11 Facts About Francis Holburne

Admiral Francis Holburne was a Royal Navy officer and politician.

Francis Holburne served as commodore and commander-in-chief at the Leeward Islands during the War of the Austrian Succession and then took part in an operation to capture Louisbourg as part of the Louisbourg Expedition during the Seven Years' War.

Francis Holburne went on to be Port Admiral at Portsmouth and then Senior Naval Lord.

Francis Holburne was born in 1704 the second son of Sir James Holburn, 1st Baronet of Menstrie, Clackmannan, Scotland, by his wife Jean Spittal, a daughter of Alexander Spittal of Leuchat.

Francis Holburne was the brother to James Holburne, 2nd Baronet and William Holburne, who both served in the Navy.

Francis Holburne transferred to the fourth-rate HMS Argyll in 1743 and to the fourth-rate HMS Pembroke in 1746 and then became commodore and commander-in-chief at the Leeward Islands with his broad pennant in the third-rate HMS Kent in 1748 during the War of the Austrian Succession.

Francis Holburne went on to take command of the fourth-rate HMS Tavistock in 1749 and the second-rate HMS Ramillies in 1755.

Francis Holburne was later appointed a member of the court-martial that was convened to try Admiral John Byng.

Francis Holburne sent the most heavily damaged ships back to England while he wintered in Halifax with the rest of the fleet.

On return to London Francis Holburne was appointed to the post of Port Admiral at Portsmouth, which largely discontinued his active service at sea.

Francis Holburne was returned as MP for Stirling and in 1768 he represented Plymouth, holding the seat until his death in 1771.