Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
Sir Charles Wager (24 February 1666 – 24 May 1743) was a
Royal Navy officer and politician who served as
First Lord of the Admiralty from 1733 to 1742. Despite heroic active service and steadfast administration and diplomatic service, Wager can be criticized for his failure to deal with an acute manning problem.
However, in reality, the Royal Navy's numerical preponderance over other navies was greater than at any other time in the century, and its dockyard facilities, overseas bases (Wager was much involved in the development of new bases in the Caribbean), victualling organization, and central co-ordination were by far the most elaborate and advanced.
Although British warship design was inferior to French in some respects, the real problem was an insufficiency of the versatile and seaworthy 60-gun ships, a class that Wager's Admiralty had chosen to augment during the 1730s but, as wartime experience would show, not aggressively enough.
Early life
Born in
Rochester, Kent
Rochester ( ) is a town in the unitary authority of Medway, in Kent, England. It is at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway, about from London. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Chatham, Rainham, Strood and Gillin ...
, after the death of his father Captain Charles Wager (b. 1630), on 24 February 1666. His father had started life in the merchant service and then gained advancement in the navy of the Commonwealth. His mother was Prudence (b. 1640/41), daughter of Vice-Admiral
William Goodsonn
Vice Admiral William Goodsonn (1610in or after 1680), also William Goodson, was an English naval officer.
Early career
William Goodsonn joined the Parliamentary cause during the Second English Civil War in 1647. During the First Anglo-Dutch War ...
, who became a renowned officer in the navy of the time. Wager remarked in 1731, "On both sides I am related to the navy". His paternal grandfather was John Wager (died 1656 when captain of the
Greyhound which blew up in action with Spanish pirates) of St Margaret's, Rochester, who became a mariner after migrating from
Charlton Kings, Cheltenham.
His father commanded the
''Yarmouth'' in the fleet that brought
Charles II to England and quickly proved to be a capable, trustworthy, well-liked officer of the Royal Navy. He dined at the home of
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...
who remarked in his diary "A brave, stout fellow this Captain is, and I think very honest.". Two years after the elder Wager's death, Samuel Pepys heard a friend who had been at Tangier contrast his conduct with that of others who had served in the
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Medi ...
, remarking, as Pepys noted, "that above all Englishmen that ever was there, there never was any man that behaved himself like poor Charles Wager, whom the very Moores do mention with teares sometimes". Prudence remarried after his father’s death to
Alexander Parker, a
Quaker
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
and London merchant. There was already an older sister, Prudence, and the marriage produced six more children.
Wager was apprenticed to a Quaker merchant captain of
New England named John Hull of
Barnstable, Massachusetts who operated a transatlantic shipping service. Wager's mother was a witness when
John Hull John Hull may refer to:
Politicians
*John Hull (MP for Hythe), MP for Hythe
*John Hull (MP for Exeter) (died 1549), English politician
*John A. T. Hull (1841–1928), American politician
*John C. Hull (politician) (1870–1947), Speaker of the Mas ...
married Alice Teddeman in the London Quaker Meeting in 1684. When Dr Teddeman Hull, their oldest son, visited London in 1742 he had a letter of introduction from Governor Richard Ward of Rhode Island which stated that he was "the son of Captain John Hull, late of this colony, under whom Sir Charles Wager was educated". It was while working with the Quaker John Hull that Wager displayed the strength of character that ultimately brought him to the attention of the Navy. During one of many transatlantic voyages the vessel which Hull was commanding with Wager as understudy was waylaid by a French privateer and told to "
strike". Hull could not fight due to his religious convictions but equally was loath to surrender his valuable vessel and cargo and so he turned to his right-hand man. The young Wager did not share his patron's religion and had no such compunctions, and so it was Wager, "who accepted the encounter, and falling to work with the Frenchman, soon obliged him to sheer off."
