Francis Erskine Loch
Admiral Francis Erskine Loch (1788–1868) was a senior commander in the Royal Navy during the early 19th century. He served as naval aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria.
Life
He was born in April 1788 in Drylaw House north of Edinburgh (now within the city boundary) the son of George Loch (1749-1788) and his wife Mary Adam, daughter of John Adam of the world-renowned Adam family of architects.[1]
He entered the Royal Navy on 1 September 1799 aged eleven as a cabin boy under Cpt Andrew Todd on the then nine year old HMS Queen Charlotte in the fleet of Lord Keith. On 17 March 1800 Loch narrowly escaped death when the ship was destroyed by fire and blew up killing 673 men off the Italian coast near Leghorn. Loch was one of the very few survivors.
Placed on the HMS Minotaur he was present at the blockade of Genoa in May 1800. Serving as a young midshipman still under Lord Keith he joined the HMS Mondovi under Cpt John Stewart. He was placed on the island of Rhodes overseeing the equipping of gunboats bound for Egypt and Lake Mareotis early in 1801. He then joined HMS Pearl until November 1801.[2]
From May 1803 to 1805 he served under his cousin, Cpt Adam on the captured French frigate La Chiffone on which he saw major action on 10 June 1805 during the height of the naval actions of the Napoleonic War.
In January 1806 he was promoted to Lieutenant on HMS Diadem under Rear Admiral Charles Stirling. His most important action in this period was on HMS Queen Charlotte (the replacement ship to the earlier one of that name), at the blockade of Rio de la Plata. He stayed with the Charlotte until his promotion to captain.[3]
His first command was on HMS Rover in 1812. He moved to HMS Minstrel in 1815, and HMS Eden in 1821. In the latter he served in the East Indies and Persian Gulf, acting as the senior officer for this zone. His last active service was from June to September 1839 on HMS Hastings in the Mediterranean.[4]
He was invalided out of active service in the summer of 1939. From September 1839 to September 1841 he was commander of HMS Victory, not the fanous ship, but a guard-ship placed at Portsmouth. In 1847 he was made Naval aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria (a prestigious but non-active role). Loch then underwent several promotions, but without command: Rear Admiral (1850); Vice Admiral (1857); Admiral (1860).[5]
He retired to Edinburgh in 1860, living at 22 George Square as neighbour to Rev Patrick Clason.[6]
He died in Cheltenham on 13 February 1868.
Family
Loch's family connections are impressive: great grandfather- William Adam; great uncle - Robert Adam; uncle - William Adam of Blair Adam; cousin - Admiral Sir Charles Adam; nephews - Cpt Granville Gower Loch RN and Lt George Jogn Loch RN.
In 1822 he was married to Jesse Robertson in Edinburgh.[7] Jesse was the daughter of Major Robertson, Barrack-Master-General of North Britain.[8] Their known children were[9]:
- George Francis Loch (1824-1848)
- Francis Adam Ellis Loch (1827-1891)
- Jane Garden Loch (1830-1891)
- Archibald Robertson Loch (1833-1906)
- James Henry Loch (1833-1918) his twin
Francis' children included Major General Granville George Loch (1870-1950)
Memorabilia
His diary and sketch-books are held at the National Archive in Kew.[10]
References
- ↑ http://www.thepeerage.com/p65188.htm
- ↑ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Naval_Biographical_Dictionary/Loch,_Francis_Erskine
- ↑ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Naval_Biographical_Dictionary/Loch,_Francis_Erskine
- ↑ http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=266
- ↑ http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=266
- ↑ Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1860
- ↑ https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_crewman&id=9713
- ↑ http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=266
- ↑ http://www.thepeerage.com/p65188.htm#i651876
- ↑ http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F70695