George St Lo

St Lo entered on a naval career, and after service in the Mediterranean on several ships, rose to the rank of captain with his own commands.After time in France as a prisoner of war, he returned to England and took up various political positions, while writing about his observations and thoughts on naval administration.As commissioner at Plymouth he had an important role in supporting the construction of the first Eddystone Lighthouse, but when he sent the project's guardship away, the crew and the architect, Henry Winstanley, were promptly captured by a French privateer.St Lo's parentage brought him the important patronage of Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, which aided his rise through the navy.St Lo entered the navy and after a period of service, was appointed as lieutenant of HMS Phoenix on 16 January 1678, serving in the Mediterranean in operations against the Barbary States.[3] The commander in the Mediterranean, Admiral Arthur Herbert, moved St Lo into the 46-gun HMS Hampshire under Captain Sir George Rooke, but while serving on her in May 1681, he found himself accused, with another officer, of having committed a murder in Tangier.[2][3] The Portsmouth was attached to the fleet under Admiral George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth, based in the River Medway during the events of the Glorious Revolution.Legge failed to intercept the fleet bringing William of Orange to Britain, with St Lo later declaring himself an avowed supporter of the new regime.He was present at the Battle of Bantry Bay on 1 May 1689, but while in the English Channel in August 1689, Portsmouth was attacked by the 58-gun French ship Marquis, and was captured."[3]St Lo was back in England by September 1692, as in this month he presented to the Privy Council proposals for raising 20,000 seamen for the navy without having to resort to impressment.[2][7] Word of Winstanley's capture is supposed to have reached King Louis XIV, who ordered his release with the comment "France is at war with England, not with humanity.[9] St Lo suggested that "two or three Small vessels [with] good sailors [should be sent] to cruise up & down, [and] examine all Sloops & Boates passing to & fro.[1] St Lo had been appointed an equerry to Prince George of Denmark by 1700, a post he held until c. 1704, and in 1703 moved from Plymouth to Chatham, still serving as a resident commissioner.[2] His assertive nature was further illustrated in an incident when he confronted striking dockyard workers at Chatham with a drawn sword, and chased them from the yard.
The first Eddystone Lighthouse , designed by Henry Winstanley , and under construction during St Lo's time as commissioner at Plymouth
Northfleet, KentKingdom of Great BritainRoyal NavyCaptainHMS DartmouthHMS PortsmouthNine Years' WarBattle of Bantry BayWar of the Spanish SuccessionEdward St. LoMember of ParliamentGlorious Revolutionprisoner of warPlymouthEddystone LighthouseguardshipHenry WinstanleyprivateerLouis XIV of FranceWeymouth and Melcombe RegisKing George IDorsetSalisburyKnighton, WiltshireLaurence HydeEdward Hyde, 1st Earl of ClarendonLaurence Hyde, 1st Earl of RochesterQueen Mary IIQueen AnneBarbary StatesArthur HerbertHMS HampshireSir George RookeTangierWest IndiesLeeward IslandsGeorge Legge, 1st Baron DartmouthRiver MedwayWilliam of OrangeEnglish ChannelNantesexchangedPrivy Councilimpressmentgovernor of New YorkNavy BoardKing Louis XIVHouse of Lordsoath of abjurationequerryPrince George of DenmarkChathamdry dockscommander-in-chief of all ships in the Medway and at the NoreSt Martin-in-the-FieldsWestminsterNorthfleetrear-admiralWar of the Austrian SuccessionDictionary of National BiographyThe History of ParliamentJ. J. ColledgeShips of the Royal NavyLaughton, John KnoxColledge, J. J.Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal NavyLee, SidneyThe History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690–1715Parliament of EnglandHenry ThynneCharles ChurchillThomas FrekeSir Christopher WrenMaurice AshleyAnthony Henley