|
George St Lo (sometimes written as St Loe; 19 April 1655 – 20 September 1718) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Nine Years' War, and the War of the Spanish Succession. His career cut short by injuries, he embarked on a political career, holding offices as a commissioner of the navy and was a Member of Parliament. St Lo entered on a naval career, and after service in the Mediterranean on several ships, rose to the rank of captain with his own commands. Controversy occasionally followed his career, such as an investigation on murder charges while a lieutenant. He supported the Glorious Revolution in 1688, claiming to have had an important part in its success. His active seagoing career came to an end after 1689, when his ship was captured by French warship and St Lo was wounded. After time in France as a prisoner of war, he returned to England and took up various political positions, while writing about his observations and thoughts on naval administration. Holding administrative posts, and serving as commissioner for some of the dockyards, he was also an extra commissioner for the navy. As commissioner at Plymouth he had an important role in supporting the construction of the first Eddystone Lighthouse, but when he sent the project's guardship away, the crew and the architect, Henry Winstanley, were promptly captured by a French privateer. Though the men were eventually released, perhaps by the personal intervention of Louis XIV of France, St Lo was reprimanded. St Lo entered parliamentary politics in 1701, sitting for the constituency of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. He supported the Tory interest, until his defeat in 1705. He continued his administrative career until the accession of King George I in 1716, and was left unemployed in the subsequent redistribution of posts. He died two years later. ==Family and early life== St Lo was born on 19 April 1655, the fourth son of John St Lo of Little Fontmel, Dorset. His mother was Margaret, ''née'' Fawconer, the daughter of William Fawconer of Salisbury. George's grandfather was Edward St Lo, of Knighton, Wiltshire. George's family gave him important political connections, as he descended on his father's side from the Hyde family. His great-grandmother Elizabeth was the granddaughter of Laurence Hyde, of Hatch, Wiltshire, who was the grandfather of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon. St Lo's parentage brought him the important patronage of Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, which aided his rise through the navy. St Lo entered the navy and after a period of service, was appointed as lieutenant of on 16 January 1678, serving in the Mediterranean in operations against the Barbary States. The commander in the Mediterranean, Admiral Arthur Herbert, moved St Lo into the 46-gun under Captain Sir George Rooke, but while serving on her in May 1681, he found himself accused, with another officer, of having committed a murder in Tangier.〔 The matter was investigated, with St Lo acquitted in September 1682.〔 His career does not appear to have suffered unduly by the accusation, as he was promoted to captain on 11 April 1682, and given command of the 50-gun .〔〔 St Lo remained with ''Dartmouth'' for the next six years, recommissioning her in March 1685. He went out to the West Indies in 1686, and while there clashed with the acting governor of the Leeward Islands, Sir James Russell. Russell had been profiting from the widespread piracy going on in the Caribbean waters, causing St Lo to criticize this as an abuse of his authority.〔 His next command was the 46-gun , which he took over on 30 August 1688.〔〔 The ''Portsmouth'' was attached to the fleet under Admiral George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth, based in the River Medway during the events of the Glorious Revolution. Legge failed to intercept the fleet bringing William of Orange to Britain, with St Lo later declaring himself an avowed supporter of the new regime. He wrote that he was so true a friend to the Revolution ... that (at the peril of his life) he brought the Prince of Orange’s Declaration into the fleet then in the Downes ... notwithstanding it had been declared that whoever brought the same should be tried for sedition. After this the officers of the fleet came to a resolution not to fight the Dutch and subscriptions were taken to that purpose which were carried to the Prince of Orange.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「George St Lo」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|