A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Yorke, Charles Philip

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Hardwick, John

A Naval Biographical Dictionary
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Yorke, Charles Philip

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1738607A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Yorke, Charles PhilipWilliam Richard O'Byrne

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HARDWICKE, Earl of. (Captain, 1825. f-p., 15; h-p., 19.)

The Right Honourable Charles Philip Yorke, Earl of Hardwicke, born 2 April, 1799, is son of the late Admiral Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke,^[1] K.C.B., M.P. (whose father and- grandfather were each Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain), by his first wife, Elizabeth Weake, daughter of Jas. Rattray, Esq., of Atherstone; and nephew of the Right Hon. Chas. Philip Yorke, who filled the office of First Lord of the Admiralty from Nov. 1809 to March, 1812. One of his grand-uncles, the late Lord Dover, K.B., held high rank in the Army, and acted as Aide-de-Camp to H.R.H. the Duke of Cumberland at the battle of Fontenoy; and another, James, died Bishop of Ely in 1808. His Lordship succeeded to his titles on the demise of his uncle Philip Yorke, third Earl of Hardwicke, formerly Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, 18 Nov. 1834.

This officer entered the Royal Naval College 4 Feb. 1813, and, after carrying off the second medal, embarked, 15 May, 1815, as Midshipman, on board the Prince 98, Capt. Geo. Fowke, flag-ship at Spithead. In the course of the same and the following year he successively joined the Sparrowhawk 18, and Leviathan 74, commanded in the Mediterranean by Capts. Fred. Wm. Burgoyne and Thos. Briggs, the Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ship of Lord Exmouth, by whom he was intrusted with the charge of a gun-boat at the bombardment of Algiers, and the Leander 60, bearing the flag of Sir David Milne on the North American station, where he appears to have had command of the Jane, a small vessel employed in carrying despatches between Halifax and Bermuda. After acting for a few months as Lieutenant of the Grasshopper 18, Mr. Yorke was confirmed in that rank by commission dated 14 Aug. 1819; and on 29 of the following Oct. he joined the Phaeton 46, Capt. Wm. Augustus Montagu; in which frigate he served, on the Halifax station, until advanced another step in his profession 18 May, 1822. His next appointment was, 8 Aug. 1823, to the command of the Alacrity 10, fitting for the Mediterranean, where, prior to the receipt of his Post-commission, which bears date 6 June, 1825, we find him very actively employed in the suppression of piracy, and in watching the movements of the Turco-Egyptian forces. While subseqaently officiating as Captain, from 20 Nov. 1828 until the summer of 1831, of the Alligator 28, on the same station, Capt. Yorke further assisted in settling the affairs of Greece. He lastly, in 1844-5, assumed the command, for short periods, of the Black Eagle steam-yacht, and St. Vincent 120; in the former of which he conveyed the Emperor of Russia from England, and was presented on the occasion with a snuff-box, bearing a highly-finished portrait of His Imperial Majesty, studded with a profusion of brilliants, valued at 1000 guineas.

The Earl of Hardwicke, who was lately a Lord-in-Waiting on the Queen, is Lord-Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of co. Cambridge. He married, 4 Oct. 1833, Susan, sixth daughter of Lord Ravensworth, and by that lady has issue three sons and four daughters.

↑ Sir J. S. Yorke was born 6 June, 1768. Entering the Navy 15 Feb. 1780, he acted as Aide-de-Camp to Sir George Rodney in the actions of 9 and 12 April, 1782; and he afterwards, between the period of his Post-promotion, 4 Feb. 1793, and of his advancement to Flag-rank, 31 July, 1810, commanded in succession the Circe 28, Stag 32, Jason 36, Canada 74, Prince George and Barfleur 98’s, and Christian VII. 80; in the second-named of which ships, the Stag, he captured 22 Aug. 1795, after a close and spirited action, the Dutch 86-gun frigate Alliance. In 1811 we find him commanding a squadron and escorting a large body of troops in transports to the Tagus for the reinforcement of Lord Wellington’s army. He had been awarded, in the preceding year, a seat at the Board of Admiralty, and he continued to hold it until April 1818. From 1790 until drowned, in consequence of the upsetting of a yacht in Stokes Bay 5 May, 1830, Sir J, S. Yorke, with the exception of an interval of two years in 1810-12, had the honour of being uninterrupted representative in Parliament for the towns of Reygate, St. Germans, Sandwich, and, again, for Reygate. He was nominated a K.C.B. in 1815, and died an Admiral of the Blue.

[1] Sir J. S. Yorke was born 6 June, 1768. Entering the Navy 15 Feb. 1780, he acted as Aide-de-Camp to Sir George Rodney in the actions of 9 and 12 April, 1782; and he afterwards, between the period of his Post-promotion, 4 Feb. 1793, and of his advancement to Flag-rank, 31 July, 1810, commanded in succession the Circe 28, Stag 32, Jason 36, Canada 74, Prince George and Barfleur 98’s, and Christian VII. 80; in the second-named of which ships, the Stag, he captured 22 Aug. 1795, after a close and spirited action, the Dutch 86-gun frigate Alliance. In 1811 we find him commanding a squadron and escorting a large body of troops in transports to the Tagus for the reinforcement of Lord Wellington’s army. He had been awarded, in the preceding year, a seat at the Board of Admiralty, and he continued to hold it until April 1818. From 1790 until drowned, in consequence of the upsetting of a yacht in Stokes Bay 5 May, 1830, Sir J, S. Yorke, with the exception of an interval of two years in 1810-12, had the honour of being uninterrupted representative in Parliament for the towns of Reygate, St. Germans, Sandwich, and, again, for Reygate. He was nominated a K.C.B. in 1815, and died an Admiral of the Blue.

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