Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, 3rd Baronet
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Sir Michael Culme-Seymour | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 13 March 1836 |
| Died | 11 October 1920 (aged 84) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1850–1901 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth (1897–00) Mediterranean Fleet (1893–96) Channel Fleet (1890–92) Pacific Station (1885–87) HMS Duke of Wellington (1879–82) HMS Temeraire (1877–79) HMS Monarch (1876–77) HMS Volage (1870–74) HMS Wanderer (1861–65) |
| Battles / wars | Second Opium War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order[2] |
| Spouse |
Mary Georgina Watson
(m. 1866) |
| Relations | Vice Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, 4th Baronet (son) |
Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, 3rd Baronet, GCB, GCVO (13 March 1836 – 11 October 1920) was a senior Royal Navy officer. On 17 September 1880 he became 3rd Baronet, on the death of his father. The Culme-Seymours were relatives of the Seymour family, his father having added his wife's family name – Culme – to his own following her death.
Culme-Seymour was born in Northchurch, Berkhamsted 13 March 1836, the son of Sir John Hobart Culme-Seymour, 2nd Baronet (1800–1880) and his wife Elizabeth Culme, daughter of Reverend Thomas Culme.[3] He entered the Navy in 1850,[4] and in 1856 served as mate in HMS Calcutta, flagship of the East Indies squadron, which was involved in the Second Opium War.[4] The fleet was commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour (his uncle), while Calcutta was commanded by William King-Hall.[4] On 25 May 1857 he was promoted to lieutenant, continuing to serve on Calcutta until 6 June 1859, when he was promoted again to commander.[4] From 20 June 1861 to 16 August 1865 he commanded HMS Wanderer in the Mediterranean Fleet.[4] On 16 December 1865 he was promoted to captain.[4][5]
In December 1870 he commanded HMS Volage in the Channel Squadron.[4] From 1874 to 1876 he was private secretary to First Lord of the Admiralty, George Ward Hunt.[4] In 1876 he returned to the Mediterranean, commanding HMS Monarch.[4] In July 1877 he transferred to HMS Temeraire and took part in the 1878 passage of the Dardanelles commanded by Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Phipps Hornby.[4] In 1879 he was appointed a naval aide-de-camp to the Queen.[6]
From 29 July 1879 to 9 May 1882 he was captain of HMS Duke of Wellington,[4] which was the flagship of the officer commanding Portsmouth harbour, Admiral Alfred Phillips Ryder,[4] at the end of which appointment he was promoted to rear-admiral.[4][7] 1885 saw him as second in command of the Baltic squadron under Phipps Hornby during the Panjdeh Incident.[4] From 5 July 1885 to 20 September 1887 he was commander in chief of the Pacific squadron.[4] He was promoted to vice-admiral on 19 June 1888[4] and from 1890 he commanded the Channel Fleet for two years.[4] He was promoted to admiral in 1893.[8]
From 3 May 1893 to 10 November 1896 he was Commander in Chief, Mediterranean Fleet,[4] replacing George Tryon after the accidental sinking of HMS Victoria in a collision. He was promoted to full admiral before taking up the command.
From 3 August 1897 to 3 October 1900 he was Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth,[4] and in March 1901 he was placed on the retired list.[9]
In 1899 he was appointed First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria.[10] He was re-appointed after the succession of the new King Edward VII, in February 1901,[11] but resigned from the position in April the same year.[12]
On the death of Queen Victoria, Culme-Seymour took part in the procession from Osborne House to Trinity Pier on 1 February 1901, taking up position immediately behind the gun carriage carrying the coffin. He then accompanied the coffin on board HM Yacht Alberta.[13]
In early 1901 Sir Michael was asked by King Edward to take part in a special diplomatic mission to announce the King's accession to the governments of Belgium, Bavaria, Italy, Württemberg, and The Netherlands.[14]
He was granted the honorary offices of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom and Lieutenant of the Admiralty in July 1901,[15] and kept these until his death.
He died at Oundle in Northamptonshire in 1920.[4]
Honours
Culme-Seymour was appointed to the 5th class of the Order of the Medjidie in 1858.[16] He was promoted to the first class of that order in 1894.[17]
He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1893, and advance to Knight Grand Cross of that Order (GCB) in the 1897 Diamond Jubilee Honours.[18] His installation as a Knight Grand Cross took place in 1913.[19] He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) in 1901.[20]