Sir Charles Rowley, 1st Baronet

Admiral Sir Charles Rowley, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCH (16 December 1770 – 10 October 1845) was a British Royal Navy officer.

Rowley was the fourth and youngest son of Vice-Admiral Sir Joshua Rowley, Bt, and his wife, Sarah (died 26 December 1812, daughter of Bartholomew Burton, a Governor of the Bank of England), and was first cousin of Admiral Sir Josias Rowley, Bt.

He entered the navy in April 1785, served in different ships on the North American station, from November 1786 to October 1788 was with Prince William Henry (later William IV) in the "Pegasus" and the "Andromeda"; was again on the North American station, and in Newfoundland, with Vice-Admiral Milbanke, by whom, on 8 October 1789, he was promoted to a lieutenant and put in command of the "Trepassy", where he remained until February 1791. In 1794, he went out to North America in the "Resolution", flagship of Rear-Admiral George Murray, by whom he was promoted to a commander on 20 April, and a captain on 1 August 1795. He then commanded the "Cleopatra" until May 1796, the "Hussar" until the following October, and from October 1796 to August 1798 the "Unité" in the English Channel.

He married, on 7 December 1797, Elizabeth (died 11 January 1838), youngest daughter of Admiral Sir Richard King, Bt. They had five sons and two daughters. In 1800, Rowley was flag captain to Sir Charles Cotton, Bt in the "Prince George". From March 1804 to November 1805 he was in the "Ruby", for the most part in the North Sea, and from November 1805 to May 1814 he commanded the "Eagle" in the Mediterranean, in the Walcheren Campaign of 1809, off Cadiz in 1810, and from 1811 in the Adriatic, where, working with Captain Sir William Hoste, under the orders of Sir Thomas Fremantle, he distinguished himself in engagements with the enemy's batteries, and especially at the capture of Fiume on 3 July, and of Trieste in October 1813. The The Emperor of Austria conferred on him the Military Order of Maria Theresa, which he received permission to wear in Britain.

On 4 June 1814, Rowley was promoted to rear admiral, and on 2 January 1815 was nominated a KCB. From 1815 to 1818 he was Commander-in-Chief at the Nore, and at Jamaica from 1820 to 1823. He became vice admiral on 27 May 1825, and was a Lord of the Admiralty in Peel's administration of 1834–5. He stood for Portsmouth as a Tory candidate, but despite official support was narrowly defeated. As a Naval Lord, he remained wedded to the old order, asking the First Sea Lord to close down the gunnery training ship "Excellent". He was appointed a GCH on 7 October 1835; a baronet on 22 February 1836; promoted to a GCB on 4 July 1840; and to an admiral on 23 November 1841. From December 1842 to September 1845 he was Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth. He died at Brighton, Sussex on 10 October 1845.

Rowley benefited from his naval family connections. He was described as a tall, dignified, rather magnificent gentleman with a fine profile. However, he spoke only slowly, which made his contribution to the debate at the board somewhat laboured. He was a fine sea commander, a tory in politics, and a reactionary in naval affairs.

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