A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Maitland, Anthony

1820470A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Maitland, AnthonyWilliam Richard O'Byrne

MAITLAND, K.C.M.G., C.B. (Rear-Admiral of the White, 1841. f-p., 19; h-p., 33.)

The Honourable Sir Anthony Maitland, born 10 June, 1785, is second son of James, eighth Earl of Lauderdale, K.T., by Eleanor, only daughter of Anthony Todd, Esq.; brother (with Colonel Hon. John Maitland, who died in 1839) of the present Earl; nephew of Lieut.-General Hon. Sir Thos. Maitland, G.C.B., Governor of Malta and the Ionian Islands, who died in 1824; and cousin of the present Capt. Sir Thos. Maitland, R.N., Kt., C.B., and of Commanders James, Lewis, and William Heriot, Maitland, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 2 Oct. 1795, as Admiral’s Servant, on board the Victory 100, Capt. Hon. Geo. Grey, on the books of which ship, bearing the flag in the Mediterranean of the late Earl St. Vincent, his name was borne until June, 1796. In Oct. 1798 he became Midshipman, under the same nobleman, in the Ville de Paris 110; and he next, from Jan. 1801 until Dec. 1803, served with Capt. Sir John Gore in the Triton and Medusa frigates. In the latter vessel, which bore the flag at the time of Lord Nelson, we find him particularly distinguishing himself and severely wounded in an attack made in Aug. 1801 on the Boulogne flotilla.[1] On leaving the Medusa he rejoined his Lordship, as a Supernumerary, on board the Victory, then again in the Mediterranean, where, in Aug. 1804, he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Childers sloop, Capt. Sir Wm. Bolton. He was confirmed a Lieutenant 2 Feb. 1805, and after officiating for some months in that capacity in the Blenheim 74, flag-ship in the East Indies of Sir Thos. Troubridge, was made Commander, 6 May, 1806, into the Arrogant guard-ship at Bombay. He attained Post-rank 25 Sept. in the same year; and was next appointed – 1 Aug. 1811, to the Pique 36, in which ship he was for four years and a half employed on the Downs, Lisbon, Brazilian, and West India stations, capturing, during that period, the Hawk American privateer, of 5 guns and 68 men – and 19 Feb. 1816, to the Glasgow 50, part of the force engaged under Lord Exmouth at the bombardment of Algiers.[2] On 21 Aug. 1817, Capt. Maitland, who had paid the Glasgow off in the preceding Nov., recommissioned that ship. He served in her in the Mediterranean until March, 1821, and has since been on half-pay. He acquired flag-rank 23 Nov. 1841.

The Rear-Admiral, who was nominated a C.B. for his conduct at Algiers, 19 Sept. 1816, and in 1832 created a Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, sat for some time in Parliament as member for co. Berwick; of which shire he is now a Deputy-Lieutenant. In Aug. 1830 he was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to King William IV.; and he continued to hold the same office under her present Majesty until the date of his promotion.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1801, p. 1006.
  2. Vide Gaz. 1816, p. 1792.