359:
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40:
455:, arrived to supersede him in October 1755. Pye, reportedly angry at this, refused to strike his broad pennant, upon which Frankland reprimanded him for disobeying a superior officer. Frankland brought various other charges against Pye, accusing him of 'financial irregularities, interfering with the purchase of naval stores...', and with having damaged
675:
described him as 'something of a naval grotesque who aroused mingled amusement and contempt'. Pye acknowledged his difficulty expressing himself, writing that 'I had the mortification to be neglected in my education, went to sea at 14 without any, and a man of war was my university.' His biographer
636:
Pye was made lieutenant-general of marines on 26 September 1780. He stepped down after the end of the
American War of Independence, leaving his post as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth on 31 March 1783, and going into retirement. He died two years later, at his home on Suffolk Street, London, on 26
627:
on 7 January, though the rest of the hearings were held at the house of the governor of the garrison. After deliberations, the court returned its verdict on 11 February, unanimously acquitting Keppel, with Pye returning his sword with the observation that '...you will be called forth by your
249:
Pye did not receive active postings until the end of the Seven Years' War, when he commanded several of the navy's dockyards, and even returned to the
Leeward Islands to take up his old post. A brief foray into politics proved lacklustre, he made no impact in parliament, and alienated his
242:, but a fit of temper when he was superseded almost cost him his career. Charged with disobeying orders and other infractions, Pye returned to Britain, where he was able to use his connections, and the absence of the experienced naval officers, to ensure a lenient outcome to his
476:
were at sea and could not be present. Pye used his political connections again to his advantage, putting pressure on the civilian members of the board, and while he was duly reprimanded for the lesser charges
Frankland brought, he was not charged with disobeying his superior.
237:
Born into a family with powerful political connections, Pye used these to rise rapidly through the ranks, and to receive employments in periods of peace. He commanded a number of ships during the War of the
Austrian Succession, and was appointed commander-in-chief in the
459:
by '...removing parts of her timbers for an unnecessary survey.' Claiming that he would not be able to receive a fair hearing in the
Caribbean, Pye instead returned to Britain, causing a bureaucratic quandary as since he should have been tried there, the
670:
saying that the voters 'had conceived an utter aversion to our
Admiral Sir Thomas Pye, and I find they would have taken anybody who offered himself in preference to him'. He was known to junior officers as 'Goose Pye', while naval historian
645:. Thomas Bennett appears to have owed Pye a sizeable sum of money, which Pye forgave in his will, bequeathing his London residence to Anna Maria. Pye and Bennett appear to have at least two children together, Thomas Pye Bennet, and
657:
Pye's career was advanced through his political connections, rather than talent. His temper nearly cost him his career, while he managed to make himself so unpopular with his constituents while MP for
Rochester that
1397:
612:, which was held at Portsmouth in January 1779. He tried to avoid the duty, pleading poor health, but was compelled to take part. Keppel was being investigated for his actions during the
1377:
1387:
318:, a powerful politician who would use his influence to speed Pye's rise through the ranks. Pye passed his lieutenant's examination on 12 June 1734 and joined the 48-gun
325:, under Captain Charles Cotterell, on 18 April 1735 as her third lieutenant. His service was initially spent off the British coast, until transferring to the 60-gun
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on 21 October that year. He returned to his old post as commander-in-chief of the
Leeward Islands Station between 1766 and 1769, at first with the 32-gun
412:
145:
637:
December 1785. He was survived by his daughter Mary. His wife had died in 1762, and for seventeen years he had carried out an affair with the novelist
1246:
1263:
404:
in
October that year ended the war, he was able to use his connections to secure peacetime employment. He commanded first the 50-gun
1202:
1193:
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had brought charges of misconduct and neglect of duty, which the court was compelled to examine. The court was convened aboard
524:
231:
1101:
609:
597:
696:
Sitting with Pye on the court were Vice-Admiral
Matthew Buckle (who withdrew after six days due to illness), Vice-Admiral
667:
266:. He retired after the end of the war and died two years later. He had conducted a long-running affair with the novelist
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on 22 June 1773. As a reward for his services Pye was knighted by the King on the deck of the Portsmouth
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in August 1744, and he remained in the Mediterranean after Mathews's recall, serving under Vice-Admiral
663:
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84:
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166:
1020:
960:
246:. Despite this he remained unemployed during the Seven Years' War, though he reached flag rank.
