George Young

Admiral Sir George Young (1732–1810) was a British Royal Navy officer who served through the second half of the eighteenth century. His portrait was painted by John Smart in 1805. An engraving on paper was made of him in 1814.

Biography

Sir George Young was born on 17 June 1732 as the eldest son of Rev. George Young of Bere Regis in Dorset, and Eleanor Young.

He first went to sea at the age of fourteen in 1746, and a year later joined the East India Company's marine. In 1757 he was discharged, joined the Royal Navy, and soon reached the rank of Midshipman. He commanded a ship during the Siege of Louisbourg (1758), incapacitating two enemy ships; Bienfaisant, and Prudent. An oil painting of this night engagement was painted by Francis Swaine, based upon a sketch by George Young.

In 1759 he participated in the Battle of Quebec. In 1761 he was promoted to lieutenant of HMS Orford, with captain Mariot Arbuthnot. In this capacity he participated in the Siege of Havana under Sir George Pocock, and continued to be stationed in Jamaica until the end of the war.

He was promoted to commander on 29 Sept 1768, serving for some time on the West African station, where he was an explorer. He explored ancient burying places on the Canary Islands, obtaining a mummy which was brought to the library of Trinity College.

In 1776 he went out to the East Indies in command of HMS Cormorant, from which he was posted to HMS Rippon as flag captain to Sir Edward Vernon. In this post he was involved in the Siege of Pondicherry. Young was then sent home with despatches, and received the usual 500 shillings to buy a sword. He was appointed in March 1779 to HMY William & Mary, taking the Prince of Wales to the Nore when the king visited the fleet under Sir Hyde Parker.