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Albert Hastings Markham

Albert Hastings Markham
Albert Hastings Markham.jpg
Albert Hastings Markham in 1876
Born 11 November 1841
Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France
Died 28 October 1918 (aged 76)
London, England
Allegiance  Royal Navy
Years of service 1856–1906
Rank Lieutenant (1862)
Commander (1872)
Captain (1876)
Rear Admiral (1891)
Vice Admiral (1897)
Admiral (1903)
Unit
Commands held
Battles/wars Nukapu Expedition
Awards ADC
KCB (1903)
Relations Father: Captain John Markham
Mother: Marianne Markham (née Wood)
Wife: Theodora Markham (née Gervers)
Cousin: Sir Clements Robert Markham KCB FRS
Other work Arctic Exploration
Council of the Royal Geographical Society
Author

Admiral Sir Albert Hastings Markham, KCB (11 November 1841 – 28 October 1918) was a British explorer, author, and officer in the Royal Navy. In 1903 he was made Knight Commander in the Order of the Bath. He died in London, England at the age of 76. He is also remembered for designing the flag of New Zealand.

Albert Markham was the fifth son of Captain John Markham, who had retired from the navy because of ill health with the rank of lieutenant. John Markham's grandfather, William Markham, had been Archbishop of York. Albert was born in Bagnères-de-Bigorre in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of France, where the family lived before moving to a farm on Guernsey. At age thirteen Albert was sent to London to live with his aunt, the wife of his uncle David Markham (Canon of Windsor from 1827 to 1853), at 4 Onslow Square. Neighbours included the explorer Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy and novelist William Thackeray.

He was educated at home and at Eastman's Royal Naval Academy. Markham's father was short of money for his education and had for some time tried to find a naval officer willing to sponsor Albert for admission to the navy. He only succeeded in doing so after Albert had passed the normal entry age of fourteen, but by good luck the admiralty at that time had decided to experiment with accepting older cadets. His aunt's son Clements Markham, who was eleven years older than Albert, had also joined the navy before leaving to become a geographer and explorer. He became a lifelong friend to his cousin Albert and exerted a considerable influence on his career.


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