77-727: Admiral Sir William Domett , GCB (1752 – 19 May 1828) was a senior officer of the British Royal Navy who saw extensive service during the American Revolutionary , French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars . Throughout his career, Domett was under the patronage of Alexander Hood , later Lord Bridport . During his service Domett was appointed as flag captain by several admirals, and saw action numerous times in this capacity, including seven years in command of HMS Royal George . He went on to be First Naval Lord and then Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth during
154-561: A Shia imambargah , a Sunni mosque and community centre, a Pentecostal centre and a Ukrainian Greek Catholic church . It also has a former Norwegian church , which is home now to the Leith School of Art . As of 2011 (the most recent Census for which data is available), the religious composition of Leith was as follows: Religion in Leith (2011) A regular stage coach service ran between Bernard Street and Edinburgh's Old Town from
231-604: A brief stop at the house of Andrew Lamb, before being collected and escorted by coach to Holyrood Palace , to begin her ill-fated six-year-long reign. Mary's court came to the sands of Leith to enjoy equestrian tournaments of " running at the ring " performed by courtiers and diplomats in exotic costumes. After the abdication of Mary Queen of Scots in 1567 , during the ensuing civil war, troops fighting for James VI of Scotland against his mother's supporters in Edinburgh Castle based themselves in Leith from 1571 to 1573,
308-511: A broad band with three narrower bands. In 2001 the number of stars on the shoulder board was increased to four, reflecting the equivalence to the OF-9 four-star ranks of other countries. Prior to 1864 the Royal Navy was divided into coloured squadrons which determined his career path. The command flags flown by an Admiral changed a number of times during this period, there was no Admiral of
385-543: A clutch of upmarket restaurants, including the first of the chain of Malmaison hotels in a conversion of a seamen's mission, whilst the once industrially-polluted and desolate banks of the Water of Leith were cleaned up and a public walkway opened. Leith's gradual revival was also helped by the decision of the then Scottish Office to site their new offices in Leith Docks (just north of the old infilled East Dock). The site
462-406: A contiguous urban area. Leith was merged with Edinburgh on 1 November 1920 despite a plebiscite in which the people of Leith voted 26,810 to 4,340 against the merger. The population of Leith at the time of the merger was 80,000, representing 20% of the entire population of Edinburgh in around 5% of the city area, reflecting the town's high density. It was Scotland's sixth largest town at the time of
539-570: A parliamentary burgh, which jointly with Portobello and Musselburgh was represented by one Member of Parliament (MP). On 1 November 1833, Leith became a separate municipal burgh , with its own provost, magistrates, and council, and was no longer run by bailies. Historically the Lord Provost of Edinburgh was virtue officii Admiral of the Firth of Forth , the Provost of Leith was Admiral of
616-532: A period called the "Wars between Leith and Edinburgh" . In January 1581 The Shore was the scene of a mock combat, involving an assault on the Pope's Castel Sant'Angelo built on boats, for the marriage of Elizabeth Stuart, 2nd Countess of Moray and James Stewart for the entertainment of guests including James VI. In 1590, James's wife, Anne of Denmark , was lodged in the King's Wark when she arrived. In 1622 there
693-424: A planning condition, found a mass grave of 81 bodies from the 1645 plague. The archaeologists surmised that there was extreme fear of dying from this plague, likely Pneumonic , as many of the bodies were hastily buried in their clothes and still had money and other personal items on them, indicating that people did not want to touch the bodies, even to remove money. In 1650, Leith was a prospective battleground when
770-594: A serving officer in the Royal Navy can be promoted, admiral of the fleet being in abeyance except for honorary promotions of retired officers and members of the royal family. The equivalent rank in the British Army and Royal Marines is general ; and in the Royal Air Force , it is air chief marshal . The title admiral was not used in Europe until the mid-13th century and did not reach England before
847-649: A site that is now Parliament Street, off Coalhill. According to the 18th-century historian William Maitland , her palace was situated on Rotten Row, now Water Street. Artifacts from the demolished residence are held by the National Museum of Scotland , and her sculptured coat of arms, dated 1560, can be seen in South Leith Parish Church . When the large French garrison stationed in Leith was attacked by Scottish Protestant lords , reinforced by troops and artillery sent from England, Mary of Guise
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#1732771723007924-563: A squadron of seven ships with the intention of destroying British commerce in the North Sea. He intended to capture the port of Leith and hold it for ransom, but his plan was thwarted when a gale on 16 September kept him at the mouth of the Firth of Forth. The scare he caused led to the hasty erection of Leith Fort, with a battery of nine guns, designed by James Craig , the architect of Edinburgh's New Town, and built in 1780. A Georgian terrace to