642:
449:
374:
He spent the rest of the year being stationed in British waters, after which he joined Admiral
343:, serving in the Mediterranean, before being promoted to his first command, that of the 24-gun
303:
20:
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during the American War of Independence brought the opportunity for rewards. The fleet was
227:
114:
572:. Pye was replaced as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth on 18 May 1774, being succeeded by
8:
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in June 1751, returning to Britain later that year, before being appointed to the 50-gun
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519:. Pye briefly entered politics on returning to Britain, being elected to parliament as
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British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates
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In his capacity as senior admiral he was president at the court martial of Admiral
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270:, and left two children by her, including a daughter who became the famous actress
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described him as 'not a typical mid-eighteenth-century naval officer.'
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in two periods of office. During the first he oversaw the fleet during
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to disrupt supplies being sent to the Spanish Army in Italy during the
378:'s fleet, and returned to the Mediterranean. Mathews sent Pye into the
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Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies
568:, on 24 June 1773. At the same time the King ordered Pye promoted to
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Pye returned to England in March 1748, and though the signing of the
287:
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and providing support to the Austrian army off the south of France.
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535:, on 7 October 1774, having apparently alienated his constituents.
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from 1 to 4 March 1748, but the senior naval officers at the time,
616:, which had taken place on 27 July 1778. His subordinate, Admiral
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Sovereign to draw it once more in the defence of your country.'
370:. Pye served under Mathews in the Mediterranean during the 1740s
1119:
1148:. Vol. 47. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 73–74.
497:
in June 1763 during the subsequent peace, and was promoted to
282:
Thomas Pye was born c. 1708/9, the second son of Henry Pye of
489:
on 5 July 1758, but received no active employment during the
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officials for a time did nothing. They eventually convened a
333:
39:
527:
on 9 May 1771. No records exist of him ever speaking in the
294:) and his wife, Anne, daughter of Sir Benjamin Bathurst of
1378:
Royal Navy personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession
411:, which he took out to North America, and then the 44-gun
386:. Pye was then appointed by Mathews to command the 80-gun
737:. She subsequently became Pye's housekeeper and mistress.
448:
Pye was commander of the station until his replacement,
1388:
Royal Navy personnel of the American Revolutionary War
443:
1021:"'Bennett, Anna Maria (d. 1808)', rev. Rebecca Mills"
961:"'Bennett, Anna Maria (d. 1808)', rev. Rebecca Mills"
436:
in February 1752 to become commander-in-chief in the
44:Pye in a memorial he dedicated to his father Henry
973:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.
810:
1354:
604:, with Pye presiding over Keppel's court martial
16:Officer of the British Royal Navy (c. 1708–1785)
888:. Vol. III (1741–1770) (online ed.).
485:Pye was promoted according to his seniority to
733:The two met while Anna Maria was working in a
542:on 9 May 1771, a post he held for most of the
1393:Royal Navy officers who were court-martialled
920:British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792
905:British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792
865:British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792
850:British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792
596:. The battle led to a bitter dispute between
1383:Royal Navy personnel of the Seven Years' War
1071:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
1033:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
821:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
1281:Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands Station
1227:Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands Station
332:, still under Cotterell, and moving to the
649:, who went on to become a famous actress.
576:, but resumed the command on 27 May 1777.
210:– 26 December 1785) was an admiral of the
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314:. Through his mother, Pye was related to
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1068:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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724:, Philip Boteler and James Cranston.
1014:. Vol. 24. St. Martin's Press.
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444:Disobeying orders and court martial
262:, and Pye received promotion and a
13:
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531:, and he was defeated at the next
19:For the Australian architect, see
14:
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1059:"'Pye, Sir Thomas (1708/9–1785)'"
939:
882:. In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.).
353:
316:Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst
1145:Dictionary of National Biography
1135:"Pye, Thomas (1713?-1785)"
1118:
885:Dictionary of Canadian Biography
641:, the wife of Thomas Bennett, a
540:commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
336:. He was then aboard the 60-gun
252:commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
812:"Pye, Sir Thomas (1708/9–1785)"
727:
302:. He was the great grandson of
1335:Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
1308:Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
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495:commander-in-chief at Plymouth
384:War of the Austrian Succession
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1:
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1254:Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
1132:Laughton, John Knox (1896).
1085:UK public library membership
1047:UK public library membership
987:UK public library membership
835:UK public library membership
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544:American War of Independence
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224:American War of Independence
190:American War of Independence
7:
1156:Parliament of Great Britain
1019:Humphreys, Jennett (2004).