Early naval career (1689–1709)
![Isaac Sailmaker - THE FIRST 'BRITANNIA', 98 GUNS, UNDER SAIL, WITH OTHER MEN-O'-WAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Isaac_Sailmaker_-_THE_FIRST_%27BRITANNIA%27%2C_98_GUNS%2C_UNDER_SAIL%2C_WITH_OTHER_MEN-O%27-WAR.jpg)
The earliest record of Wager's naval service is his listing as lieutenant of the frigate
''Foresight'' on 1 August 1689. By 1691 he had become first lieutenant of the
''Dreadnought'' (64 guns). On 8 December that year he married Martha Earning (b. 1664×6, d. 1748), daughter of Anthony Earning, a Commonwealth navy captain who went into the
East India Company's service after 1660 and died while captain of the George in the Indian Ocean. Wager was in the
''Britannia'', Admiral
Edward Russell's flagship, in 1692, took part in the
battle of Barfleur, and was made post captain on 7 June.
[
]
The year 1693 saw Wager in command of the ''Samuel and Henry'' (44 guns), in which he convoyed the New England trade. He was captain of the ''Newcastle'' (48 guns) in 1694, and in 1695, after a month in the ''Mary'', he was reassigned to the ''Woolwich'' (54 guns). In early March 1696 the ''Woolwich'' was watching Dunkirk against a rumoured invasion. A month later Wager moved to the ''Greenwich'' (50 guns) and commanded a small squadron for convoying the tobacco trade home from the Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to:
*Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian
* The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay
*Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula
Chesapeake may also refer to:
Populated plac ...
. He stayed in the ''Greenwich'' until she was paid off in late 1699. He lived at Watergate cottages, Kilminorth near West Looe on half pay whilst his ship was under repair in Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
. He immediately became a freeman of that borough. As he informed the Admiralty in June 1700, his residence was only "about ten miles from his Majesty's Yard at Plymouth" and he could "be at London in four or five days, if required". Eight months later, in February 1701, he was appointed to the ''Medway'' (64 guns). In the mobilization of January 1702 for the War of the Spanish Succession he was assigned to the ''Hampton Court'' (70 guns) and remained her captain for the next five years. He commanded a squadron of four of the line and two frigates that cruised between Cape Barfleur and the Isle of Batz in early 1703. Later that year he went to the Mediterranean and in October he came under the command of Admiral George Byng (later Lord Torrington
Viscount Torrington is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1721 for the statesman Sir George Byng, 1st Baronet, along with the subsidiary title Baron Byng, of Southill in the County of Bedford, also in the Peerage of Gre ...
). Captains Wager and John Baker John Baker or Jon Baker may refer to:
Military figures
*John Baker (American Revolutionary War) (1731–1787), American Revolutionary War hero, for whom Baker County, Georgia was named
*John Baker (RAF officer) (1897–1978), British air marshal
...
were the men Byng sent ashore to carry out negotiations and witness the signing of the England's re-negotiated treaty with the Dey of Algiers. Going again to the Mediterranean in 1704, Wager was with the fleet under Sir George Rooke
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Rooke (1650 – 24 January 1709) was an English naval officer. As a junior officer he saw action at the Battle of Solebay and again at the Battle of Schooneveld during the Third Anglo-Dutch War. As a captain, h ...
that captured Gibraltar. The ''Hampton Court'' was on detached service and missed the battle off Malaga, but she was present at the capture of Barcelona in 1705. After wintering with Sir John Leake
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Leake (4 July 1656 – 21 August 1720) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. As a junior officer he saw action at the Battle of Texel during the Third Anglo-Dutch War. He then ...
