Philippe d'Auvergne
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Philippe d'Auvergne Prince de Bouillon |
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| Born |
13 November 1754 Jersey, Channel Islands |
| Died | 18 September 1816 (aged 61) London, England |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
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| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
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| Years of service | 1775 – 1849 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Battles/wars | |
Philippe d'Auvergne (13 November 1754 – 18 September 1816) was a British naval officer and the adopted son of Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne the sovereign Duke of Bouillon. He chose a career in the Royal Navy that spanned a period of history where Great Britain was at the centre of wars and empire building and took him from Boston and the War of Independence to espionage with French Royalists; prisoner of war to shipwrecked; all this whilst hoping to become a Walloon ruler or, at least, heir to a princely fortune.
Philippe D'Auvergne was born in Jersey. His mother Elizabeth, the daughter of Philip Le Geyt, died giving birth to him. His father, Charles, was an ex-British Army officer, aide-de-camp to various Governors, and an advisor to British Cabinet Committees. His younger half brother Corbet James D'Auvergne (born 1767), also joined the Royal Navy. Corbet D'Auvergne was also associated with Jane Austen.
D'Auvergne was educated in Jersey, then England and France. He was fluent in French and English and had a mathematical mind, later to be used in various scientific studies and research.
D'Auvergne spent his youth sailing around the coast of Jersey.
D'Auvergne joined the Royal Navy, and was gazetted as a midshipman in 1770. He was trained aboard the Royal Yacht HMS Mary, under the command of Captain John Campbell. The Royal Yacht was used as a training vessel, for picked men. This was far easier than the usual training on a man-of-war. Accounts of Philippe's life put this down to Earl Howe, later Vice Admiral of England and First Lord of the Admiralty. Howe had befriended Charles d'Auvergne, whilst commanding the flotilla stationed at Jersey during 1756.
Philippe's next vessel was HMS Flora, where he is reported as meeting Empress Catherine of Russia; and on a return trip was influenced by a French scientific team at Copenhagen. Throughout this time Philippe studied mathematics and tried to solve the problem of time keeping and barometric pressure at sea.
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