Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves

Admiral of the White Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves, KB (23 October 1725 – 9 February 1802) was a Royal Navy officer, politician and colonial administrator who served in the Seven Years' War and American War of Independence. He also served as the Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland from 1761 to 1764.

Military career

Born in England in October 1725, Graves was the second son of Rear-Admiral Thomas Graves of Thanckes in Cornwall. Graves' first military experience was as a volunteer with Commodore Henry Medley's crew around 1740. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1743, and captain in 1755. In the first year of the Seven Years' War, Graves failed to confront a French ship which gave challenge. He was promoted to Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 24 September 1787 and Vice-Admiral of the Red on 1 February 1793.

During the French Revolutionary Wars, Graves was promoted to Admiral of the Blue on 12 April 1794 and served as the second-in-command to Admiral of the Blue Richard Howe, Earl Howe at the Glorious First of June on 1 June, suffering a severe injury to his right arm. Following the battle, Graves was elevated to the Irish peerage as Baron Graves of Gravesend on 24 October. However, his wound led to the end of Graves' active career and he retired to estate in Devon. Graves was promoted to Admiral of the White on 1 June 1795.

Personal life Lord Graves married Elizabeth, daughter of William Peere Williams, in 1771. The couple had a son, Thomas, in 1775. Following several battle injuries, Graves retired to his Devon estate in 1794, and died in February 1802, aged 76.

Arms