George Townshend

Admiral George Townshend was born on 29 October 1716 and died in August 1769. He was a British naval officer known for his service in the Royal Navy during the 18th century.

Family Background:

George Townshend was the eldest son of Charles Townshend, the 2nd Viscount Townshend. His mother was Dorothy, the second wife of Charles Townshend, who was a sister of Sir Robert Walpole, a prominent Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Naval Career:

Townshend's naval career began before 1739. He was promoted to the rank of post captain on 30 January 1739. In 1743, he was appointed to command the third-rate ship HMS Bedford. During his command, he participated in the Battle of Toulon in February 1744, which was part of the broader conflict of the War of the Austrian Succession.

In 1746, he commanded the British fleet during the Siege of Genoa. From 1749 to 1752, Townshend served as Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station, a key naval command in the Caribbean. He received a promotion to rear admiral on 6 January 1755. Subsequently, he again held the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station from 1755 to 1757.

Further promotions followed in his career; he was promoted to vice admiral in February 1757. His final promotion was to full admiral in 1765. George Townshend's service concluded before his death in 1769.

References:

The biography references sources including Frank Cundall's "Historic Jamaica" (1915) and Sir Richard Lodge's "Studies in Eighteenth Century Diplomacy 1740-1748" (1930).