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List of vice-admirals of the coast

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Vice Admiral of the Coast
Active1536 – Present
Countries
  • Kingdom of England
  • Kingdom of Ireland
  • Kingdom of Scotland
  • Kingdom of Great Britain
Branch Royal Navy
TypeNaval administration
RoleAdmiralty courts, naval jurisdiction.
Military unit

The vice-admiralties of the coast were posts established in each of the twenty maritime counties of England, the north and south of Wales, and the four provinces of Ireland. The officer holders, designated as "vice-admirals", were responsible for naval administration in their county, and were deputies of the Lord High Admiral. The role was introduced to replace the Wardens of the Coast.

A vice-admiral's responsibilities included, deciding the lawfulness of prizes captured by privateers, dealing with salvage claims for wrecks, acting as a judge and implementing the role of the Impress Service. The earliest record of an appointment was of William Gonson as Vice-Admiral of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1536.

From around 1560, vice-admirals of the coasts acquired a more public profile than they had enjoyed previously. In the second half of the sixteenth century they increasingly received orders from the privy council. In 1561, apparently for the first time, the Crown addressed instructions directly to the vice-admirals. In 1660 their function came under the remit of the Board of Admiralty.

There are also a few examples of the title Vice-Admiral of the West. It is not however clear whether this was a separate appointment or possibly some incorrect use of an older title being applied to the holders of the Cornwall or Devon post.

In 2023 prior to the coronation of Charles III, Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby was appointed the Vice Admiral of Lancashire.

List of vice-admiralties

England

Wales

Scotland

Ireland

See also

Lord-lieutenant - a post created in the 1540's to oversee the militia of a county

References

  1. Baker, Sherston (20 December 2010). Office of vice-admiral of the coast : being some account of that ancient office. : Gale Ecco, Making Of Mode. pp. 1–153. ISBN 9781240154067.
  2. Hardman, Robert (20 June 2024). Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story. Pan Macmillan UK. ISBN 9781035027484.

External links

Lists of post holders for each county are to be found as follows:

Department of Admiralty
Direction and control
of Admiralty and Naval affairs
Boards and offices under
the First Lord
Direction of
Admirals
Naval/Sea Lords
War and Naval Staff
Secretariat and staff under
the First Sea Lord
Operational planning, policy
strategy, tactical doctrine
requirements
Divisions and sections
under the War and
Naval Staff
Offices of the Sea Lords
Admiralty civil departments
and organisations
under the Sea Lords
Direction/Command of the Fleet
Naval formations after 1707
Naval formations before 1707
Direction of Naval Finance
Departments under the
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary
Direction of Naval Administration
and the Admiralty Secretariat
Branches and offices under the
Permanent Secretary
Civil Administration
Departments under the
Civil Lords
Legal
Vice Admiralties of the Coast
Vice-Admiralties of England
Vice-Admiralties of Ireland
Vice-Admiralties of Scotland
Vice-Admiralties of Wales
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