Charles Inigo Thomas

Sir Charles Inigo Thomas (21 November 1846 – 9 May 1929) was an English civil servant who spent his entire career in the Admiralty, serving as Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty from 1907–11.

Early life and education Thomas was born in Steyning, Sussex, the fourth son of Freeman Thomas and his wife, Amelia, daughter of Colonel Thomas Frederick. His elder brother Freeman Frederick Thomas, a noted cricketer, was the father of Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon, Viceroy of India, and his younger brother was the composer Arthur Thomas. He was educated at Marlborough College, and five years later accepted the senior post of Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty. He oversaw tremendous expansion of the Navy in response to the growing threat from Germany. Among the reforms he instituted was the development of the Admiralty Library. He remained in this post until September 1911, when he retired at the age of 65. and upgraded to Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in the 1911 Coronation Honours, two months before his retirement. He was also awarded a Cross of Naval Merit of Spain.

In his retirement, he was chairman of James Lyne Hancock Ltd., India rubber manufacturers. He was a Justice of the Peace for the County of London, and an Associate of the Institution of Naval Architects.

Personal life In 1888, he married Emma Millicent Evans, daughter of James Nesbitt Evans, of County Donegal. She died in 1923. He died in London in 1929.