Lewis Anthony Beaumont

Admiral Sir Lewis A. Beaumont.
Image: Department of National Defence.

Admiral SIR Lewis Anthony Beaumont, G.C.B., K.C.M.G., F.R.G.S., Royal Navy (19 May, 1847 – 19 June, 1922) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Beaumont entered the service with the December 1860 intake term at Britannia, his examination scores ranking him fifteenth of thirty-four candidates accepted for naval cadetships.

Beaumont was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 23 August, 1867.

Beaumont was promoted to the rank of Commander on 3 November, 1876.

A fluent speaker in French, Beaumont was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1882.

Beaumont served as Naval Attaché for Europe (or the Martime Countries) in 1882, as well as having a seat on the War Office Committee on Smnall Arms and Ammunition.

On 5 July 1887, he was blamed for grounding Canada in Mantangas Harbour, Cuba. However, he redeemed himself in September 1888 when the Admiralty thanked him for securing the safety of the President of Haiti and his family during disturbances. On 10 December 1889 he was appointed to the Committee to Consider the Limits of Foreign Stations.

Beaumont commanded the armoured cruiser Narcissus in the Annual Manoeuvres of 1890. His ship acted as part of Fleet Number 1 which was itself playing the role of the Royal Navy fending off attacks on British trade routes.

On 3 July, 1894, Beaumont was appointed to the President, additional, for temporary service, and on 1 September he was appointed Director of Naval Intelligence.

Flag Rank

Beaumont was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 23 August, 1897, vice Markham.

On the occasion of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (the future King George VI and Queen Mary) to Australia, Beaumont was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (K.C.M.G.) on 23 July, 1901.

Beaumont was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral dated 1 September, 1902, vice Lloyd.

On 9 November, 1904, he was appointed an Ordinary Member, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) in the King's birthday honours.

Beaumont was confirmed in the rank of Admiral on 17 October, 1906, vice Oxley.

On the occasion of King George V's coronation he was appointed an Additional Member of the First Class, or Knight Grand Cross, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (G.C.B.) on 19 June, 1911.

In accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 22 February, 1870, he was placed on the Retired List on 19 May, 1912.

Bibliography

• "A Link with the Old Navy" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 21 June, 1922. Issue 43063, col E, p. 10.

Papers

• Papers in the possession of the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/86/38.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/36/226.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/17/98.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by John O. Hopkins	Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty 1 Jan, 1883 – 3 Jul, 1885	Succeeded by The Rt. Hon. Lord Walter Kerr
Preceded by Arthur C. Curtis	Captain of H.M.S. Canada 10 Sep, 1886 – 11 Nov, 1889	Succeeded by Herbert W. Dowding
Preceded by Randolph F. O. Foote	Captain of H.M.S. Mohawk 22 Jul, 1890 – c. 22 Aug, 1890	Succeeded by Edward H. Gamble
Preceded by Gerard H. U. Noel	Captain of H.M.S. Narcissus 22 Jul, 1890 – c. 23 Aug, 1890	Succeeded by Charles Johnstone
Preceded by Walter Stewart	Captain of H.M.S. Thunderer 17 Mar, 1891 – 11 Apr, 1891	Succeeded by Richard H. Hamond
Preceded by Arthur T. Brooke	Captain of H.M.S. Inflexible 11 Apr, 1891 – 22 May, 1891	Succeeded by Frederick S. Vander-Meulen
Preceded by Armand T. Powlett	Captain of H.M.S. Active 1 Aug, 1891 – 1 Jun, 1893	Succeeded by Robert H. Harris
Preceded by Armand T. Powlett	Commodore Second Class in Command of the Training Squadron 1 Aug, 1891 – 1 Jun, 1893	Succeeded by Robert H. Harris
Preceded by Hugo L. Pearson	Captain of H.M.S. Excellent 12 Jun, 1893 – 2 Jul, 1894	Succeeded by Archibald L. Douglas
Preceded by Cyprian A. G. Bridge	Director of Naval Intelligence 1 Sep, 1894 – 19 Mar, 1899	Succeeded by Reginald N. Custance
Preceded by Henry St. L. Bury Palliser	Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station 20 Mar, 1899 – 1 Nov, 1900	Succeeded by Andrew K. Bickford
Preceded by Hugo L. Pearson	Commander-in-Chief, Australian Station 1 Oct, 1900 – 19 Jan, 1903	Succeeded by Sir Arthur D. Fanshawe
Preceded by Sir Edward H. Seymour	Commander in Chief, Plymouth Station 20 Feb, 1905 – 9 Apr, 1908	Succeeded by Sir Wilmot H. Fawkes
Court Appointments
Preceded by The Rt. Hon. The Lord Fisher	First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp 25 Jan, 1911 – 19 May, 1912	Succeeded by Sir Edmund S. Poë