin, 4th Baronet GCB (
December 5,
1801 -
March 24,
1895), was a senior
British naval officer.
He was the eldest son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir
Thomas Byam Martin,
comptroller of the
navy (1815 - 1831), and grandson, on the mother's side, of Captain
Robert Fanshawe, who commanded the "Namur 90" in
George Rodney's victory of
April 12,
1782. He had two brothers, including
Henry Byam Martin (born June 1803).
Entering the navy at the age of twelve, his fathers interest secured his rapid promotion: he was made a lieutenant on
December 15,
1820; on
February 8,
1823 he was promoted to be commander of the
Fly sloop, his good service in which in support of the interests of British merchants at Callao secured his promotion as captain on
June 5,
1824. He served in the
Mediterranean during the periods of
15 November 1826 - 1831 (Captain,
Samarang)
19 July 1844 -
31 January 1845 (Captain,
Queen),
30 January 1845 -
18 October 1845 (Captain,
Trafalgar), and
7 December 1847 -
21 December 1849 (Captain,
Prince Regent).
In 1849-1852, he was commodore commanding the Channel squadron, and gave evidence of a remarkable aptitude for command. He was made rear-admiral in May 1853, and for the next four years was superintendent of
Portsmouth dockyard. He was made vice-admiral in February 1858, and after a year as
First Sea Lord, he was appointed
commander-in-chief of the
Mediterranean Fleet in
1860, with his flag in
HMS Marlborough (captain -
William Houston Stewart).
The discipline of the navy was then bad. It was a tradition sprung from the wholesale shipment of -birds during the old war, that the men were to be treated without consideration; moreover the ships had been largely filled up with bounty men bought into the service with a £10 note, without training. Out of this unpromising material Martin formed the fleet which was at that time the ideal of excellence.
He had no war service, and, beyond the
Italian disturbance of 1860-61, no opportunity for showing diplomatic ability. But his memory lives as that of the reformer of discipline and the originator of a comprehensive system of steam manoeuvres. He became an
Admiral in November 1863. On
4 December, he succeeded to the
baronetcy, which had been conferred on his grandfather, but passed to Martin upon the death of his cousin, Sir Henry, the 3rd Baronet.
His last appointment was the command at
Plymouth, 1866-1869, and in 1870 he was put on the retired list. In 1873 the
GCB was conferred on him. He died at Upton Grey, near
Winchfield, on
March 24 1895. He was twice married:
24 July 1826, Hon. Anne Best (died 1836), daughter of Lord Wynford; and again
21 May 1838, Sophia, daughter of Richard Hurt. who succeeded as 5th Baronet.
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