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Thomas Mathews
Admiral Thomas Mathews (October 1676 – 2 October 1751) was a Royal Navy officer. He joined the navy in 1690 and saw service on a number of ships, including during the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. He interspersed periods spent commanding ships with time at home at the family estate in Llandaff. He distinguished himself with service with Sir George Byng at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718, and went on to command squadrons in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, before largely retiring from naval service.
Mathews returned to active service in 1741, following Britain's entry to the War of the Austrian Succession, and took command of the fleet in the Mediterranean. The usual difficulties of performing delicate diplomatic duties were further exacerbated by the fact that he was on bad terms with his second in command, Richard Lestock, on whom he relied to manage the fleet. The pivotal moment of his naval career came in 1744, when he attempted to intercept a Franco-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Toulon. The action was fought in confused circumstances, with poor communications and the breakdown of the chain of command. Despite possessing the superior force, Mathews was unable to secure a decisive result, and the enemy were able to escape with the loss of one ship, while Mathews's fleet lost one and had several others badly damaged.
The failure to secure a victory incensed the British public, and a series of courts-martial and a public inquiry led to several officers being cashiered. Mathews' second in command, Lestock, was tried but acquitted, blaming the outcome on Mathews' poor planning and ill-tempered and unwise attack. Mathews was tried and convicted of the charges, and dismissed from the navy. He returned to his estates at Llandaff, before moving to London and dying there in 1751.
He was born at Llandaff Court, Llandaff, the son of Colonel Edward Mathews (died 1700), and grandson on his mother's side of Sir Thomas Armstrong (1624–1684) (who was executed in 1684, for his part in the Rye House Plot). Mathews was also a descendant of the Welsh knight Sir David ap Mathew and King Louis VI of France. Mathews joined the navy in 1690, serving aboard HMS Albemarle, which was then under the command of his uncle, Sir Francis Wheler. Mathews served during the Nine Years' War, he may have been present at the Battle of Beachy Head, and was likely in action at the Battle of Barfleur. Mathews went on to serve aboard HMS Portland under Captain James Littleton in 1697, and on 31 October 1699 Vice-Admiral Matthew Aylmer appointed him lieutenant aboard his flagship, HMS Boyne. Mathews served with Aylmer in the Mediterranean, before being moved to HMS Deale Castle in 1700. Mathews went on to serve with John Graydon in the West Indies, being promoted by him to command HMS Yarmouth, a position he took up on 24 May 1703.
He commanded HMS Kingsale in the English Channel from 1704, and in October 1708 took command of HMS Gloucester. His next ship was the newly built HMS Chester, which was attached to the Channel fleet under Lord Berkeley. The fleet encountered a small French squadron under René Duguay-Trouin in early 1709. The British gave chase, re-capturing one of Duguay-Trouin's prizes, HMS Bristol, and capturing another of his ships, Gloire.
Mathews and Chester were then assigned to the fleet sent to reduce and capture Nova Scotia under Commodore George Martin in 1710, and took over command of the force after Martin's return to England. He joined the fleet commanded by Rear Admiral Sir Hovenden Walker at Boston in summer 1711, after which he escorted a convoy to New York City. Chester was badly damaged by heavy storms during this mission, and returned to Britain for repairs. Mathews then moved ashore[why?], and spent the next few years at the family seat of Llandaff Court.
Mathews returned to active service in January 1718, following the outbreak of war with Spain, with a temporary appointment to command HMS Prince Frederick, while a new ship, HMS Kent, was being fitted out. He took command of Kent on 31 March 1718, and joined Sir George Byng's fleet in the Mediterranean. He participated in the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718, and was then detached in command of a squadron assigned to blockade Messina and hopefully intercept Vice-Admiral George Camocke, a British national serving with the Spanish navy. However, Camocke managed to evade the British and escape in a small boat in January, and the British squadrons were occupied with blockading Sicily until autumn 1720, when Mathews returned to Britain with Byng.
From 1722 to 1724 he was in command of a small squadron sent to the East Indies to expel the Indian Maratha KoliAdmiral Kanhoji Angre of the Malabar Coast. The presence of his ships caused Angre's activity to be much reduced, but their strongholds remained impregnable. Mathews' squadron supported Portuguese troops from Goa in an attack on the Maratha fortress at Vijaydurg & Kolaba, but this was repulsed. Mathews returned to Britain in 1724 and thereafter largely retired from the navy, and received no further promotions. It was not until 1736 that he rejoined the service in any capacity, becoming Commissioner of Chatham dockyard, though the appointment was considered a civil one.
