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, ...
Richard Edwards (c. 1715 – 3 February 1795) naval officer and colonial governor of
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
.
Naval career
Edwards was promoted to
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in 1740 and to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in 1753.
He was appointed governor of Newfoundland for his first term in 1757.
[ His main concern was defence of the colony as Great Britain and France were at war.][ Edwards was re-appointed governor for a second term in 1779 and was again concerned with the colony's defences – only this time against ]American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
privateers
A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...
.[ In 1780 he formed the Newfoundland Volunteers under the command of Robert Pringle.][ Edwards ordered the construction of Fort Townshend ( see Lord Townshend) and the ]Quidi Vidi
Quidi Vidi is a neighbourhood in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador (pronunciations vary, even amongst longtime residents, but "Kiddy Vidi" is the most common). The village is adjacent to Quidi Vidi Lake (where the Royal St. John's Regatta is ...
batteries including those at Petty Harbour.[ Promoted vice-admiral in 1787, he became in ]Commander-in-Chief, The Nore
The Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, was an operational commander of the Royal Navy. His subordinate units, establishments, and staff were sometimes informally known as the Nore Station or Nore Command. The Nore is a sandbank at the mouth of the Th ...
in 1788.[ He was promoted to ]Admiral of the Blue
The Admiral of the Blue was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Admiral of the White (see order of precedence below). From 1688 to 1805 this rank was in order of precedence third; after 1805 ...
in 1794.[
]
See also
* Governors of Newfoundland
* List of people from Newfoundland and Labrador
This is a list of notable people who are from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, or have spent a large part or formative part of their career in that province. This list also includes people associated with the former English, and later British c ...
References
External links
Biography at Government House ''The Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador''
, -
1710s births
1795 deaths
Governors of Newfoundland Colony
Royal Navy admirals
Year of birth uncertain
People from the City of Canterbury
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