1001-700: A timber keel from France for building one of the king's ships. The town was burnt by the Earl of Hertford (on the orders of Henry VIII ) in retaliation for the rejection of the Treaty of Greenwich by the Parliament of Scotland in 1543. Mary of Guise ruled Scotland from Leith in 1560 as Regent while her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots remained in France. Mary of Guise moved the Scottish Court to Leith, to
1078-547: Is a port area in the north of Edinburgh , Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith . The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of Holyrood Abbey in 1128 in which it is termed Inverlet (Inverleith). After centuries of control by Edinburgh, Leith was made a separate burgh in 1833 only to be merged into Edinburgh in 1920. Leith
1155-562: Is located on the southern coast of the Firth of Forth and lies within the City of Edinburgh council area ; since 2007 it has formed one of 17 multi-member wards of the city. As the major port serving Edinburgh, Leith has seen many significant events in Scottish history. The earliest evidence of settlement in Leith comes from several archaeological digs undertaken in The Shore area in
1232-775: The Liverpool ministry in March 1812. Promoted to vice-admiral on 25 October 1809, he retired from the Admiralty Board in October 1813 and became Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth but he resigned fifteen months later due to a recurring foot injury which had rendered him lame. Domett was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815, promoted to full admiral on 12 August 1819 and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of
1309-663: The Thames to Scotland. This was part of an effort by Edward I to establish a permanent official staff, even if a permanent naval force was not yet considered necessary. Leybourne's immediate purview was subsequently divided into the roles of Admiral of the West and Admiral of the South while Botetourt's became the Admiral of the North ; the first and last merged as the Admiral of
1386-858: The Trinity House in Kirkgate was erected in Grecian architectural style at an expense of £2500. In 1809, the Tally Toor , a martello tower was constructed to defend the entrance of the harbour during the Napoleonic Wars . It is now a scheduled monument within the port. Historically Leith was governed by the Town Council of Edinburgh, with separately organised baillies appointed by various bodies without contact with each other. The result became very unsatisfactory, and half of Leith
1463-557: The 18th century, the original nine ranks began to be filled by more than one man per rank, although the rank of admiral of the red was always filled by only one man and was known as Admiral of the Fleet . After the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 the rank of admiral of the red was introduced. The number of officers holding each rank steadily increased throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1769 there were 29 admirals of various grades; by
1540-579: The 1960s, the Beeching report recommended the closure of almost all of Leith's railway infrastructure. Today, only one freight line that connects to the dock remains in use. Although there are no longer any passenger rail services serving Leith, two station buildings partially remain: The SS Sirius (built in Leith) beat the SS Great Western by one day in being the first steamship to cross
1617-515: The Army of the Covenant, led by General David Leslie , threw up an earthen rampart between Calton Hill and Leith to defend the northern approach to Edinburgh against Oliver Cromwell 's forces. This rampart became the line of one of Edinburgh's longest streets, Leith Walk . After Cromwell's victory at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650 and subsequent occupation of Scotland, a fort known as Leith Citadel
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#17327717230071694-465: The Atlantic but, as a much smaller ship, was eclipsed by the press coverage given to the larger ship. Leith offered ferry services to many European ports, including Hamburg and Oslo. Today, Leith is served by various bus services provided by Lothian Buses and a tram service provided by Edinburgh Trams . This tram service was due to serve Leith in 2011, however, due to construction and funding issues,
1771-415: The Fleet rather than Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey , who as senior active admiral nearing the age limit would customarily have received the promotion; John Baird became an Admiral; James Erskine a vice-admiral; and Harry Rawson a rear-admiral. Ironically, all these younger men would die at least a decade before de Horsey. In the time before squadron distinctions were removed or age limits instituted,
1848-586: The Hood family meant that he had good connections, and so in 1786, Domett was given the 24-gun HMS Champion at Leith . Several years later, Domett moved to HMS Pomone and conducted a year long cruise down the coast of West Africa and through the West Indies. On his return, Domett was requested by Admiral Mark Milbanke for service in Newfoundland on HMS Salisbury but in 1790 Domett
