Admiral Anson
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Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Anson PC, FRS, RN |
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|---|---|
Portrait of Lord Anson by Thomas Hudson
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| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
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In office 1757–1762 |
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| Prime Minister |
The Duke of Newcastle The Earl of Bute |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Winchilsea and Nottingham |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Halifax |
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In office 1751–1756 |
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| Prime Minister |
Henry Pelham The Duke of Newcastle |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Sandwich |
| Succeeded by | The Earl Temple |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 April 1697 Staffordshire, England |
| Died | 6 June 1762 (aged 65) Moor Park, Hertfordshire, England |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Great Britain
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| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
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| Years of service | 1711–1762 |
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Commands |
HMS Weazel HMS Scarborough HMS Garland HMS Diamond HMS Squirrel HMS Centurion |
| Battles/wars |
War of the Spanish Succession War of the Quadruple Alliance War of Jenkins' Ear War of the Austrian Succession Seven Years' War |
Admiral of the Fleet George Anson, 1st Baron Anson, PC FRS (23 April 1697 – 6 June 1762), was a Royal Navy officer. Anson served as a junior officer during the War of the Spanish Succession and then saw active service against Spain at the Battle of Cape Passaro during the War of the Quadruple Alliance. He then undertook a circumnavigation of the globe during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Anson commanded the fleet that defeated the French Admiral de la Jonquière at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre during the War of the Austrian Succession.
Anson went on to be First Lord of the Admiralty during the Seven Years' War. Among his reforms were the removal of corrupt defence contractors, improved medical care, submitting a revision of the Articles of War to Parliament to tighten discipline throughout the Navy, uniforms for commissioned officers, the transfer of the Marines from Army to Navy authority, and a system for rating ships according to their number of guns.
Anson was the son of William Anson of Shugborough in Staffordshire and Isabella Carrier, whose brother-in-law was the Earl of Macclesfield and Lord Chancellor, a relationship that proved very useful to the future admiral. He was born on 23 April 1697, at Shugborough Manor. In February 1712, amid the War of the Spanish Succession, Anson entered the navy at the age of 15. He served as a volunteer aboard the fourth-rate HMS Ruby, before transferring to the third-rate HMS Monmouth. Promoted to lieutenant on 17 March 1716, he was assigned to the fourth-rate HMS Hampshire in service as part of a Baltic Sea fleet commanded by Admiral John Norris. Anson transferred to the aging fourth-rate HMS Montagu in March 1718, and saw active service against Spain at the Battle of Cape Passaro in August 1718 during the War of the Quadruple Alliance. He then transferred to the second-rate HMS Barfleur, flagship of Admiral George Byng, in October 1719.
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