George Fowler Hastings

Hastings was born on 28 November 1814, the second son of Hans Hastings, 12th Earl of Huntingdon, and his first wife Frances.{{cite ODNB |id=12571 |title=Hastings, George Fowler|first=John Knox|last=Laughton|year=2004|first2=Morriss|last2=Roger}} His father had a naval career, and George followed him into the navy in either August or September 1824.{{Ref label|A|a|none}} After several years service as a midshipman Hastings was rated as mate on 5 September 1832, and promoted to lieutenant on 7 January 1833, followed by an appointment to the navy's gunnery training ship at Portsmouth, {{HMS|Excellent|1787|6}}. This was followed in May 1834 with a posting to the Mediterranean, initially aboard the 74-gun third rate {{HMS|Revenge|1805|6}}, followed by his transfer in September 1837 to the wooden paddle sloop {{HMS|Rhadamanthus|1837|6}}.

Hastings played a single first-class match for Hampshire in 1843 against Nottinghamshire.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/0/695.html Hampshire v Nottinghamshire (1843)] In the match, Hastings scored 5 runs in Hampshire's first innings before being bowled out. In Hampshire's second innings he was dismissed for a duck.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/george-hastings-15212|title=George Hastings|publisher=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=27 March 2022}}

File:Admiral Hastings and Group of Officers on board HMS Sparrowhawk.jpg, on the Pacific Station]]

Hastings was promoted to commander on 30 June 1838, and was appointed to the Coastguard

in January 1839. He was appointed to the 16-gun brig-sloop {{HMS|Harlequin|1836|6}} in August 1841 and sent to the China Station in time to take part in the last actions of the First Opium War then being fought. He remained in eastern waters after the end of the war, countering pirate operations on the coast of Sumatra. He was involved in the attack by the boats from Harlequin on the pirate enclaves of Quallah Batto and 'Murdoo', and his good service in these operations led to his promotion to captain, which came when he paid off the Harlequin on 31 January 1845.

Hastings was appointed to his next command, the steam paddle frigate {{HMS|Cyclops|1839|6}}, in September 1848. He commanded her on the west coast of Africa until February 1851. The crew of Cyclops are recorded as receiving bounties for the capture of the vessels Bom Successo on 25 December 1848, Esperanca on 10 May 1849,{{London Gazette|issue=21200|page=1023|date=15 April 1851}} Sophia on 11 August 1849 and Apollo on 29 October 1949 (the last two in consort with {{HMS|Rattler|1843|6}}) Pilot on 10 January 1850, Ventura on 27 January 1850 (both with {{HMS|Pluto|1831|6}}),{{London Gazette|issue=21278|page=14|date=2 January 1852}} Sociedade on 17 June 1850,{{London Gazette|issue=21300|page=786|date=12 March 1852}} and an unnamed "slave brigantine" on 20 November 1850;{{London Gazette|issue=21386|pages=3493–3494|date=30 November 1852}} as the chief duty of the West Africa Squadron was the suppression of the slave trade,{{cite web|title=Chasing Freedom Information Sheet |publisher=Royal Naval Museum |url=http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/visit_see_victory_cfexhibition_infosheet.htm |access-date=2 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091210021701/http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/visit_see_victory_cfexhibition_infosheet.htm |archive-date=10 December 2009}} presumably those ship were all slave ships. Hastings received £67 15 shillings and 11½ pence as his share from the Bom Successo, £398 18 shillings for Esperanca,{{London Gazette|issue=21209|page=1275|date=13 May 1851}} £91 4 shillings 5¼ pence for Sophia and £106 19 shillings 10 pence for Apollo,{{London Gazette|issue=21255|page=2759|date=21 October 1851}} £128 6 shillings 10 pence for Pilot, £250 11 shillings 11 pence for Ventura,{{London Gazette|issue=21285|page=233|date=27 January 1852}} £85 16 shillings 10 pence for Sociedade,{{London Gazette|issue=21310|page=1102|date=16 April 1852}} and £333 2 shillings 10 pence for the unnamed brigantine;{{London Gazette|issue=21395|page=3917|date=28 December 1852}} a total of nearly £1500, worth around £{{Formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|1500|1852|r=-4}}|0}} today.{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}

An appointment to the steam frigate {{HMS|Curacoa|1854|6}} followed, and Hastings served aboard her for operations in the Mediterranean and Black Sea during the Crimean War.{{Note label|B|b|none}} While serving in the Crimea Hastings distinguished himself at the Battle of Eupatoria in February 1855, and was Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette of 8 March 1855,{{London Gazette|issue=21673|pages=993–998|date=8 March 1855}} and honourably mentioned by Omar Pasha. He was duly appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 2 January 1857,{{London Gazette|issue=21955|page=12|date=2 January 1857}} and was also awarded the third class of the Medjidie, an award he was authorised to accept on 3 April 1858.{{cite book|title=Bulletins and Other State Intelligence |page=1544}}{{London Gazette|issue=22122|pages=1735–1736|date=3 April 1858}}

