George Anson, 1st Baron Anson

Admiral of the Fleet George Anson, 1st Baron Anson, PC FRS , was a Royal Navy officer. Anson served as a junior officer during the War of the Spanish Succession and then saw active service against Spain at the Battle of Cape Passaro during the War of the Quadruple Alliance. He then undertook a circumnavigation of the globe during the War of Jenkins Ear. Anson commanded the fleet that defeated the French Admiral de la Jonquire at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre during the War of the Austrian Succession.

Anson was the son of William Anson of Shugborough in Staffordshire and Isabella Carrier, whose brotherinlaw was the Earl of Macclesfield and Lord Chancellor, a relationship that proved very useful to the future admiral. He was born onApril 1697, at Shugborough Manor. In February 1712, amid the War of the Spanish Succession, Anson entered the navy at the age of 15. He served as a volunteer aboard the fourthrate HMS160Ruby, before transferring to the thirdrate HMS160Monmouth. Promoted to lieutenant onMarch 1716, he was assigned to the fourthrate HMS160Hampshire in service as part of a Baltic Sea fleet commanded by Admiral John Norris. Anson transferred to the aging fourthrate HMS160Montagu in March 1718, and saw active service against Spain at the Battle of Cape Passaro in August 1718 during the War of the Quadruple Alliance. He then transferred to the secondrate HMS160Barfleur, flagship of Admiral George Byng, in October 1719.

Source: Wikipedia