Lord Mark Kerr (Royal Navy officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lord
Mark Kerr
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 12 November 1776 |
| Died | 9 September 1840 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
Royal Navy |
| Years of service | c.1792–1840 |
| Rank | Vice-Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Fortune HMS San Ysidro HMS Danae HMS Bonne Citoyenne HMS Cormorant HMS Fisgard |
| Battles/wars | |
Vice-Admiral Lord Mark Robert Kerr (12 November 1776 – 9 September 1840) was a brave officer in the Royal Navy, which is the United Kingdom's navy. He was the third son of William John Kerr, 5th Marquess of Lothian. He became a Vice-Admiral, a very high rank in the navy.
A Life at Sea
Mark Kerr started his naval career as a midshipman around 1792. This was like being a junior officer in training. He sailed on a ship called HMS Lion with Lord Macartney on a special trip to China. This trip, known as the Macartney Embassy, was to meet the Chinese Emperor.
While in China, Mark Kerr became a lieutenant, which is an officer rank. He later took part in important events during the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.
In 1798, he was part of the team that helped capture Minorca, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Later, in September 1804, Captain Kerr was put in charge of the ship HMS Fisgard. Just a month later, he successfully captured several Spanish ships. These ships were worth a lot of money, more than £14,000!
Praised by Nelson
The famous Admiral Horatio Nelson thought highly of Mark Kerr. In November 1804, Nelson wrote a letter saying that Lord Mark Kerr was a "valuable Officer and good a Man." This shows how respected Mark Kerr was by one of the greatest naval heroes.
In April 1805, Captain Mark Kerr made an important discovery. He found out that the French fleet, which Nelson was looking for, had sailed into the Atlantic Ocean. He quickly shared this vital information with another admiral, who then sent the message to England. This kind of quick thinking and communication was very important during wartime.
Family Life
On July 18, 1799, Lord Mark Robert Kerr married Charlotte. She was the third daughter of Randal William Macdonnell, the Marquess of Antrim. When her older sister passed away, Charlotte became the Countess of Antrim in her own right. This meant she inherited the title herself.
Lord Mark and Charlotte had a large family. Two of their sons later became the fourth and fifth Earls of Antrim.