890:University of Toronto Press
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214:who served during the
76:Suffolk Street, London
21:Thomas Pye (architect)
1408:People from Faringdon
1403:British MPs 1768–1774
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979:10.1093/ref:odnb/2117
632:Later life and family
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103:Years of service
1237:Sir Thomas Frankland
1176:Member of Parliament
1127:at Wikimedia Commons
714:Francis Samuel Drake
350:, on 13 April 1741.
228:Member of Parliament
1373:Royal Navy admirals
1264:Sir George Edgcumbe
1203:George Finch-Hatton
1194:George Finch-Hatton
647:Harriet Pye Bennett
272:Harriet Pye Bennett
720:, William Bennet,
639:Anna Maria Bennett
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1342:Succeeded by
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1318:Sir James Douglas
1315:Succeeded by
1288:Succeeded by
1261:Succeeded by
1234:Succeeded by
1214:Military offices
1200:Succeeded by
1184:1771–1774
1123:Media related to
1103:978-1-86176-295-5
1083:(Subscription or
1045:(Subscription or
985:(Subscription or
852:. pp. 168–9.
833:(Subscription or
574:Sir James Douglas
548:King George III's
226:. He was briefly
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74:(aged 76–77)
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1325:Preceded by
1298:Preceded by
1285:1766–1769
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1345:John Montagu
1333:
1306:
1279:
1252:
1225:
1187:
1174:
1143:
1130:
1096:. Seaforth.
1093:
1066:
1062:
1028:
1024:
1009:
968:
964:
941:
919:
913:
904:
898:
883:
873:
864:
858:
849:
843:
816:
729:
718:John Moutray
698:John Montagu
692:
678:Roger Knight
656:
635:
623:
607:
564:
537:
515:
504:
499:vice-admiral
493:. He became
487:rear-admiral
484:
456:
447:
432:
421:
414:
407:
399:
395:Henry Medley
389:
380:Adriatic Sea
373:
346:
339:
328:
321:
281:
248:
236:
200:
199:
173:Battles/wars
161:
154:
147:
140:
133:
126:
72:(1785-12-26)
25:
1368:1785 deaths
1140:Lee, Sidney
722:Adam Duncan
666:, wrote to
538:Pye became
427:Nova Scotia
366:, 1743, by
296:Cirencester
292:Oxfordshire
208: 1708
61: 1708
1413:Pye family
1357:Categories
1339:1777–1783
1312:1771–1774
1291:Robert Man
1196:1772–1774
1125:Thomas Pye
1087:required.)
1049:required.)
998:References
989:required.)
918:Winfield.
903:Winfield.
863:Winfield.
848:Winfield.
837:required.)
653:Assessment
470:Lord Anson
304:Robert Pye
264:knighthood
222:, and the
212:Royal Navy
106:1734– 1783
97:Royal Navy
81:Allegiance
1191:1771–1772
1180:Rochester
745:Citations
624:Britannia
622:HMS
563:HMS
559:guardship
525:Rochester
514:HMS
503:HMS
481:Flag rank
462:Admiralty
450:Commodore
431:HMS
420:HMS
413:HMS
406:HMS
388:HMS
345:HMS
338:HMS
327:HMS
288:Berkshire
232:Rochester
160:HMS
153:HMS
146:HMS
139:HMS
132:HMS
125:HMS
1057:(2004).
1008:(1800).
602:Palliser
565:Barfleur
555:Spithead
510:flagship
362:Admiral
260:the King
256:reviewed
121:Commands
91:Service/
1221:Unknown
1142:(ed.).
940:Burke.
570:admiral
516:Chatham
508:as his
425:out to
422:Gosport
408:Norwich
390:Norfolk
347:Seaford
340:Warwick
322:Preston
155:Gosport
141:Norwich
134:Norfolk
127:Seaford
115:Admiral
1186:With:
1100:
1081:
1043:
983:
831:
662:, the
598:Keppel
551:review
521:Member
457:Advice
433:Advice
415:Humber
329:Rippon
310:, the
218:, the
162:Advice
148:Humber
93:branch
1138:. In
684:Notes
592:, by
334:Tagus
290:(now
1178:for
1098:ISBN
704:and
600:and
588:The
523:for
505:Lark
472:and
320:HMS
230:for
111:Rank
67:Died
54:Born
1073:doi
1035:doi
975:doi
823:doi
553:at
298:in
286:in
258:by
1359::
1065:.
1061:.
1027:.
1023:.
967:.
963:.
952:^
928:^
815:.
753:^
712:,
440:.
274:.
205:c.
58:c.
46:c.
1106:.
1079:.
1075::
1041:.
1037::
981:.
977::
892:.
829:.
825::
203:(
23:.
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