Anthony Hoskins

Admiral Sir Anthony Hiley Hoskins, (1 September 1828 – 21 June 1901) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer, he took part in the Cape Frontier War of 1851 and then saw action at the Battle of Canton in December 1857 and the Battle of Taku Forts in May 1858 during Second Opium War. Once promoted to flag officer rank, he acted as Second-in-Command of the Fleet at the bombardment of Alexandria in July 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War. He went on to be First Naval Lord in September 1891 but in that role took a relaxed view of the size of the Fleet and did not see the need for a large shipbuilding effort on the scale envisaged by some of his colleagues, such as Admiral Sir Frederick Richards and Admiral Sir John Fisher who were concerned about French and German naval expansion.

Early career

Born the son of Henry Hoskins and Mary Hoskins (née Phelips) and educated at Winchester College, Hoskins entered the Royal Navy in April 1842. During his early career he served in the sixth-rate HMS Conway and then fourth-rate HMS President taking action against slave traders off the coast of East Africa. he was promoted to commander on 26 February 1858 and commanded the gunboat HMS Slaney on the China Station seeing action at the Battle of Canton in December 1857 and the Battle of Taku Forts in May 1858 during Second Opium War. and a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 2 June 1877.

Senior command

Promoted to rear admiral on 15 June 1879, Hoskins became Junior Naval Lord in May 1880 but was despatched to the Mediterranean in 1882 where he acted as Second-in-Command of the Fleet at the bombardment of Alexandria in July 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War. Hoskins became Admiral Superintendent of Naval Reserves later that month.

Promoted to vice admiral on 1 June 1885, Hoskins went on to be Second Naval Lord in July 1885 and Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet, hoisting his flag in the battleship HMS Camperdown, in March 1889.

Promoted to full admiral on 20 June 1891, Hoskins became First Naval Lord in September 1891.

Hoskins died at Pleystons Capel near Dorking on 21 June 1901 and is buried at North Perrott in Somerset. The couple had an adopted daughter Murial May Hoskins, who married in 1903 George Frederick Rooper, eldest son of George Rooper, of Nascott House, Watford.