Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner
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| Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner | |
|---|---|
| 1742-1809 | |
 Alan Gardner by William Beechey |
|
| Place of birth | Uttoxeter, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1755-1800 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Relations | Alan Hyde Gardner (eldest son), Robert Barrie (nephew) |
| Other work | MP for Plymouth and, later, Westminster. |
Sir Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner (February 12, 1742- January 1, 1809) was a British Royal Navy officer and peer of the realm. He became one of the Georgian era's most dashing frigate captains and, ultimately, a respected senior admiral.
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[edit] Career
- 1755: Joined the Navy.
- 1766: Promoted to Captain. His first command was the fireship HMS Raven[1]. He commanded a number of frigates before being promoted to a ship of the line.
- 1782: Commanded a ship at the Battle of the Saintes.
- 1786: As Commodore of the American Squadron (consisting of HMS Europa and HMS Experiment) he suppressed smuggling in the Gulf of Mexico and ordered detailed hydrographic surveys of Caribbean locations of interest to the Navy. During this time, he commanded and probably mentored future famous officers such as George Vancouver, Peter Puget and Joseph Whidbey[2].
- 1790-1795: Member of the Board of Admiralty.
- 1795: Promoted to full Admiral.
- 1797: During the Mutiny at Spithead, Gardner negotiated directly with the mutineers until he lost his temper, seized a mutineer by the throat, and threatened to hang the lot. This nearly lead to his own demise at the hands of the mutineers, but cooler heads prevailed.[3].
- 1800: Created Baron Gardner, of Uttoxeter, in the Peerage of Ireland.
- 1806: The title of Baron Gardner in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was created for him. He was Member of Parliament for Plymouth and, later, Westminster.
[edit] Family
Gardner was born in Uttoxeter. He married Susannah Hyde Gale (?? - April 20, 1823) on May 20, 1769. They had two sons. The older son, Alan Hyde Gardner, 2nd Baron Gardner, and their nephew, Robert Barrie, became Admirals in the Royal Navy.
[edit] Legacy
Vancouver named several locations after Gardner: Mount Gardner in Australia, the Gardner Channel in Canada, and Port Gardner Bay in Puget Sound.
An East Indiaman was named after Admiral Gardner; it was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands, Jan 24, 1809. [4]
[edit] References
- ^ Wing, Robert and Newell, Gordon (1979). Peter Puget: Lieutenant on the Vancouver Expedition, fighting British naval officer, the man for whom Puget Sound was named. Gray Beard Publishing. ISBN 0-933686-00-5.
- ^ Naish, John (1996). The Interwoven Lives of George Vancouver, Archibald Menzies, Joseph Whidbey and Peter Puget: The Vancouver Voyage of 1791-1795. The Edward Mellen Press, Ltd.. ISBN 0-7734-8857-X.
- ^ Dugan, James (1965). The great mutiny. Putnam.
- ^ Wrecks of the Britannia, & Admiral Gardner, East Indiamen, on the Goodwin Sands, 24 Jan 1809. National Maritime Museum. Retrieved on March 04, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner, illustrations in the National Maritime Museum
- Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner, illustrations in the National Portrait Gallery
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Captain Robert Fanshawe |
Second Member for Plymouth 1790–1796 |
Succeeded by Sir William Elford |
| Preceded by Samuel Hood |
Member for Westminster 1796–1801 |
Succeeded by Duke of Northumberland |
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by Samuel Hood |
Member for Westminster 1801–1806 |
Succeeded by Duke of Northumberland |
| Peerage of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by New creation |
Baron Gardner of Uttoxeter 1806–1809 |
Succeeded by Alan Hyde Gardner |
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Categories: 1742 births | 1809 deaths | Barons in the Peerage of Great Britain | Royal Navy admirals | Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies | Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for English constituencies | UK MPs 1801-1802 | UK MPs 1802-1806 | Royal Navy personnel stubs
