30 Facts About Richard Lestock

Admiral Richard Lestock was a Royal Navy officer who rose to the rank of admiral.

Richard Lestock fought in a number of battles, and was a controversial figure, most remembered for his part in the defeat at the Battle of Toulon, and the subsequent court-martial.

Richard Lestock's father had been magistrate for Middlesex, and commander of a number of merchant ships.

Richard Lestock was present with Shovell at the Battle of Velez-Malaga.

Richard Lestock was then ordered to join with Sir George Byng to assist the ground forces in the failed attack on Toulon in 1707.

Richard Lestock was exchanged shortly after and returned to England, where he faced a court-martial for the loss of his ship.

When she was paid off, Richard Lestock went to half pay for five years, before he finally received command of HMS Panther in the Baltic in 1717.

Richard Lestock was given command of a seven-ship squadron, and ordered to cruise off Gothenburg and in the Skagerrak, operating against Swedish privateers.

Richard Lestock seems to have made a favourable impression, and Byng made him second captain aboard his flagship, the Barfleur, during the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718.

Richard Lestock returned to active duty only in 1728, commanding HMS Princess Amelia.

Richard Lestock moved the next year to join HMS Royal Oak, and served aboard her in the Mediterranean in 1731 under Sir Charles Wager.

Richard Lestock returned to England in the summer aboard the Princess Carolina.

Haddock was forced to return to England a couple of months later due to ill health, leaving Richard Lestock as acting commander-in-chief.

Richard Lestock hoped to have the appointment confirmed from England, but was bitterly disappointed to learn that Vice-Admiral Thomas Mathews had been dispatched to take over command.

Mathews had been commissioner at Chatham during the period Richard Lestock had been in charge of the guard ships.

Mathews was much occupied with the diplomatic duties of his position and relied on Richard Lestock to manage the fleet, but became increasingly resentful of Richard Lestock's inability to do his job owing to his poor health.

The British fleet attempted to engage a Spanish convoy, with Richard Lestock taking command of the rear division.

Richard Lestock was accused of adhering to a restrictive interpretation of the fighting instructions and for a failure to take the initiative, so contributing to the failure.

Mathews had been making signals all morning, and had twice sent a lieutenant in a boat to urge Richard Lestock to bring his ships into the battle.

Richard Lestock replied that he was doing all he could, but that some of his ships were slow.

Richard Lestock did not however order his faster ones forwards, nor did he follow Mathews' signal to engage, allowing four lagging Spanish ships to slip away from him.

When challenged why he had allowed such a gap to open between the rear and the rest of the fleet the previous night, Richard Lestock claimed that the rules required him to follow the signal to 'bring to' the moment it was given, this taking precedence over the signal to move to line abreast.

On his return, Richard Lestock began to cast blame on Mathews and other captains that had not served in his division.

Richard Lestock did have important political friends though, and they managed to obtain a parliamentary inquiry into the outcome.

Anti-Mathews speeches were made by Henry Fox and George Grenville, whilst Richard Lestock himself impressed the MPs with his cool, calm demeanour.

Mathews' defence in comparison was seen as heated and disorganized, just as how Richard Lestock claimed Mathews had fought the battle.

The Admiralty Board convened a court-martial made up of officers sympathetic to Richard Lestock, who was acquitted of any wrongdoing.

The result was ultimately a failure and was viewed as such by a disappointed public, but Richard Lestock appears to have acquitted himself well.

Richard Lestock seems to have been on bad terms with his family, leaving all of his property to an apothecary, William Monke of London.

Richard Lestock left a bequest to his friend Henry Fox, who had been one of those defending him in the Commons.