Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hastings, George Fowler
HASTINGS, GEORGE FOWLER (1814–1876), vice-admiral, second son of Hans Francis, eleventh Earl of Huntingdon [q. v.], by his first wife, was born on 28 Nov. 1814. He entered the navy in September 1824, and on 7 Jan. 1833 was promoted to be lieutenant. He was then appointed to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth; in May 1834 to the Revenge in the Mediterranean; and in September 1837 to the Rhadamanthus steamer, also in the Mediterranean. On 30 June 1838 he was made commander; in the following January was appointed to the coastguard; and in August 1841 to the Harlequin, in which he went out to China, arriving in time to take part in the closing operations of the war, after which he was employed in the suppression of piracy on the coast of Sumatra. On paying off the Harlequin he was advanced to post rank, 31 Jan. 1845. From September 1848 to February 1851 he commanded the Cyclops steam frigate on the west coast of Africa; and from August 1852 to May 1857 the Curaçoa in the Mediterranean and Black Sea during the operations of the war with Russia, his services in which were acknowledged by a C.B., conferred 2 Jan. 1857, and the third class of the Medjidie. In January 1858 he was appointed superintendent of Haslar Hospital and the Royal Clarence victualling yard, in which post he continued till he attained his flag on 27 April 1863. From November 1866 to November 1869 he was commander-in-chief in the Pacific, with his flag in the Zealous, one of the earlier wooden-built ironclads. He became vice-admiral on 10 Sept. 1869. In February 1873 he was appointed commander-in-chief at the Nore, which office he held for the usual term of three years, ending 14 Feb. 1876. He died suddenly a few weeks afterwards, on 31 March 1876.
[O'Byrne's Nav. Biog. Dict.; Annual Register, 1876, cxviii. 137; Navy Lists.]