He remained aboard Curacoa until May 1857. He briefly commanded {{HMS|Maeander|1840|6}} at Weymouth (a guardship for the coast guard service) before being appointed (November 1857) commander of {{HMS|Blenheim|1813|6}} the Portsmouth guardship.{{cite news |title=The Navy |work=Evening Standard|date=30 November 1857 |location=London |page=3}} He became superintendent of Haslar Hospital and the Royal Clarence victualling yard in January 1858, holding the post until his promotion to rear-admiral on 27 April 1863.{{London Gazette|issue=22730|pages=2246–2247|date=28 April 1863}} His next assignment was in November 1866, when he became commander-in-chief in the Pacific, with the broadside ironclad {{HMS|Zealous|1864|6}} as his flagship. He received another promotion on 10 September 1869 when he was raised to vice-admiral,{{London Gazette|issue=23537|page=5108|date=17 September 1869}} and returned to Britain in November that year. His final position came with his appointment to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in February 1873. He retained the post for the usual three years, stepping down on 14 February 1876. He died shortly afterwards, on 21 March 1876 at his home at 41 Stanhope Gardens, South Kensington, London.

Hastings married Mathilde Alice at the British consulate at Calais on 14 September 1864.{{cite book |title=The Gentleman's Magazine|page=515}} A second ceremony was held the following day at the bride's home town of Saint-Omer. The marriage produced three sons and a daughter, with Mathilde outliving George and dying in 1916.

Hastings's period as commander of the Pacific station during a period of extensive mapping and exploration around the region led to his name being commemorated, particularly in numerous geographic features. Hastings Street, a main east–west corridor in Vancouver is named for him, and other placenames in the city are derived from it, such as Hastings Park and the adjacent neighbourhood of Hastings-Sunrise.{{cite book |last=Snyders|title=Namely Vancouver|page=131}} The fjord Hastings Arm on the North Coast of British Columbia was named after him, as was the nearby Mount Fowler.{{cite web |url=https://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/40622.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070815193807/http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/bcgn-bin/bcg10?name=40622 |url-status=live |archive-date=15 August 2007 |title=BCGNIS Query Results: Hastings Arm|access-date=26 February 2009}}

Their daughter, Frances Alice Hastings (26 July 1870 – 3 February 1945), married Gordon George William Henry (1868–1947), on 4 November 1895.Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003.

{{refbegin}}

a. {{Note label|A|a|none}} The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography describes him as entering the navy in September 1824, while parliamentary papers from 1863 give an entry date of 14 August 1824.{{cite book |last=Parliament of the United Kingdom, House of Commons |title=Parliamentary Papers |page=70}} The parts of his service record preserved by The National Archives do not show a date for his entry.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7897388|title=RN Officer's Service Records—Image details—Hastings, George F—Admiralty: Officers' Service Records (Series III), Officers Time of Service|work=DocumentsOnline|publisher=The National Archives|format=fee usually required to view pdf of original documents|access-date=27 February 2009}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7914211|title=RN Officer's Service Records—Image details—Hastings, George F—Admiralty: Officers' Service Records (Series III), Commission and Warrant Branch: Executive Officers A-L|work=DocumentsOnline|publisher=The National Archives|format=fee usually required to view pdf of original documents|access-date=27 February 2009}}

b. {{Note label|B|b|none}} The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography claims that Hastings was in command from August 1852. J. J. Colledge's Ships of the Royal Navy and Lyon and Winfield's The Sail and Steam Navy List record that Curacoa was not launched until 13 April 1854. His service record notes his appointment to the ship on 11 August 1854.

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{{reflist}}

• {{cite wikisource |first=William Richard |last=O'Byrne |title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary |year=1849 |publisher=John Murray}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite ODNB |id=12571 |title=Hastings, George Fowler|first=John Knox|last=Laughton|year=2004|first2=Morriss|last2=Roger}}
• {{cite book |last=Parliament of the United Kingdom, House of Commons |title=Parliamentary Papers |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|year=1863|volume=35}}
• {{cite book |editor=Behan, T. L. |title=Bulletins and Other State Intelligence |publisher=Harrison & Sons|year=1860|volume=2}}
• {{cite book |first=Sylvanus|last=Urban|title=The Gentleman's Magazine| publisher=F. Jefferies| year=1864 |volume=217}}
• {{cite book |first=Tom|last=Snyders|author2=O'Rourke, Jennifer|title=Namely Vancouver: A Hidden History of Vancouver Place Names|publisher=Arsenal Pulp Press|year=2000|isbn=1-55152-077-X}}
• {{BCGNIS|40622|Fowler Hastings}}

{{refend}}

{{Commons category|George Fowler Hastings}}

• [http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/15212.html George Hastings] at Cricinfo
• [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/36/36966/36966.html George Hastings] at CricketArchive

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Category:1814 births

Category:1876 deaths

Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath

Category:Royal Navy vice admirals

Category:Royal Navy personnel of the First Opium War

Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Crimean War

Category:English cricketers

Category:Hampshire cricketers

George Fowler Hastings

Category:Younger sons of earls