- Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner
Infobox Military Person
name=Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner
lived=1742-1809
caption=Alan Gardner byWilliam Beechey
nickname=
placeofbirth=Uttoxeter ,England
placeofdeath=
allegiance=United Kingdom
branch=Royal Navy
serviceyears=1755-1800
rank=Admiral
unit=
commands=
battles=
awards=
relations=Alan Hyde Gardner (eldest son),Robert Barrie (nephew)
laterwork=MP forPlymouth and, later,Westminster .Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner (12 February 1742 - 1 January 1809) was a British
Royal Navy officer and peer of the realm. He became one of theGeorgian era 's most dashing frigate captains and, ultimately, a respected senior admiral.Career
* 1755: Joined the Navy.
* 1766: Promoted to Captain. His first command was thefireship HMS|Raven.cite book
author=Wing, Robert and Newell, Gordon
title=Peter Puget: Lieutenant on the Vancouver Expedition, fighting British naval officer, the man for whom Puget Sound was named
publisher=Gray Beard Publishing
year=1979|id=ISBN 0-933686-00-5] He commanded a number offrigate s before being promoted to aship of the line .
* 1782: Commanded a ship at theBattle of the Saintes .
* 1786: As Commodore of the American Squadron (consisting of HMS "Europa" and HMS|Experiment|1784|6) he suppressed smuggling in theGulf of Mexico and ordered detailed hydrographic surveys of Caribbean locations of interest to the Navy. During this time, he commanded and probably mentored future famous officers such asGeorge Vancouver ,Peter Puget andJoseph Whidbey cite book
author=Naish, John
title=The Interwoven Lives of George Vancouver, Archibald Menzies, Joseph Whidbey and Peter Puget: The Vancouver Voyage of 1791-1795
publisher=The Edward Mellen Press, Ltd.
year=1996|id=ISBN 0-7734-8857-X] .
* 1790-1795: Member of the Board of Admiralty.
* 1795: Promoted to full Admiral.
* 1797: During the Mutiny at Spithead, Gardner negotiated directly with the mutineers until he lost his temper, seized a mutineer by the throat, and threatened to hang the lot. This nearly lead to his own demise at the hands of the mutineers, but cooler heads prevailed.cite book
author=Dugan, James
title=The great mutiny
publisher=Putnam
year=1965] .
* 1800: Created Baron Gardner, ofUttoxeter , in thePeerage of Ireland .
* 1806: The title ofBaron Gardner in thePeerage of the United Kingdom was created for him. He was Member of Parliament forPlymouth and, later,Westminster .Family
Gardner was born in
Uttoxeter . He married Susannah Hyde Gale (?? - April 20, 1823) on May 20, 1769. They had two sons. The older son,Alan Hyde Gardner, 2nd Baron Gardner , and their nephew,Robert Barrie , became Admirals in the Royal Navy.Legacy
Vancouver named several locations after Gardner:
Mount Gardner in Australia, theGardner Channel in Canada, andPort Gardner Bay inPuget Sound .An
East Indiaman was named after Admiral Gardner; it was wrecked on theGoodwin Sands , Jan 24, 1809.cite web
url=http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/prints/viewPrint.cfm?ID=PAD6386 |title= Wrecks of the Britannia, & Admiral Gardner, East Indiamen, on the Goodwin Sands, 24 Jan 1809 |accessdate=March 04|accessyear=2007 |publisher=National Maritime Museum]References
External links
* [http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/prints/browseHeadings.cfm?filter=SUBJECTS&node=1084 Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner] , illustrations in the National Maritime Museum
* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?search=ss&sText=alan+gardner&LinkID=mp01723 Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner] , illustrations in the National Portrait Gallery
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