Login
Login

Downs Station

{{EngvarB|date=November 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name= Downs Station

|image=

|caption=

|dates= 1626–1834

|country= United Kingdom

|allegiance=

|branch= 23px Royal Navy

|type= Naval formation

|role=

|size=

|command_structure= Royal Navy

|garrison= Deal, Kent, England

|garrison_label=

|nickname=

|equipment=

|equipment_label=

|battles=

|anniversaries=

|decorations=

|battle_honours=

|disbanded=

|commander1=

|commander1_label=

|commander2=

|commander2_label=

|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=

|identification_symbol_label=

|identification_symbol_2=

|identification_symbol_2_label=

}}

The Downs Station{{cite book|last1=Clarke|first1=James Stanier|last2=McArthur|first2=John|title=The Naval Chronicle: Volume 27, January-July 1812: Containing a General and Biographical History of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom with a Variety of Original Papers on Nautical Subjects|date=2 September 2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781108018661|page=43|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lu6FvjxaAVcC&q=Commander-in-Chief%2C+the+Downs+Station&pg=PA43|language=en}} also known as the Commander-in-Chief, the Downs{{cite book|title=Papers, Relative to Correspondence between Sir Home Popham and the Admiralty, between 1 January 1787 and 31st December 1792|date=1808|publisher=Oxford University|page=198|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3zBbAAAAQAAJ&q=Commander-in-Chief%2C+the+Downs&pg=RA1-PA117|language=en}} or

Admiral Commanding at the Downs{{sfn|Charnock|1794|pages=29-31}} was a formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain and then the United Kingdom's Royal Navy based at Deal. It was a major command of the Royal Navy from 1626 until 1834.{{cite book|last1=Lee|first1=Christopher|title=Nelson and Napoleon: The Long Haul to Trafalgar|date=20 Nov 2014|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=9780571321681|pages=Chapter 7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wmSwBAAAQBAJ&q=Commander-in-Chief%2C+the+Downs&pg=PT84|language=en}}

The Downs is a roadstead (area of sheltered, favourable sea) in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast. It is primarily known in naval history for the Dutch defeat of the Spanish in the Battle of the Downs in 1639.

History

The Downs served as permanent base for naval vessels operating out of Deal, Kent.{{cite book |last=Robson |first=Martin |title=The Battle of Trafalgar |year=2005 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |isbn=0-85177-979-4 |pages=29, 36, 158}}

It served as a base for warships patrolling the North Sea. The command generally covered an area in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast. The station lasted until 1815, when it was absorbed into the Commander-in-Chief, The Nore's control, whose role and geographic area of responsibility was re-defined by the Admiralty.

Commanders in chief

Incomplete list includes:{{cite web|last1=Hiscocks|first1=Richard|title=Downs commander-in-chief 1777-1815 - more than Nelson|url=http://morethannelson.com/downs-commander-in-chief-1777-1815/|website=more than Nelson|publisher=Richard Hiscocks|access-date=10 March 2017|date=1 February 2016}}


{{x mark-n}} = died in post

  • Commodore Sir Henry Palmer, 1626
  • Rear-Admiral Sir John Penington, 1626–1631
  • Vice-Admiral Sir John Penington, 1638–1645{{sfn|Charnock|1794|pages=29–31}}
  • Vice-Admiral Sir John Mennes, 1645–1649{{sfn|Charnock|1794|pages=29–31}}
  • Rear-Admiral Richard Badiley, 1649–1650
  • Vice-Admiral John Lawson, 1650–1656
  • Vice-Admiral Richard Badiley, 1656 {{x mark-n}}
  • Admiral Sir Edward Montagu, 1657–1663{{sfn|Charnock|1794|pages=29–31}}
  • Commodore Thomas Allin, 1663–1664{{sfn|Charnock|1794|pages=29–31}}
  • Admiral Sir William Penn, 1664–1666{{sfn|Charnock|1794|pages=29–31}}
  • Vice-Admiral Sir John Holmes, 1667–1679{{sfn|Schomberg|1802|page=224}}
  • Commodore Stafford Fairborne, 1695–1697 {{cite web|last1=Harrison|first1=Simon|title=Stafford Fairborne (d.1716)|url=https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_crewman&id=424|website=threedecks.org|publisher=Simon Harrison 2017|access-date=20 March 2018}}
  • Rear-Admiral Basil Beaumont, 1699–1703 {{x mark-n}}
  • Commodore Richard Griffith, 1707
  • Commodore Gerard Ellwes, 1707–1708 {{cite web |last1=Harrison |first1=Simon |title=Commander-in-Chief at The Downs |url=https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_appointment&appointmentid=32&locationid=804 |website=threedecks.org |publisher=S.Harrison |access-date=16 February 2019 |date=2010–2018}}
  • Commodore Charles Cornwall, 1709–1710
  • Commodore Tudor Trevor, 1711–1712
  • Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Wager, 1712–1714
  • Captain Edward Vernon, 1716
  • Commodore Philip Cavendish, 1716
  • Admiral Edward Vernon, 1745{{sfn|Schomberg|1802|page=224}}
  • Vice-Admiral William Martin, 1745
  • Commodore Matthew Michell, 1745–1748
  • Admiral Thomas Smith, 1755–1758
  • Commodore Sir Peircy Brett, 1758–1761
  • Commodore John Moore, 1761–1766
  • Rear-Admiral John Montagu, 1771
  • Commodore John Elliot, 1777–1778
  • Vice-Admiral Matthew Buckle, 1778–1779
  • Vice-Admiral Francis William Drake, 1779–1782{{sfn|Schomberg|1802|page=243}}
  • Rear-Admiral John Evans, 1780–1781*
  • Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Hughes, 1781–1782*{{cite book|last1=Marshall|first1=John|title=Royal Naval Biography: Or, Memoirs of the Services of All the Flag-Officers, Superannuated Rear-Admirals, Retired-Captains, Post-Captains, and Commanders|date=18 November 2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781108022712|page=10|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r4yE2ElZxDcC&q=Rear-Admiral+Sir+Richard+Hughes++Downs+Station&pg=PA10|language=en}}

