Admiral Sir Reginald John James George Macdonald KCB KCSI (19 October 1820 – 15 December 1899) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.

Sir Reginald Macdonald
"Rim". Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1880.
Birth nameReginald John James George Macdonald
Born19 October 1820[1]
Westminster, Middlesex, England[2]
Died15 December 1899(1899-12-15) (aged 79)
Kensington, London[3]
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Navy
RankAdmiral
CommandsHMS Ferret
HMS Hogue
HMS Arethusa
HMS Bellerophon
East Indies Station
Nore Command
Battles / warsEighth Xhosa War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India

Early life

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Macdonald was born in Westminster, the son of Reginald George MacDonald, chief of Clan Ranald, and Lady Caroline Anne Edgcumbe, daughter of Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe.[4]

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Macdonald joined the Royal Navy in 1833.[5] He served in the Eighth Xhosa War as Commander of HMS Ferret.[6] Promoted to captain in 1854, he commanded HMS Hogue, HMS Arethusa and then HMS Bellerophon.[6] He was appointed Second-in-Command of the Channel Fleet in 1872 and from 1873 he became the 21st chief of the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald.[5]

Promoted to rear-admiral, he was made Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station with his flag in the armoured cruiser, HMS Undaunted, in 1875 and Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1879.[6] He retired in 1884.[6]

Family

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In 1855, he married Hon. Adelaide Louisa Warren Venables-Vernon, daughter of 5th Baron Vernon. They had two sons and two daughters:[7][8]

  • Capt. Allan Douglas MacDonald (1856–1908), Chief of Clanranald
  • Angus Roderick MacDonald (1858–1944)
  • Adelaide Effrida MacDonald
  • Maud MacDonald

References

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  1. ^ Burke, Bernard; Burke, Sir Bernard (1898). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland. Harrison & sons. p. 956.
  2. ^ 1861 Scotland Census
  3. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837–1915
  4. ^ Kelly's Handbook to the Upper Ten Thousand for 1878: Containing about Twenty Thousand Names of the Titled, Landed and Official Classes. Kelly and Company. 1878. p. 377.
  5. ^ a b National Historical Collectors and Research Association
  6. ^ a b c d William Loney RN
  7. ^ Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 3999. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  8. ^ Seaver, Jesse Montgomery (1929). Macdonald Mcdonald Family Records. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 14.

Further reading

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Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
1875–1877
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, The Nore
1879–1882
Succeeded by