William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock
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Admiral Lord Radstock
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| Born | 9 July 1753 |
| Died | 20 August 1825 (aged 72) London, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1766–1802 |
| Rank | Admiral of the Red |
| Commands held | HMS Zephyr |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
| Spouse(s) | Cornelia Jacoba van Lennep |
| Children | 9, including Granville |
Admiral William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock (born July 9, 1753 – died August 20, 1825) was an important officer in the Royal Navy. He also served as the Governor of Newfoundland.
Contents
Early Life and School
William Waldegrave was the second son of John Waldegrave, 3rd Earl Waldegrave. His mother was Elizabeth Gower. He went to school at Eton College, a famous school in England.
William Waldegrave joined the Royal Navy in 1766 when he was just 13 years old. His first ship was HMS Jersey, which was the main ship of the Mediterranean fleet.
Rising Through the Ranks
He quickly moved up in rank. In 1775, he became a lieutenant and then a commander. He was given command of a small warship called a sloop, named HMS Zephyr. The next year, in 1776, he became a captain. He sailed to India on HMS Rippon.
After about 15 months, he had to return home because he was not well. From 1778 until 1783, he was a captain of a frigate, a type of fast warship. This was during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he spent ten years traveling and starting his family.
Fighting in the French Revolutionary War
When the French Revolutionary War began, Waldegrave was in charge of HMS Courageux. He fought under Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood at the Siege of Toulon in 1793. Later, he commanded HMS Barfleur in the Mediterranean Sea.
He was third in command at the famous Battle of Cape St. Vincent in 1797. This was a big naval battle where the British fleet won against the Spanish. For his brave actions in this battle, he was offered a special honor called a baronetcy. However, he turned it down because, as the son of an earl, he already held a higher social rank.
Waldegrave continued to be promoted. He became a rear admiral in 1794 and a vice-admiral in 1795.
Governor of Newfoundland
On May 16, 1797, William Waldegrave was chosen to be the Governor of Newfoundland. At that time, Newfoundland was a British colony. He was also in charge of the nearby islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.
Challenges as Governor
During his time as governor, Waldegrave mostly focused on military issues. Just one year before he arrived, a French fleet had attacked and burned Bay Bulls. So, Newfoundland was still at risk from French attacks.
Another big problem was soldiers leaving their posts, known as desertion. People on the island often helped these soldiers hide. Soon after Waldegrave became governor, there was a mutiny (a rebellion) among sailors. He had to act quickly to stop it. He also made sure that soldiers in St. John's did not try anything similar. He often disagreed with his military commander, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Skinner, on military matters.
Improving Life on the Island
Waldegrave also tried to limit the power of the powerful merchants (business people) on Newfoundland. He wanted to bring more law and order to the island. Even though his efforts against the merchants were not very successful, he did manage to get a chief justice appointed. This judge would live on the island all year round, which helped with legal issues.
He also started many projects to help people in need. He set up a "Committee for the Relief of the Poor" and gave a lot of his own money to help. Between 1797 and 1798, almost 300 people received help from this fund. Waldegrave finished his term as governor in 1800.
Honors and Retirement
After he finished being Governor of Newfoundland in 1800, William Waldegrave was given a special title. He became a peer, known as Baron Radstock. This title was part of the Peerage of Ireland.
In 1802, he retired from the Navy and was promoted to the highest rank, full admiral. In 1815, he received another high honor. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB).
Family Life
William Waldegrave married Cornelia Jacoba van Lennep in 1785. They had nine children together: three sons and six daughters.
- Granville George Waldegrave, who later became the 2nd Baron Radstock.
- Emily Susanna Laura Waldegrave
- Maria Waldegrave
- Isabella Elizabeth Waldegrave
- Harriet Ann Frances Waldegrave
- William Waldegrave
- Caroline Waldegrave
- Augustus Waldegrave
- Elizabeth Frances Waldegrave
Images for kids
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Coronet of a British Baron
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Radstock Escutcheon
See also
- Governors of Newfoundland
- List of people from Newfoundland and Labrador
- Waldegrave Islands
- Cape Radstock
