| Office of the Vice-Admiral of Great Britain | |
|---|---|
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| Preceded by | Vice-Admiral of England |
| Department | Department of Admiralty |
| Reports to | Lord High Admiral of Great Britain |
| Nominator | First Naval Lord |
| Appointee | HM King/Queen |
| Term Length | Not fixed |
| First post holder | Vice-Admiral Sir George Rooke |
| Final post holder | Vice-Admiral Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport |
| Formation | 1707–1801 |
| Succeeded by | Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom |
The Vice-Admiral of the Great Britain was an honorary office generally held by a senior Royal Navy admiral. He is the official deputy to the Lord High Admiral, now an honorary (although once operational was styled as Vice-Admiral of the Fleet). He was appointed by the Sovereign on the nomination of the First Naval Lord. Despite the title, the Vice-Admiral of Great Britain was usually a full admiral or admiral of the fleet.
1) History
The office of Vice-Admiral of the Great Britain has its roots in the ancient post of Lieutenant-Admiral or Lieutenant of the Admiralty, the deputy or assistant to the High Admiral. The Vice-Admiral of Great Britain following the 1707 union with Scotland) was the second most powerful position in the Royal Navy, and until 1801 was officially called the Lieutenant of the Admiralty. As the deputy of the Lord High Admiral, the responsibilities of the pre-1964 Board of Admiralty would, in theory, have devolved upon the Vice-Admiral had the entire Board been incapacitated before a new Commission of Admiralty could pass the Great Seal. However, such a contingency never occurred in practice. Below the office of Vice-Admiral ranks the Rear-Admiral of Great Britain, another now honorary office.
2) Vice-Admirals of Great Britain and Lieutenant of the Admiralty
- Sir George Rooke 1 May 1707 – 24 January 1709?
- James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley 21 March 1719 N.S. – 17 August 1736
- Sir John Norris April 1739 – 14 June 1749
- George Anson, 1st Baron Anson 4 July 1749 – 6 June 1762
- Henry Osborn 4 January 1763 – 1765
- Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke 5 November 1765 – 16 October 1781
- George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney 6 November 1781 – 24 May 1792
- Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe 9 June 1792 – March 1796
- Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport March 1796 – 1801