Sir Charles Knowles, 4th Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Charles Knowles, Bt
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Vice-Admiral Sir Charles G F Knowles
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| Born | 14 March 1832 Vaynor Park, Berriew |
| Died | 3 March 1917 Oxford |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1845-1887 |
| Rank | Vice-Admiral (United Kingdom) |
| Commands held | HMS Investigator HMS Lapwing HMS Blanche HMS Shannon |
| Relations | Francis Knowles (son) |
Sir Charles George Frederick Knowles (born March 14, 1832 – died March 3, 1917) was a high-ranking officer in the Royal Navy. He was also the 4th Baronet of his family, which is a special British title passed down through generations. Sir Charles served in important events like the Second Burmese War and led expeditions on the Niger River. He also helped calm an uprising in Santa Cruz. Eventually, he became a Vice-Admiral, a very senior naval rank.
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Who Was Sir Charles Knowles's Family?
Sir Charles Knowles came from a family with a long history of serving in the navy. He was born on March 14, 1832, in Vaynor Park, Wales. His father was Sir Francis Charles Knowles, the 3rd Baronet. His mother was Emma Pocock.
Sir Charles was the fourth person in his family line to hold the Baronet title. His great-grandfather, Sir Charles Knowles, was made a Baronet in 1765 for his naval achievements. His grandfather, Sir Charles Knowles, also became an Admiral, following in his father's footsteps.
However, Sir Charles's own father, Sir Francis Charles Knowles, chose a different path. He focused on science and became a member of the Royal Society in 1830. This is a very respected group for scientists.
On his mother's side, Sir Charles also had strong naval connections. His mother's grandfather was Admiral Sir George Pocock. He was famous for winning the Battle of Havana. Admiral Pocock had even served with the first Sir Charles Knowles when they were young midshipmen. They were together during a battle against the Spanish fleet in 1718.
Sir Charles grew up in a time of peace for the British Navy. Even though the navy was very powerful, there weren't many big battles. Instead, officers like Sir Charles focused on smaller missions and explorations.
Sir Charles Knowles joined the navy on May 21, 1845, when he was just 14 years old. He started as a midshipman, which is a junior officer in training.
Early Years and First Missions
He served on several ships as a naval cadet:
- HMS Queen (1845-1846)
- HMS Constance (1846-1849)
- HMS Contest (1849-1851)
By 1851, at age 20, he became an acting mate while in Shanghai. He was promoted to Lieutenant on February 7, 1853. He served in the East Indies and on the west coast of Africa.
During the Second Anglo-Burmese war in 1852, he served on HMS Fox. For his service, he received the Burmese Medal. In 1858, he was praised by the Admiralty (the navy's governing body) for helping to save HMS Ardent when it got stuck off the coast of Africa.
Commanding Ships and Expeditions
In 1864, Sir Charles was given command of HMS Investigator. This was a small survey ship. He led an important expedition up the Niger River in Africa. His mission was to meet with the explorer Dr. William Balfour Baikie. Sir Charles kept a detailed journal of his journey, describing the places and people he met. Parts of his journal were later published.
On March 1, 1865, he was promoted to Commander. He then became an Inspecting Commander for the Coastguard.
In 1872, he became a Captain and took command of HMS Lapwing. This ship protected fishing areas off Newfoundland. He was thanked by the Admiralty for his service during an uprising in Cuba (1870-1871) and for his work in Newfoundland.
Later, from 1877 to 1881, he commanded HMS Blanche in the West Indies. He was praised for helping to calm an uprising on the Danish island of Santa Cruz in 1880.
His last command was HMS Shannon starting in 1885. This was an early type of armored warship. Sir Charles retired from active service on March 14, 1887. He had spent over 14 years at sea! He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1889 and then to Vice-Admiral in 1894.
Sir Charles Knowles's Family Life
Sir Charles Knowles was married twice.
His Marriages and Children
His first marriage was to Elizabeth Chapman in 1861. They had two sons and three daughters.
He married his second wife, Mary Ellen Thomson, on June 11, 1882. She was the granddaughter of Joseph Howe, who was a Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. With Mary Ellen, Sir Charles had three sons and two daughters.
Sir Charles became the 4th Baronet after his father passed away in 1892. He died at the age of 87 in Oxford on March 3, 1917. He is buried on the Isle of Wight. His eldest son from his second marriage, Francis Knowles, inherited the Baronet title after him.
See also
- Knowles Baronets