Station not active 1782 to 1790

Station not active 1791 to 1793

  • Rear-Admiral John MacBride, 1793–1794 {{cite book|last1=O’Byrne|first1=William R.|title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary - Volume 1|date=6 Feb 2012|publisher=Andrews UK Limited|isbn=9781781502778|page=38|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=31q-BAAAQBAJ&q=Rear-Admiral+John+MacBride++Downs+Station&pg=PA38|language=en}}
  • Vice-Admiral Joseph Peyton, 1794–1799
  • Rear-Admiral John Bazely, 1796–1797*
  • Vice-Admiral Skeffington Lutwidge, 1799–1802{{cite web|last1=Archives|first1=The National|title=Admiral Skeffington Lutwidge, Commander-in-Chief in the Downs, Order to Captain Portlock of the Arrow. Copy. Paper No 6.|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11667263|website=discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk|publisher=National Archives, 1799 May 26, HO 69/5/6|access-date=10 March 2017}}
  • Rear-Admiral Edward Thornbrough, 1803 {{cite book|last1=Burke|first1=John|title=A genealogical and heraldic history of the commoners of Great Britain and Ireland|date=1838|publisher=Henry Colburn, London|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_KikAAAAAQAAJ/page/n327 302]|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_KikAAAAAQAAJ|quote=Rear-Admiral Edward Thornbrough Downs Station.|language=en}}
  • Vice-Admiral Philip Patton, 1803–1804{{cite book|last1=O’Byrne|first1=William R.|title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary - Volume 2|date=6 Feb 2012|publisher=Andrews UK Limited|isbn=9781781502792|page=875|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B1y-BAAAQBAJ&q=Vice-Admiral+Philip+Patton+Downs+Station&pg=PA875|language=en}}
  • Vice-Admiral John Holloway, 1804–1807 {{cite book|last1=Goodman|first1=Alfred Edwin|title=Goodman, a Family History|date=1916|publisher=A.H. Timms, Printer|page=404|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5GcZAQAAMAAJ&q=Vice-Admiral+John+Holloway+Downs+Station|language=en}}
  • Vice-Admiral Bartholomew Rowley, 1807–1808 {{cite book|last1=Urban|first1=Sylvanus|title=Gentleman's Magazine, and Historical Chronicle|date=1811|publisher=E. Cave, London|page=586|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TtNKAQAAMAAJ&q=Vice-Admiral+Bartholomew+Rowley+Downs+Station&pg=PA586|language=en}}
  • Vice-Admiral George Campbell, 1808–1811{{cite book|title=The Annual biography and obituary|date=1827|publisher=A & R Spottiswoode, London|page=[https://archive.org/details/annualbiography42unkngoog/page/n456 448]|url=https://archive.org/details/annualbiography42unkngoog|quote=|language=en}}
  • Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Foley, 1811–1815 {{cite RNB1823 |wstitle= Foley, Thomas |volume= 52.6.5 | pages= 363-372 |year=1823 |short=}}
  • Rear-Admiral William Hall Gage, 1833.{{cite DNB |wstitle= Gage, William Hall |volume= 20 |last= Laughton |first= John Knox |author-link= John Knox Laughton |page= 357 |short= 1}}{{cite RNB1823 |wstitle= Gage, William Hall |volume= 52.7.1 | pages= 836-840 |year=1823 |short=}}

Temporary command in absence of senior officer *

Notes

{{reflist}}

References

  • {{cite book |last1=Charnock |first1=John |title=Biographia Navalis; or, Impartial memoirs of the lives of officers of the navy of Great Britain from 1660 |url=https://archive.org/details/biographianaval09chargoog |date=1794 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/biographianaval09chargoog/page/n485 29]–31 |edition=Volume 1}}
  • Ireland, Bernard (2001), Naval Warfare in the Age of Sail - War at Sea 1756–1815, 1st Ed, WW Norton & Co. {{ISBN|9780393049831}}.
  • Rodger, N.A.M. (2004), The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain, 1649–1815. New York and London: W.W. Norton and Company. {{ISBN|9780393060508}}.
  • {{cite book|last1=Schomberg|first1=Isaac|title=Naval Chronology: Or, An Historical Summary of Naval & Maritime Events, from the Time of the Romans, to the Treaty of Peace, Volume 5|url=https://archive.org/details/navalchronologyo05schoiala|date=1802|publisher=T Egerton|location=London, England|page=[https://archive.org/details/navalchronologyo05schoiala/page/224 224]}}

{{Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office}}

{{Admiralty Department}}

{{Royal Navy fleets}}

Category:Commands of the Royal Navy

Category:Military units and formations established in 1777

Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1815