's squadron at Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
, Wager took part in the relief of Barcelona and the winning over of Ibiza and Majorca before returning home with Leake in later in 1706.[
As a senior captain, who had commanded detached squadrons, Wager was a logical choice for the Jamaica station. Appointed in January 1707, he left Spithead in the ''Expedition'' (70 guns) on 28 March and reached Jamaica on 22 June. A French squadron under Admiral Ducasse was known to be coming from Europe, and Wager's initial deployments were designed to gain intelligence of its arrival and protect trade. He learned in December that Ducasse had gone to Havana, far to leeward; thus the French squadron (ten of the line) could neither surprise Jamaica nor shield the galleons of the Spanish treasure fleet at the isthmus, and if those galleons were to follow their usual practice of returning to Cartagene de Indias before proceeding to Havana, Wager would have a chance to intercept them after they loaded Peruvian silver at Portobelo. The ''Expedition'' (70 guns), ''Kingston'' (60 guns), and ''Portland'' (50 guns) plus a fireship left Port Royal in time to attain, on 23 May 1708, a position about 36 miles west of Cartagena. There followed the action which was later called Wager's Action, in which one treasure ship was destroyed and one was captured, while the others escaped into Cartagena harbour. The proceeds of his capture meant that he returned to England a rich man. He also came home a rear-admiral, the promotion having occurred by seniority on 19 November 1707. His wealth stemmed chiefly from the silver on the captured galleon, its value estimated at over £60,000 in addition to his flag share of other prizes taken in the West Indies. The action against the galleons made him a hero and he was ]knighted
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...
on 8 December 1709. At Portsmouth he was nominated for a by-election to parliament and was elected on 23 January 1710.
Admiral and diplomat
Despite a Tory landslide in the election of 1710 Wager was re-elected to the Portsmouth seat, but the Tory-dominated house overturned the result on petition. As a firm Whig he could no longer expect an important command so he prepared to spend the rest of his life ashore in contrast to the previous twenty years of almost continual sea service. Although there is no record of his residing again at Kilminorth he served as MP for West Looe from 1713 to 1715.[
Following the death of Queen Anne, Wager was still listed as a Rear Admiral and he was ordered to take charge of the ships at Portsmouth, and in later to go out to the ]Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Medi ...
and assume command of the Mediterranean Fleet. However, he opted to become Comptroller of the Navy
The post of Controller of the Navy (abbreviated as CofN) was originally created in 1859 when the Surveyor of the Navy's title changed to Controller of the Navy. In 1869 the controller's office was abolished and its duties were assumed by that of ...
and three years later, in March 1718, he moved to the Board of Admiralty
The Board of Admiralty (1628–1964) was established in 1628 when Charles I put the office of Lord High Admiral into commission. As that position was not always occupied, the purpose was to enable management of the day-to-day operational requi ...
, serving under the Second Stanhope–Sunderland ministry
The second Stanhope–Sunderland ministry (1718–1721) was a continuation of the British Whig government headed by The Earl of Sunderland and The Earl Stanhope. These had taken power in 1717 to form the First Stanhope–Sunderland ministr ...
and then the Walpole–Townshend ministry, where he remained for 24 years, almost to the end of his life. In 1720 Wager leased Hollybush, a stately brick house, situated at the south-east corner of Parson's Green
Parsons Green is a mainly residential district in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The Green itself, which is roughly triangular, is bounded on two of its three sides by the New King's Road section of the King's Road, A308 road a ...
, Fulham. He remained on the list of admirals and advanced by seniority. In 1722 he was appointed to take a squadron to Lisbon but the mission was cancelled. His flag was eventually hoisted again in 1726 to take command of the large Baltic Fleet
, image = Great emblem of the Baltic fleet.svg
, image_size = 150
, caption = Baltic Fleet Great ensign
, dates = 18 May 1703 – present
, country =
, allegiance = (1703–1721) (1721–1917) (1917–1922) (1922–1991)(1991–present)
...
sent to the Baltic to protect Sweden and Denmark from the threat of a recently mobilized Russian fleet. Stopping first at Copenhagen, he met with the court and completed arrangements for co-operation with the Danish navy. His report of 30 April 1726 evoked a glowing response from the secretary of state, Viscount Townshend
Marquess Townshend is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the Townshend family of Raynham Hall in Norfolk. The title was created in 1787 for George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend.
