Lot Essay
Vice-Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet) Sir James Hawkins Whitshed (b.1762) entered the Navy in 1773 on board the sloop Ranger on the Irish station, later he was awarded a gold medal for his conduct at the battle of Cape St.Vincent (1797). Promoted Rear-Admiral in 1799 he served under Lord St.Vincent in the Mediterranean. In 1803 he was promoted Naval Adviser to the Viceroy of Ireland and Vice-Admiral from 1804. He was responsible for the protection of the Irish coasts, for the building of Martello towers and organising the Sea Fencibles against threat of French invasion and organising the defences of Dublin Bay. He succeeded Lord Gardner in command of Cork in 1807 where he remained until the autumn of 1810.