Record

Authorised form of nameCockburn; Sir; George (1772 - 1853)
Dates1772 - 1853
Date of birth22 April 1772
Date of death19 August 1853
ActivityCareer:
Entered the Royal Navy age 14, rose rapidly. By 1812 promoted Rear Admiral in charge of the Royal Navy in Spanisch waters but was then ordered to America. Played a large part in the War of 1812 as 2nd in command to Admiral Sir John Borlase Wqarren, until the end of March 1814, and then to Warren's successor, Admiral Sir Alecander Cochrane for eth eremainder of the war. his most important action was the capture and burning of Washington, 24 August 1814, as advisor to Major General Robert Ross. After Waterll, on his return to Europe, he commanded HMS 'Northumberland', conveying Napoleon to St Helena, where he remained for some months as Governor and the Emperor's gaoler. Later he was Commander in Chief, North america Station, and Admiral of the Fleet; also held the honorary title of Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom, and Major General of Marines, 1847-1853.
Member of Parliament for Portsmouth (1818-1820); Weobley (1820-1828); Plynouth (1828-1832); and Ripon (1841-1847).
Freemason, made 25 November 1811, in Somerset House Lodge No 2, subsequently Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No 4 London
Honours:
KCB 1815; GCB 1818
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election21/12/1820
SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB
References:
Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 'Freemasons and the Royal Society; Alphabetical List of Fellows of the Royal Society who were Freemasons' London, 2010, page 21-22
Virtual International Authority Filehttp://viaf.org/viaf/27869285
CodeNA5184
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
MM/21/35Letter from Admiral Sir George Cockburn to Sir Richard Keats4 June 1830
IM/000902Cockburn, Sir Georgend
EC/1820/13Cockburn, Sir George: certificate of election to the Royal Society
MC/1/262Letter from John Augustus Lloyd, Admiralty Office, to Davies Gilbert10 December 1830
MC/1Volume 1 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society1800-1831
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