History
The Townshend family descends from Roge ...
:
"his Majesty has commanded me to let you know from Him, that he was before persuaded you was a very good Admiral, but he now sees that you are likewise an able Minister. All the answers you gave to the questions proposed to you at the Conference with the Danish Council were extremely right." After calling on the Swedish court, Wager took his twenty ships of the line to Reval. He had orders to engage and destroy the Russian fleet if it came out. A frustrated and angry tsarina felt compelled to demobilize it instead. To reassure Sweden the British fleet stayed at Reval all summer, losing many men to sickness, and did not enter the Thames until 1 November 1726. He was at sea again soon afterwards when he arrived off Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
2 February 1727 with six ships of the line, two cruisers, two bomb-vessels, and additional troops for the garrison. The fleet helped cover the land approaches, Wager ordered two frigates and a bomb-vessel to "the back of the Hill",thus ensuring re-supply for the garrison. Although Britain and Spain were undoubtedly at war the actions were usually cautious and desultory except in early May when there was a furious artillery exchange. It was chiefly a naval war, with prizes taken. The main burden was borne by Francis Hosier
Vice Admiral Francis Hosier (1673–1727) was a British naval officer. He was a lieutenant on Rooke's flagship at the Battle of Barfleur in 1693. He captured the ''Heureux'' off Cape Clear in 1710 and distinguished himself in action with the ...
's fleet in the Caribbean. The Spanish king agreed to a cessation of arms in mid-June, but gave no indication of actually yielding. Finally, in early March 1728, Spain agreed to a convention and Wager's fleet could be ordered home; he arrived on 9 April after sixteen months abroad.[
Wager resumed his regular attendance at the Admiralty board, but again in May 1729 he was ordered to take command of thirty-three ships, which were soon joined by fourteen Dutch. This huge squadron never left Spithead and was popularly ridiculed as the "stay-at-home fleet". It was assembled because the court of Spain was acting as if the convention meant nothing; the fleet remained in readiness until it was learned that Spain would sign a firm treaty.][
The provisions of this treaty confirmed the Spanish queen's title to certain parts of Italy, a right to install Spanish garrisons was also obtained. It seemed advisable to have a strong British fleet alongside the Spanish when the troops were to be landed at Leghorn. Thus Wager's flag was hoisted on the ''Namur'' (90 guns) and the British fleet entered Cadiz Bay on 1 August 1731, and, after much grand entertainment, moved into the Mediterranean. The mission at Leghorn was incident free but much delayed, so that Wager did not return to England until 10 December 1731. Upon arrival he reported his sense of "pleasure to have a success where doubtful".
Between April 1726 and December 1731 Wager had spent as many months flying his flag as he spent ashore. The missions he was asked to execute all involved diplomatic discretion as well as strategic acumen. This Leghorn mission was a good example of the duality of role that Wager was capable of.][ He was advanced to ]First Naval Lord
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
on the Admiralty Board in May 1730.
In 1732, in a letter to a Gloucestershire acquaintance from the Admiralty office, he remarked that for many years he had been inclined to retire. "But", he continued, "I have been sent on several expeditions (not by my own choice), wherein I have succeeded so well, as to have the King's approbation, and very like may be put, in case of a Vacancy, at the head of this Board."
First Lord of the Admiralty
When Lord Torrington
Viscount Torrington is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1721 for the statesman Sir George Byng, 1st Baronet, along with the subsidiary title Baron Byng, of Southill in the County of Bedford, also in the Peerage of Gre ...
died in January 1733, Under-Secretary Delafaye reported to a colleague: "Every body looks upon Sir Charles Wager as the person who will now be at the head of the affairs of the navy; as indeed I may say he has been for some time". It seems that Wager's administrative knowledge and talent did matter. The official appointment as first lord was dated 21 June 1733. The same year he became a member of His Majesty's Privy Council. He was subsequently nominated and elected MP for Westminster in 1734.