1925-643: The John Knox Church. The church was active from 1688 and was last used by a visit of John Wesley but the huge crowd he drew was too large to fit. Leith still has several notable historic churches, including North Leith Parish Church and South Leith Parish Church (both of the Church of Scotland ), and the Roman Catholic St Mary's Star of the Sea . The area has Sikh and Hindu temples,
2002-565: The North and West in 1364; and from 1408–1414 they were all reunited as the High Admiral of England, Ireland, and Aquitaine , the forerunner to the present Lord High Admiral . (During this process, the short-lived post of Admiral of the Narrow Seas was used in 1412 and 1413. It was subsequently revived from 1523 to 1688.) The first royal commission as Admiral to a naval officer was granted in 1303 to Gervase Alard . By 1344, it
2079-515: The Order of the Bath on 16 May 1820. Domett settled on his estate in Hawkchurch , Devon near the home of Lord Bridport, who had died in 1814. He never married and had no children, but was highly esteemed in the service as a consummate sailor and brave fighter whose extremely long and dedicated sea service had earned him an excellent reputation in the Navy. He died suddenly in 1828 and was buried in
2156-625: The Red rank until that post was introduced in 1805 prior to this the highest rank an admiral could attain to was Admiral of the White who then flew the Cross of St George . The next promotion step up from that was to Admiral of the Fleet. [REDACTED] Media related to Admirals of the United Kingdom at Wikimedia Commons Leith Leith ( / l iː θ / ; Scottish Gaelic : Lìte )
2233-789: The UK). The first public sewer in Scotland was built in Bernard Street in 1780; this flowed into the Water of Leith. Leith was formerly a port linked to the trade of the Hanseatic League . Leith is also home to The Queen's former floating Royal residence, the Royal Yacht Britannia, now a five-star visitor attraction and evening events venue permanently berthed at the Ocean Terminal shopping centre. Leith
2310-587: The aide of an admiral, Admiral Sir Samuel Hood . Domett acted as his signal lieutenant in HMS ; Barfleur and in this capacity participated at the Battle of St. Kitts and the Battle of the Saintes . For his services in these actions, Domett became first lieutenant and when, a few months later, Barfleur captured four enemy ships in an action, Domett was given command of the small prize brig Ceres , which he safely brought back to Britain. On his return, Domett
2387-536: The area. The planned development, which was given supplementary planning guidance by the City of Edinburgh Council in 2004, was a small town with up to 17,000 new homes. One of the areas is Timber Bush which was originally used as a timber market. Until its amalgamation with Edinburgh in 1920, the southern-most town border was the middle of Pilrig Street. Expansion in the Georgian era gave rise to streets such as Queen Charlotte Street, named after Charlotte ,
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2464-508: The civil affairs of the navy. Domett was rapidly promoted during the next eight years but was unable to rejoin the fleet at sea, his health remaining too weak for the strain of such service. Instead, Domett joined the Board of Admiralty in May 1808 and continued to serve in an administrative capacity, his frequent bouts of ill-health making service of any kind difficult. He became First Naval Lord in
2541-464: The close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1816 there were 190 admirals in service. Thereafter the number of admirals was reduced and in 1853 there were 79 admirals. Although admirals were promoted according to strict seniority, appointments to command were made at the discretion of the Board of Admiralty . As there were invariably more admirals in service than there were postings, many admirals remained unemployed, especially in peacetime. The organisation of
2618-478: The closing stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Later in life, ill-health forced early retirement and Domett retired to his country estate in Hawkchurch , Devon , close to Lord Bridport's estates. Little is known of Domett's birth or upbring, although it is thought he was born in the Hawkchurch , Devon region in 1752. The first solid record of him available was in 1769, when he joined the Navy and appears on
2695-469: The concept of yellow admirals (formally known as granting an officer the position of "Rear-Admiral without distinction of squadron"), being captains promoted to flag rank on the understanding that they would immediately retire on half-pay . This was the navy's first attempt at superannuating older officers. During the Interregnum , the rank of admiral was replaced by that of general at sea . In
2772-455: The consort of George III . Historically, due its Catholic connections (and French garrison), Leith was one of the last towns to have Catholic sympathies post-Reformation. Although the preceptory (small monastery) of St Anthony's was destroyed soon after 1560 the other churches were quickly adapted to Protestant use. There was also an Episcopalian meeting house near Kapple's Wynd (later renamed Cables Wynd) from 1688, somewhat inexplicably called
