16 Facts About James Wishart

Admiral Sir James Wishart was a Scottish admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament for Portsmouth.

James Wishart was born to William James Wishart, Principal of Edinburgh University.

James Wishart was not the eldest son and he joined the Dutch navy and reputedly commanded a Dutch vessel.

James Wishart returned to Great Britain with William of Orange and he was rewarded, as he became a captain of HMS Pearl in 1689 and later he moved to HMS Mary Galley.

James Wishart captained HMS Swiftsure and became a favourite of Sir George Rooke after becoming his flag captain in 1695 on the recently renamed HMS Queen.

James Wishart served at the Battle of Cadiz and the Battle of Vigo Bay in 1702.

Rooke suspected that James Wishart had been passed over either to slight him or because of James Wishart's Scottish ancestry.

Rooke noted that James Wishart had recently moved to Yorkshire with his wife as way of mitigation of Jacobite leanings.

Rooke's protest resulted in James Wishart being promoted to rear-admiral of the blue and it was backdated to the same date as his competitor was promoted.

Rooke and James Wishart were in the Mediterranean later the same year and James Wishart was given a knighthood on his return.

The success was short-lived however as both Rooke and James Wishart lost their positions the following year.

James Wishart was placed on half pay and it was not until 1710 that his career progressed further when he became an Admiralty Lord.

James Wishart was sent to The Hague where he unsuccessfully lobbied the Dutch to form an alliance against the French.

James Wishart was always suspected of being of a Jacobite persuasion.

James Wishart's will stipulated that anyone who ever owned his land or money needed to take his surname.

The money eventually went to his nephew William James Wishart who was Principal at Edinburgh University in 1736 or 1737.