Reginald Macdonald

Sir Reginald Macdonald
"Rim". Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1880.
Birth nameReginald John James George Macdonald
Born19 October 1820[1]
Westminster, Middlesex, England[2]
Died15 December 1899(1899-12-15) (aged 79)
Kensington, London[3]
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Navy
RankAdmiral
CommandsHMS Ferret
HMS Hogue
HMS Arethusa
HMS Bellerophon
East Indies Station
Nore Command
Battles / warsEighth Xhosa War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India

Admiral Sir Reginald John James George Macdonald KCB KCSI (19 October 1820 – 15 December 1899) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.

Early life

Macdonald was born in Westminster, the son of Reginald George MacDonald, chief of Clan Ranald, and Lady Caroline Anne Edgcumbe, daughter of Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe.[4]

Macdonald joined the Royal Navy in 1833.[5] He served in the Eighth Xhosa War as Commander of HMS Ferret.[6] Promoted to captain in 1854, he commanded HMS Hogue, HMS Arethusa and then HMS Bellerophon.[6] He was appointed Second-in-Command of the Channel Fleet in 1872 and from 1873 he became the 21st chief of the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald.[5]

Promoted to rear-admiral, he was made Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station with his flag in the armoured cruiser, HMS Undaunted, in 1875 and Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1879.[6] He retired in 1884.[6]

Family

In 1855, he married Hon. Adelaide Louisa Warren Venables-Vernon, daughter of 5th Baron Vernon. They had two sons and two daughters:[7][8]

  • Capt. Allan Douglas MacDonald (1856–1908), Chief of Clanranald
  • Angus Roderick MacDonald (1858–1944)
  • Adelaide Effrida MacDonald
  • Maud MacDonald

References

  1. ^ Burke, Bernard; Burke, Sir Bernard (1898). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland. Harrison & sons. p. 956.
  2. ^ 1861 Scotland Census
  3. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837–1915
  4. ^ Kelly's Handbook to the Upper Ten Thousand for 1878: Containing about Twenty Thousand Names of the Titled, Landed and Official Classes. Kelly and Company. 1878. p. 377.
  5. ^ a b National Historical Collectors and Research Association
  6. ^ a b c d William Loney RN
  7. ^ Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 3999. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  8. ^ Seaver, Jesse Montgomery (1929). Macdonald Mcdonald Family Records. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 14.

Further reading

Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
1875–1877 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, The Nore
1879–1882 		Succeeded by