Thomas Bladen Capel

Admiral Sir Thomas Bladen Capel (25 August 1776 – 4 March 1853) was a Royal Navy officer whose distinguished service in the French Revolutionary War, the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 earned him rapid promotion and great acclaim both in and out of the Navy. He was also a great friend of Admiral Nelson and can be considered a full member of Nelson's band of brothers.

Naval career

Early years Born in August 1776 and raised in London, Thomas Capel was the fourth son of William Anne Capel, 4th Earl of Essex and first child of his second wife, Harriet. His mother also had influence as the daughter of Colonel Thomas Bladen, and Capel received preferential treatment due to his status from a very young age. Entered onto the books of on 22 March 1782 as servant to Captain Waldegrave. He was just five years and 7 months old and this customary practice enabled him to rise rapidly through the ranks when he finally did go to sea.

Capel first served on on the Newfoundland station in April 1792, then on 1 March 1793, as a midshipman aboard , On 20 May, they were struck by a sudden gale in which the Vanguard lost her entire foremast assembly and both her main and mizzen topmasts. Despite the arrival of reinforcements, including ten ships of the line, on 6 June; Nelson remained aboard the jury masted, Vanguard. Therefore, Capel was serving as Nelson's signal lieutenant on 1 August 1798 when Nelson's fleet destroyed the French at the battle of the Nile. He impressed the admiral to such a degree, he was mentioned in dispatches as "a most excellent officer" and presented with the sword of the senior, surviving French admiral. Capel was present throughout the ensuing battle of Trafalgar, relaying Nelson's signals to the rest of fleet, and remaining close to the action although not actually engaged with the enemy. In the storm which followed the battle, Phoebe was essential in saving the captured Swiftsure and the Spanish ship Bahama, bringing them all safely to Gibraltar. On 4 November, Admiral Collingwood wrote "The extraordinary exertion of Captain Capel saved the French Swiftsure; and his ship the Phoebe, together with the Dougal afterwards brought out the Bahama". When the disabled Fougueux drifted away, Capel made repeated efforts to retrieve her but she broke up when she was blown ashore the next day. Capel returned to Constantinople later that year when he took part in further the forcing of the Dardanelles under Sir John Duckworth. On the way back to the Aegean, Endymion was hit by two 800 lb stone shot which killed three and injured ten of her crew. On 27 June 1813, off Nova Scotia, Capel trapped the Young Teazer in a harbour, which was blown up rather than captured. In another capture, that of the American merchantman Montezuma on 14 October 1814 Capel received 777 pounds, 11 shillings and 3¾ pence. He returned home in 1814 and was awarded the CB in June 1815.

Latter years Capel commanded the royal yachts Royal George and Apollo between 15 December 1821 and 27 May 1827, and rear-admiral of the red squadron on 22 July 1830 and was knighted soon afterwards and awarded the KCB in February 1832. In May 1834, Sir Thomas Capel served as commander in chief of the Far East squadron until July 1837 aboard the fourth-rate frigate . later joined by his wife Dame Harriet Capel. Their gravestone can still be seen and is largely still legible.

Family In 1816 he married Harriet Catherine Smyth; they had no children, but Capel became a slaveowner as a result of this marriage. In her diary, Lady Adela Caroline Harriett Capel, Admiral Bladen Capel's great niece, and refers to times spent with Bladen Capel and his wife at Little Cassiobury. She lived at Cassiobury House and they lived in Little Cassiobury. Designed by Elizabeth, Lady Wilbraham, in the late 17th century it was built as the Cassiobury Estate's dower house, which still exists in Hempstead Road, Watford.