Besides administrative capacity, Wager brought some important assets to the office. His character as a trusted senior admiral tended to subdue the incipient factions of the officer corps. An example of his candid professionalism was the strong plea he made to leading ministers in December 1738 that Edward Vernon
Admiral Edward Vernon (12 November 1684 – 30 October 1757) was an English naval officer. He had a long and distinguished career, rising to the rank of admiral after 46 years service. As a vice admiral during the War of Jenkins' Ear, in 1 ...
should be given the West Indies command this in spite of Vernon’s unrelenting opposition to him in parliament. He describe himself as a "Parliament man" to Sir Robert Walpole and in Wager Walpole proved to have a personal friend and a staunchly loyal spokesman in the House of Commons who was well liked, well informed, and widely trusted. It seems that when anyone in government needed an opinion on maritime geography, seaborne commerce or colonial circumstance Wager was asked. Many of his responses, most of them written in his own hand, have survived.
The manning problem
One of the great unsolved problems of Wager's term in office was the manning of the fleet. In May 1731 Wager had remarked: "we have no difficulty but in getting men; ... our Country being such a free Country, that every man does what he pleases: by reason of which, this Nation will be lossd icone time or other, if it won't admit of a remedy".
Upon the outbreak of the so-called “ War of Jenkin’s ear” in 1739 the problem rapidly grew severe, and Wager, strongly encouraged by Admiral Sir John Norris, pressed for legislative measures; the government introduced bills to facilitate naval manning and Walpole supported them, but parliament would not pass anything meaningful.
The strategy for defeating Spain, insisted the Duke of Newcastle, called for capturing a major objective in the West Indies. This meant that large fleet and army had to be sent to a region where tropical diseases were rife. Wager was not confident, he well knew the price of delay in that climate, his favourite strategy was to threaten the Peruvian coast from the "South Sea". Hence the famous voyage of Commodore George Anson, who sailed from England in 1740, was a result of Wager's advocacy. Even before the expedition to the west Indies left England the typhus epidemic of 1740, the worst of the century, ravaged newly recruited seamen and spread through the fleet, seriously aggravating the manning problem and delaying departure. Predictably the assault on Cartagena failed mainly because the forces succumbed to further tropical disease.
Reputation
It has been claimed that the navy was ill prepared for war prior to 1739 and that the lack of preparation was mainly due to Wager’s incompetence because of his age. Typical of these criticisms, the 1959 History of the British Navy states: "The leading figures in 1739, at the top because they were old, were Sir Richard ('sic') Wager and Sir John Norris .... ager
Ager or AGER may refer to:
*Ager (surname)
*Ager (river), a river in Upper Austria
*Àger, a municipality in Catalonia, Spain
*Viscounty of Àger, a medieval Catalan jurisdiction that branched off the County of Urgell
*Ager, California, unincorpo ...
was seventy four – a great age for those heavy-drinking, smallpox ridden days – and he had not worn particularly well".[Lewis, p. 115]
These claims, which seem to have emerged long after his death, seem doubtful. A captain who attended the great debate of 13 February 1741 on whether to petition the king to remove Walpole from office observed: 'Sir Charles Wager is as Hearty as I ever knew Him, spoke in the motion ... at four in the morning, tho He had been there from seven the morning before'. On that occasion Wager issued a challenge, saying that if there were any mismanagements 'in the Office of Admiralty, He and the rest of the Board ought to answer it at their own peril, and not Sir Robert' Wager was fit enough to command the king's channel crossings in 1740 and 1741, and his decision to turn back to Holland on a stormy night in December 1736 probably saved the whole entourage.
