24 Facts About Henry Hotham

Henry Hotham was later a member of the Board of Admiralty, and ended his career as Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet.

Henry Hotham was the youngest surviving son of Beaumont Hotham and Susanna, daughter of Sir Thomas Hankey.

Henry Hotham joined the Navy in 1790 serving aboard Princess Royal, the flagship of his uncle Rear-Admiral William Hotham.

Henry Hotham went on to serve aboard Lizard, Lapwing, Victory and Aigle, and finally with his uncle, now a Vice-Admiral, aboard Britannia in the Mediterranean.

Blanche was paid off in August 1798, and Henry Hotham was appointed to the frigate Immortalite in early 1800.

Henry Hotham operated in the Bay of Biscay, taking several prizes.

Henry Hotham was obliged to scuttle the Spaniard to make chase.

The French attempted to evade him during the night, but Henry Hotham anticipated their movements, and was still following the next day.

Henry Hotham was present in Immortalite at the capture of the Dedaigneuse on 27 January 1801.

Henry Hotham was 15 days out of St Malo, and had captured a Portuguese vessel sailing Bristol to Lisbon, and had made 17 other captures in previous cruises.

Henry Hotham was 147 feet long, but only 27 feet wide, with four masts, and carried 24 guns on a flush deck, and a crew of 210.

Henry Hotham had sailed from Bordeaux nine days before on her first cruise.

Henry Hotham was appointed to the frigate Revolutionnaire in April 1804, conveying Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex from Lisbon to Portsmouth in August.

In March 1806 Henry Hotham took command of the 74-gun Defiance, in the squadron of Rear-Admiral Robert Stopford.

In 1807, Henry Hotham was employed on the coast of Spain, co-operating with Spanish forces.

In 1812 Henry Hotham was serving under Rear-Admiral Sir Harry Neale off Ushant, and was sent by him to cruise off l'Orient, to intercept three expected French vessels.

Henry Hotham skilfully manoeuvred his ship so as to force the enemy to ground themselves.

In December 1812 Henry Hotham was appointed Captain of the Fleet to Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren on the North American Station.

Henry Hotham was made a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815, having his investiture on 12 April.

In July 1815 Henry Hotham was stationed in Quiberon Bay, from where he sent Captain Frederick Maitland in Bellerophon to blockade the port of Rochefort.

On 25 March 1818 Henry Hotham was appointed a member of the Board of Admiralty, his position being renewed in March 1819 and February 1822, serving until March 1822.

Henry Hotham was appointed Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean on 30 March 1831, and on 4 July 1831 was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Henry Hotham died suddenly of an intracranial hemorrhage in Valletta, Malta, on 19 April 1833, and was buried at Msida Bastion Cemetery in Floriana on 24 April.

On 6 July 1816 Henry Hotham married Lady Frances Anne Juliana Rous, the only child of John Rous, 1st Earl of Stradbroke, and his first wife Frances Juliana Warter-Wilson.