Augustus Keppel RN MP PC (1725 - 1786)

Born 25 Apr 1725 in London

Ancestors

Died 2 Oct 1786 at age 61 in Suffolk

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Biography

Augustus Keppel RN MP PC is Notable.

Augustus Keppel was born on the 25th of April 1725 a younger son of William Anne Keppel, Earl of Albemarle and his wife, Anne Lennox and was educated briefly at Westminster School, ^[1] leaving to join the Royal Navy at the age of ten. ^[2] Aged 15 he sailed aboard HMS Centurion under Captain George Anson on his mission to harass Spanish shipping along the coast of South America. The arduous voyage lasted for almost four years. Centurion arrived back at Spithead on the 15th of June 1744, the only ship of the original squadron of six to have survived the entire voyage. ^[3] He had been promoted to acting lieutenant in 1742, lost many of his teeth to scurvy and made lasting friendships with John Campbell and Charles Saunders. ^[4]

With his family connections Augustus made rapid progress in his profession and in 1755, while in America, he was returned as member of Parliament for Chichester, in the interest of his cousin, Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond. ^[1] His father had died suddenly on the 22nd of December 1754 ^[5] and Augustus' brother, George, who had previously held the seat had been elevated to the peerage thus creating the vacancy. ^[2]

In 1757 Augustus served as a member of the Court Martial that condemned Admiral John Byng to death then sought in the Commons to be absolved from his oath of secrecy so that he would be able to make a plea for clemency. His efforts only succeeded in delaying the execution by a fortnight. ^[1]

He was promoted to Admiral of the Blue on the 29th of January 1778. ^[6]

Augustus died on the 2nd of October 1786. ^[1]

Postings

Royal Navy Postings

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} History of Parliament online: KEPPEL, Hon. Augustus (1725-86), of Elveden Hall, Suff
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Keppel, Augustus, Viscount Keppel (1725–1786)
3. ↑ Wikipedia: HMS Centurion (1732)
4. ↑ Wikipedia: Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel
5. ↑ Wikipedia: Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle
6. ↑ The London Gazette 29 January 1778

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Keppel, Augustus, Viscount Keppel (1725–1786)
• The London Gazette 27 March 1782
• The London Gazette 30 March 1782
• British Listed Buildings: Keppel's Column
• Phrases.org Copper-bottomed
• The Will of the Right Honourable Augustus Viscount Keppel
• Thepeerage.com: Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1st and last Viscount Keppel of Elveden Cites: G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume VII, page 189.
• Dictionary of National Biography: Keppel, Augustus