As so often happens in history an abundance of skill is turned, by fate, into the final instrument of downfall. The king insisted on having Wager see him across the channel in May 1741, which this was unfortunate politically because the voyage coincided with the Westminster election. Wager was still popular and his presence during the polling might have prevented the surprise nomination of Edward Vernon
Admiral Edward Vernon (12 November 1684 – 30 October 1757) was an English naval officer. He had a long and distinguished career, rising to the rank of admiral after 46 years service. As a vice admiral during the War of Jenkins' Ear, in 1 ...
who was in the West Indies and knew nothing about it. As it happened the bailiff pre-emptively closed the poll, thus provoking a riot and inviting a challenge. The fiasco, which culminated in a voiding of the election on a very close vote in the House of Commons, contributed notably to Walpole's loss of parliamentary control and the subsequent resignation by Wager as first lord in January 1742 when it became clear that Walpole was arranging to leave office.[
]
Marriage
On 8 December 1691 he married Martha Earning (1664/1666 - 1748), daughter of Anthony Earning, a Commonwealth navy captain who went into the East India Company's service after 1660 and died while captain of the George in the Indian Ocean. Wager left no children[
]
Final years
In December 1742 Wager was appointed Treasurer of the Navy, a handsome sinecure which served as a pension. He remained in parliament, having been elected for West Looe.[ He was reportedly living at Stanley House, Chelsea, when he died, peacefully, on 24 May 1743 and was buried in the north transept of Westminster Abbey on 30 May 1743.]
In 1747, Francis Gashry
Francis Gashry (14 November 1702 – 1762) of Hollybush House, Parsons Green, London was a British official and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1741 to 1762.
Gashry was the son of Francis Gascherie, perfumer, of Lamb's St, ...
, long his right-hand man of business, erected a monument by the sculptor Peter Scheemakers in Westminster Abbey, and the bas-relief shows his famous naval engagement, with the inscription "The destroying & taking the SPANISH GALLEONS A.D. 1708". Lady Wager died on 7 April 1748 and was buried next to him.[
His chief heir was Charles Bolton, son of his sister Prudence, to whom his estate at Kilmenath, near West Looe, Cornwall passed. His widow, Martha, was executor. They had no children, but numerous relatives, many stemming from his half-sisters, all of whom he is said to have helped financially or by appropriate patronage recommendations.][
]
Philanthropist
Wager was known for spreading his generosity very widely, to individuals in need as well as philanthropic organizations, for example he was patron of the "Cockney Feast" held in the east end of London. An inscription on the ninth bell at the church of St Dunstan's, Stepney reads "To the honour of Sir. Chas. Wager Knt., First Lord of the Admiralty 1729, Patron of the Stepney or Cockney's Feast, instituted at Ratcliff in the year 1674, and discontinued 1784. John Matthews, Esq., Treasurer, T. Mears & Sons fecit. 1806".
Obituaries
When Wager died Horace Walpole
Horatio Walpole (), 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), better known as Horace Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, man of letters, antiquarian, and Whigs (British political party), Whig politician.
He had Strawb ...
, first observed that he had "left the fairest character", a judgement supported by all of the surviving evidence. A remembrance recorded many years later by Arthur Onslow, the respected speaker of the Commons, remains highly instructive:” He was of the most gentle and humane disposition I ever knew, and spent almost the whole he got in generous acts of charity and compassion. I had a long and intimate acquaintance with him, and have seen where his temper has been tried by much provocation, but I never saw him discomposed. He had a very good understanding, great plainness of manners, and a steadiness of courage that no danger could daunt, with the same calmness in it that he shewed in the most ordinary acts of his life. He was indeed a person of most extraordinary worth, and the world bore him a respect that was due to it. His father was a captain of a man of war before the restoration, and very likely after that: but dying when this son was young, and the mother marrying a Quaker, he was bred up among that people; by which he acquired the simplicity of his manners, and had much of their fashion in his speech as well as carriage. And all this, with his particular roughness of countenance, made the softness of his nature still more pleasing, because unexpected at first".
In popular media
Actor Frank Finlay
Francis Finlay, (6 August 1926 – 30 January 2016) was an English stage, film and television actor, Oscar-nominated for a supporting role as Iago in Laurence Olivier's 1965 film adaptation of ''Othello''.
