James Littleton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Littleton
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|---|---|
| Born | 1668 |
| Died | 1723 |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank | Vice admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Swift Prize HMS Portland HMS Anglesea HMS Medway HMS Cambridge HMS Royal Sovereign Jamaica Station |
| Battles/wars | War of the Spanish Succession |
Vice Admiral James Littleton (1668–1723) was an important officer in the Royal Navy. He was known for leading the British naval forces at the Jamaica Station, which was a key naval base in the Caribbean.
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James Littleton was a skilled officer who rose through the ranks of the British Royal Navy. He commanded several ships and played a role in important naval actions. He also served as a Member of Parliament, helping to make laws for the country.
James Littleton became a full captain in the Royal Navy on February 27, 1693. His first command was a smaller warship called HMS Swift Prize. Over the next few years, he commanded several other ships. These included HMS Portland in 1696, HMS Anglesea in 1698, and HMS Medway in 1702.
Leading Important Fleets
In 1705, Littleton took command of a larger warship, HMS Cambridge. During this time, he was involved in the relief of Barcelona, helping to support the city. He also led a group of sailors on land to help capture Alicante. By 1708, he was commanding one of the biggest ships in the fleet, HMS Royal Sovereign.
Littleton was promoted to commodore in 1710. This meant he was in charge of a group of ships. He became the Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station. This was a very important job, as Jamaica was a key naval base for Britain in the Caribbean. While there, he helped capture the Spanish ship San Joaquin in August 1711. This happened during the War of the Spanish Succession, a major conflict involving many European countries.
After his time in Jamaica, Littleton became Commander-in-Chief at Chatham in 1714. Chatham was a significant naval dockyard in England. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1717. That same year, he served as the second-in-command in the Baltic Sea. He reached the high rank of vice admiral in March 1718.
Serving in Parliament
Besides his naval career, James Littleton also served as a Member of Parliament. This meant he was elected by people to represent them and help make laws for the country. He represented the area of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. He was elected in 1710, but his election was challenged, and he had to leave his seat. He was elected again in April 1711 but was again challenged and had to leave.
However, he was successfully elected for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis in 1713 and served until 1715. Later, he also served as a Member of Parliament for Queenborough from 1722 until his death in 1723.
