13 Facts About Hastings Yelverton

Hastings Yelverton saw action in the Crimean War as Captain of one of the two ships that captured a Russian barque beneath the batteries at Ekenas in Finland in May 1854.

Hastings Yelverton became First Naval Lord in September 1876 and in that role implemented a series of economies demanded by the Disraeli ministry but was involved in ordering the small, cheap and thoroughly unsuccessful ironclad Ajax-class battleships.

Hastings Yelverton took part in a major action against pirates off Candia in June 1826 and subsequently served as a midshipman and mate in the brig HMS Columbine, the frigate HMS Undaunted and then the battleship HMS St Vincent in home waters.

Hastings Yelverton joined the sixth-rate HMS Rattlesnake on the East Indies Station in December 1834.

Hastings Yelverton became acting captain of the first-rate HMS Queen in the Mediterranean Fleet in May 1842 and acting captain of the fifth-rate HMS Aigle in the Mediterranean Fleet in April 1843.

Hastings Yelverton was given command of the steam screw frigate HMS Arrogant in October 1853 and saw service in the Crimean War.

Hastings Yelverton went on to be Captain of the first-rate HMS Conqueror in the Mediterranean Fleet in July 1856 and comptroller-general of the coastguard in July 1859.

Hastings Yelverton went on to be Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Squadron in June 1866, and having been promoted to vice admiral on 29 May 1869, he was appointed by Hugh Childers, then First Lord of the Admiralty, to a committee to consider the new turret ship design.

Hastings Yelverton was elevated to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 2 June 1869.

Hastings Yelverton was again given command of the Channel Squadron in July 1870 and then became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet, hoisting his flag in the battleship HMS Lord Warden, in October 1870.

Hastings Yelverton was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 29 May 1875 and promoted to full admiral on 30 July 1875.

In that role Hastings Yelverton implemented a series of economies demanded by the Disraeli ministry but was involved in ordering the small, cheap and thoroughly unsuccessful ironclad Ajax-class battleships.

Barbara Hastings Yelverton, who married the John Yarde-Buller, 2nd Baron Churston.