In 1983, Finlay was directed by Ital ...
was cast as Wager in the Channel 4 TV series, '' Longitude'' in 2000.
References
Sources
;Printed
*
*Austin, J. O., ''The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island: comprising three generations of settlers who came before 1690'' (1887)
*Baugh, D. A., "Sir Charles Wager", in ''Precursors of Nelson: British Admirals of the Eighteenth Century'', ed. P. Le Fevre and R. Harding (2000), 101–26
* Bishop Burnet's History
*Capp, B. ''Cromwell's Navy: the fleet and the English revolution, 1648–1660'' (1989)
*Chance, J. F., ''The Alliance of Hanover'' (1923)
*Chester, J. L., ed., ''The Marriage, Baptismal and Burial Registers of the Collegiate Church or Abbey of St Peter, Westminster'', (Harleian Society, Register series; 10'' (1876)
*Coxe, W. ''Memoirs of the Life and Administration of Sir Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford'', 3 vols. (1798)
*Cruickshanks, E. 'Wager, Charles', ''History of Parliament, Commons, 1715–54''
*
*Davies, J. D., ''Gentlemen and Tarpaulins: the officers and men of the Restoration navy'' (1991)
*''Gloucestershire Notes and Queries''
*Kimball, G. S., ed., ''The Correspondence of the Colonial Governors of Rhode Island, 1723–1775'', 2 vols. (1902–3)
* Lediard, T., ''The Naval History of England'', 2 vols. (1735)
*M. Lewis, ''The History of the British Navy'', (George Allen & Unwin, 1959)
*''The Diary of Samuel Pepys
''The Diary of Samuel Pepys'' is a British historical film, historical television series which was originally broadcast on the BBC in 1958. Based on the diaries of the naval administrator Samuel Pepys, it portrays life at the court of Charles II ...
'',
*''Quaker Anecdotes''
*
* ernon, E. ''Some Letters to an Honest Sailor'' (1746)
;Archives
* Library of Congress, manuscript division, Vernon–Wager MSS, Peter Force collection
*Manuscripts of the earl of Egmont: diary of Viscount Percival, afterwards first earl of Egmont, 3 vols., HMC, 63 (1920–23)
* Cambridge University Library, Cholmondeley (Houghton) MSS, 1784, 1786, 1807, 1881
* British Library, corresp. and papers, Add. MSS 19028–19031
*BL, official corresp., King's MSS 57–59
*L. Cong., corresp. and papers , BL, corresp. with duke of Newcastle, Add. MSS 32688–32992
*CUL, Cholmondeley (Houghton) MSS, letters to Walpole
*CUL, letters to Sir Robert Walpole
*L. Cong., Vernon–Wager MSS, Peter Force collection
* NMM, corresp. with Edward Vernon
*NRA, priv. coll., letters to first Earl Waldegrave
*TNA: PRO
Pro is an abbreviation meaning "professional".
Pro, PRO or variants thereof may also refer to:
People
* Miguel Pro (1891–1927), Mexican priest
* Pro Hart (1928–2006), Australian painter
* Mlungisi Mdluli (born 1980), South African retired f ...
, SP 42/81–83
External links
Action off Cartagena : the wreck of the ''San Jose''. Royal Geographical Society of South Australia
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wager, Charles
1666 births
1743 deaths
British naval commanders in the War of the Spanish Succession
Royal Navy admirals
Lords of the Admiralty
Knights Bachelor
Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for constituencies in Cornwall
Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies
British MPs 1710–1713
British MPs 1713–1715
British MPs 1715–1722
British MPs 1722–1727
British MPs 1727–1734
British MPs 1734–1741
British MPs 1741–1747
Members of the Privy Council of Great Britain
Whig (British political party) MPs
Ambassadors of Great Britain to Sweden
Burials at Westminster Abbey
British military personnel of the Anglo-Spanish War (1727–1729)
People from Rochester, Kent