Artist: Lemuel Francis Abbott (1760–1802)

Object type: Painting

Genre: portrait

Medium: Oil on canvas

Original Dimensions: 36 in. x 27 in.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery

Source/Photographer: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy

National Portrait Gallery: NPG 1260

About Captain Robert Calder

Robert Calder was born in Elgin, Scotland on 2 july 1745, 2d son to sir James Calder and Alice Hughes, daughter of admiral Robert Hughes. His father become the 3rd baronet Calder of muirton, who was appointed gentleman usher of the privy chamber to the queen by lord bute in 1761. His elder brother, who succeeded to his father's baronetcy, became principal popular sir henry Calder.

Calder become educated in Maidstone, earlier than joining the royal military in December 1758 at the age of thirteen. Calder first of all served aboard his cousin's deliver, the 70-gun Nassau, inside the American theatre of the seven years' warfare. En course to England, in September 1759, Nassau changed into dismasted in a hurricane and arrived at her vacation spot with 9 feet of water in her preserves a midshipman, Calder received £1,800 in prize cash for his element within the seize of the Spanish treasure ship Hermione on 21 might also 1762 (a really massive prize), and changed into eventually promoted to lieutenant. At that rank, he served aboard HMS Essex, under captain the hon. George Faulkner, inside the Caribbean. In 1780 he attained the rank of master and commander, later publish-captain. He commanded the frigate, HMS Diana of the channel fleet, at Spithead underneath rear admiral Richard kempenfelt and acquitted himself honorably inside the diverse services to which he turned into called, but for a long time had no opportunity of distinguishing himself.

In 1794 he commanded the 74-gun ship HMS Theseus, which formed a part of lord howe's fleet. He turned into appointed in 1796 captain of the fleet to admiral john Jervis aboard HMS victory and noticed movement at the battle of cape st vincent on 14 February 1797. After the conflict, he changed into decided on through Jervis to carry the dispatches announcing the victory lower back to Britain and changed into knighted by George iii on three march 1797 for his services. He also obtained the thank you of parliament, and became created 1st baronet Calder of Southwick on 22 august 1798. Parliament voted to award him an annum of £1,two hundred, which he declined. He persisted in his service as captain of the fleet to Jervis, now earl of st. Vincent, when the latter hoisted his flag in HMS Ville de Paris as commander of the Mediterranean fleet. In 1799, he was promoted to rear-admiral; and in 1804, now a vice-admiral turned into dispatched with a small squadron in pursuit of a French force beneath admiral ganteaume, conveying materials to the French in Egypt. On this, he changed into unsuccessful and returning domestic on the peace he struck his flag. He had at the moment end up regarded as one of the royal navy's essential professionals on maneuvering by using signal-flag and in administering a huge fleet. In 1801 he quarreled with admiral sir john Duckworth over the charge of prize money. A courtroom ruled in Calder's desire.

• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Calder, Sir Robert" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

• Laughton, J. K.; Lambert, Andrew. "Calder, Sir Robert, baronet". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4370

• AUTHOR, UNKNOWN. (2016). ANNUAL BIOGRAPHY AND OBITUARY : for the year 1819 (classic reprint). FORGOTTEN Books. ISBN 978-1-332-58760-5. OCLC 982898832

• "No. 15047". The London Gazette. 4 August 1798

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• "AIM25 collection description". aim25.com. Retrieved 8 August 2020

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• Ralfe, James, author. The Naval Chronology of Great Britain : Or, An Historical Account of Naval and Maritime Events from 1803 to 1816. ISBN 978-0-511-77730-1.