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Thomas Mathews
Admiral Thomas Mathews (October 1676 – 2 October 1751) was a Royal Navy officer. He joined the navy in 1690 and saw service on a number of ships, including during the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. He interspersed periods spent commanding ships with time at home at the family estate in Llandaff. He distinguished himself with service with Sir George Byng at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718, and went on to command squadrons in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, before largely retiring from naval service.
Mathews returned to active service in 1741, following Britain's entry to the War of the Austrian Succession, and took command of the fleet in the Mediterranean. The usual difficulties of performing delicate diplomatic duties were further exacerbated by the fact that he was on bad terms with his second in command, Richard Lestock, on whom he relied to manage the fleet. The pivotal moment of his naval career came in 1744, when he attempted to intercept a Franco-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Toulon. The action was fought in confused circumstances, with poor communications and the breakdown of the chain of command. Despite possessing the superior force, Mathews was unable to secure a decisive result, and the enemy were able to escape with the loss of one ship, while Mathews's fleet lost one and had several others badly damaged.
The failure to secure a victory incensed the British public, and a series of courts-martial and a public inquiry led to several officers being cashiered. Mathews' second in command, Lestock, was tried but acquitted, blaming the outcome on Mathews' poor planning and ill-tempered and unwise attack. Mathews was tried and convicted of the charges, and dismissed from the navy. He returned to his estates at Llandaff, before moving to London and dying there in 1751.
He was born at Llandaff Court, Llandaff, the son of Colonel Edward Mathews (died 1700), and grandson on his mother's side of Sir Thomas Armstrong (1624–1684) (who was executed in 1684, for his part in the Rye House Plot). Mathews was also a descendant of the Welsh knight Sir David ap Mathew and King Louis VI of France. Mathews joined the navy in 1690, serving aboard HMS Albemarle, which was then under the command of his uncle, Sir Francis Wheler. Mathews served during the Nine Years' War, he may have been present at the Battle of Beachy Head, and was likely in action at the Battle of Barfleur. Mathews went on to serve aboard HMS Portland under Captain James Littleton in 1697, and on 31 October 1699 Vice-Admiral Matthew Aylmer appointed him lieutenant aboard his flagship, HMS Boyne. Mathews served with Aylmer in the Mediterranean, before being moved to HMS Deale Castle in 1700. Mathews went on to serve with John Graydon in the West Indies, being promoted by him to command HMS Yarmouth, a position he took up on 24 May 1703.
He commanded HMS Kingsale in the English Channel from 1704, and in October 1708 took command of HMS Gloucester. His next ship was the newly built HMS Chester, which was attached to the Channel fleet under Lord Berkeley. The fleet encountered a small French squadron under René Duguay-Trouin in early 1709. The British gave chase, re-capturing one of Duguay-Trouin's prizes, HMS Bristol, and capturing another of his ships, Gloire.
Mathews and Chester were then assigned to the fleet sent to reduce and capture Nova Scotia under Commodore George Martin in 1710, and took over command of the force after Martin's return to England. He joined the fleet commanded by Rear Admiral Sir Hovenden Walker at Boston in summer 1711, after which he escorted a convoy to New York City. Chester was badly damaged by heavy storms during this mission, and returned to Britain for repairs. Mathews then moved ashore[why?], and spent the next few years at the family seat of Llandaff Court.
Mathews returned to active service in January 1718, following the outbreak of war with Spain, with a temporary appointment to command HMS Prince Frederick, while a new ship, HMS Kent, was being fitted out. He took command of Kent on 31 March 1718, and joined Sir George Byng's fleet in the Mediterranean. He participated in the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718, and was then detached in command of a squadron assigned to blockade Messina and hopefully intercept Vice-Admiral George Camocke, a British national serving with the Spanish navy. However, Camocke managed to evade the British and escape in a small boat in January, and the British squadrons were occupied with blockading Sicily until autumn 1720, when Mathews returned to Britain with Byng.
From 1722 to 1724 he was in command of a small squadron sent to the East Indies to expel the Indian Maratha KoliAdmiral Kanhoji Angre of the Malabar Coast. The presence of his ships caused Angre's activity to be much reduced, but their strongholds remained impregnable. Mathews' squadron supported Portuguese troops from Goa in an attack on the Maratha fortress at Vijaydurg & Kolaba, but this was repulsed. Mathews returned to Britain in 1724 and thereafter largely retired from the navy, and received no further promotions. It was not until 1736 that he rejoined the service in any capacity, becoming Commissioner of Chatham dockyard, though the appointment was considered a civil one.