Charles Shadwell (Royal Navy officer)

Admiral

Sir Charles Shadwell

Born| 31 January 1814
Died| 1 March 1886 (1886-04) (aged 72)
Melksham, Wiltshire
Allegiance|  United Kingdom
Service / branch|  Royal Navy
Years of service| 1827–1879
Rank| Admiral
Commands| HMS Sphinx
HMS Highflyer
HMS Aboukir
HMS Hastings
China Station
Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Battles / wars| Second Opium War
Awards| Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Admiral Sir Charles Frederick Alexander Shadwell, KCB FRS (31 January 1814 - 1 March 1886) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, China Station.

## Naval career

[edit]

Born the fourth son of Sir Lancelot Shadwell, Charles Shadwell joined the Royal Navy in 1827.[1] He was present during operations off Syria in 1840.[2] In 1850 he became Commander in HMS Sphinx  and took part in the Second Anglo-Burmese War.[1] Promoted Captain in 1853, he commanded HMS Highflyer from 1856 and took part in the capture of Canton and the Battle of Taku Forts during the Second Opium War.[1] He commanded HMS Aboukir from 1861 and HMS Hastings from 1862.[1] He was appointed Captain-Superintendent of Gosport victualling-yard in 1864 and Commander-in-Chief, China Station in 1871.[1] He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1861.[2] In 1878 he was made President of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.[2]

He retired in 1879[2] and in retirement lived at Meadow Bank in Melksham in Wiltshire.[2] He died unmarried in 1886.[2]

## See also

[edit]

* O'Byrne, William Richard (1849). "Shadwell, Charles Frederick Alexander" . A Naval Biographical Dictionary . John Murray - via Wikisource.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e William Loney RN
2. ^ a b c d e f Charles Shadwell at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Military offices

Preceded by

Sir Henry Kellett

|  Commander-in-Chief, China Station
1871-1874  | Succeeded by

Sir Alfred Ryder

Preceded by

Sir Edward Fanshawe

|  President, Royal Naval College, Greenwich
1878-1881  | Succeeded by

Sir Geoffrey Hornby