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Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham PC (14 October 1726 – 17 June 1813) was a British naval officer and politician. He was born at Leith, Midlothian to Robert Middleton, a customs collector of Bo'ness, Linlithgowshire, and Helen, daughter of Captain Charles Dundas RN and granddaughter of Sir James Dundas of Arniston. He was a nephew of Brigadier-General John Middleton (1678–1739), and a grandson of George Middleton DD, and a great-grandson of Alexander Middleton (younger brother of John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton), both of whom served as Principal of King's College, Aberdeen.〔Sir James Balfour Paul ed., ''The Scots Peerage'', (volume VI ) (Edinburgh, 1909) pages 177-180.〕 ==Naval career== Middleton entered the Royal Navy in 1741 as captain's servant aboard and HMS ''Duke'', and later served aboard HMS ''Flamborough'' as midshipman and master's mate.〔(Charles Middleton at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography )〕 He became lieutenant in 1745, serving aboard the frigate HMS ''Chesterfield'', after 1748 on the west Africa station.〔 During the Seven Years' War, from 1754, Middleton was stationed aboard during her apprehension and capture of two French ships at Louisbourg, after which he was stationed in the Leeward Islands.〔 In January 1757, an incident over rum rations, during which Middleton lost his temper and physically attacked a sailor ended with the sailor being court martialled and Middleton being transferred and promoted to command of the sloop HMS ''Speaker''.〔 In 1759 he was given command of the frigate HMS ''Arundel'' being promoted to post-rank for the first time.〔 The following year, while in command of , distinguished himself in the West Indies, taking sixteen French ships and several privateers, and received the gratitude of the merchants in the British colony of Barbados.〔 From March 1762 Middleton took command of the frigate ''Adventure'', patrolling the coast of Normandy.〔 In December 1761 Middleton married Margaret Gambier, niece of Captain Mead, who he had encountered aboard HMS ''Sandwich'' some twenty years earlier. Margaret moved to Teston in Kent, to be close to her friend Elizabeth Bouverie. In 1763, after service aboard the ''Adventure'', he moved to join Margaret at Teston, and for the next twelve years he farmed the land belonging to Mrs Bouverie, taking on the role of a country gentleman.〔 In 1775, at the outbreak of the American War of Independence, Middleton was given a guardship at the Nore, a Royal Navy anchorage in the Thames Estuary, and was subsequently appointed Comptroller of the Navy in 1778, a post he held for twelve years.〔 In 1781 was created a baronet,〔 with a special remainder, failing any male issue, to his son in law, Gerard Noel. In 1784, Sir Charles Middleton was elected Tory Member of Parliament (MP) for Rochester, a seat he held for six years, and three years later was promoted Rear Admiral. By 1793 a Vice Admiral, he was the following year made a Lord of the Admiralty.〔 In 1795 became Admiral of the Blue. He was finally, in 1805, appointed First Lord of the Admiralty,〔 and was created Baron Barham, of Barham Court and Teston in the County of Kent, with a special remainder, failing male issue, to his only child, his daughter, Diana Noel, 2nd Baroness Barham, and her male heirs. In September 1805, Lord Barham attained the rank of Admiral of the Red. He died eight years later, aged 86, at his home of Barham Court. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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