2849-557: The contemporary perception of their greater flexibility. In the mid-19th century the railways came. Leith had one horse-drawn line pre-dating steam-trains, bringing coal from Dalkeith to a station at the north end of Constitution Street, to serve the glassworks there. This dated from the late 18th century. Steam trains arrived in the 1840s, being some of the earliest lines in Britain. When the railways were at their height, Leith had four passenger stations and many goods stations. However, in
2926-499: The death of James Hawkins-Whitshed resulted in ten men moving up to higher ranks. In 1996, the rank of admiral of the fleet was put in abeyance in peacetime, except for members of the Royal family but was resurrected on an honorary basis in 2014 for the appointment of Lord Boyce . Admirals of the fleet continue to hold their rank on the active list for life. The current ranks are rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral and admiral of
3003-803: The end of that century. Similarly, although some royal vessels are attested under King John , the English long depended upon levies of their subjects' vessels for any major naval expeditions. Nonetheless, historians have sometimes extended the concept of an English navy and its supposed admirals and lord high admirals back as far as Alfred the Great , counting several kings as themselves admirals, along with various dukes and earls who commanded fleets at prominent engagements such as Hubert de Burgh off Sandwich in 1217 . Other lists begin their count at King Henry III 's appointment of Sir Richard de Lucy on 28 August 1223 or 29 August 1224. A similar commission
3080-545: The expedition to Copenhagen . At the Battle of Copenhagen , Domett disagreed with Parker's tactical plan and persuaded him to change it, resulting in the attack by Nelson at which the Danish fleet was destroyed. Parker did not credit Domett in the dispatch to the Admiralty and Domett was furious, writing an angry letter to Lord Bridport on the matter. When Nelson replaced Parker, he retained Domett again and when he in turn
3157-519: The fleet his deputy, the vice admiral , would be in the leading portion or van . Below him was another admiral at the rear of the fleet, called rear admiral . Promotion up the ladder was in accordance with seniority in the rank of post-captain , and rank was held for life, so the only way to be promoted was for the person above on the list to die or resign. In 1747 the Admiralty restored an element of merit selection to this process by introducing
William Domett - Misplaced Pages Continue
3234-596: The fleet into coloured squadrons was finally abandoned in 1864. The Red Ensign was allocated to the Merchant Navy , the White Ensign became the flag of the Royal Navy, and the Blue Ensign was allocated to the naval reserve and naval auxiliary vessels. The 18th- and 19th-century Royal Navy also maintained a positional rank known as port admiral . A port admiral was typically a veteran captain who served as
3311-417: The fleet, also known as flag ranks because admirals, known as flag officers , are entitled to fly a personal flag . An admiral of the fleet flies a Union Flag at the masthead, while an admiral flies a St George's cross (red cross on white). Vice admirals and rear admirals fly a St George's cross with one or two red discs in the hoist, respectively. The rank of admiral itself is shown in its sleeve lace by
3388-604: The home of the Royal Yacht Britannia , the Ocean Terminal shopping centre , and administrative offices for several departments of the Scottish Government . The council and government's 'Leith Project' provided a further economic boost. The shore area of Leith, once unattractive, is now a centre for a range of new pubs and restaurants in charming surroundings. On 6 November 2003, Leith was
3465-548: The late 20th century. Amongst the finds were medieval wharf edges from the 12th century. This date fits with the earliest documentary evidence of settlement in Leith, the foundation charter of Holyrood Abbey. Mary of Guelders , the bride of James II , arrived on 18 May 1449 and rested in the Convent of St Anthony. Prominent Leith merchants and shipowners included James Makysone, who supplied tapestry to James IV in 1498 for his new lodging at Stirling Castle and in 1503 imported
3542-514: The local church. Admiral (Royal Navy) Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy , which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9 , outranked only by the rank of admiral of the fleet . Royal Navy officers holding the ranks of rear admiral , vice admiral and admiral of the fleet are sometimes considered generically to be admirals. The rank of admiral is currently the highest rank to which
3619-618: The location for the MTV Europe Music Awards , with a temporary venue being built next to Ocean Terminal. Leith was Scotland's leader in several industries for many centuries. Of these the most notable are: After decades of industrial decline, deindustrialisation , slum clearance and resultant depopulation in the post-war era, Leith gradually began to enjoy an upturn in fortunes in the late 1980s. Several old industrial sites were developed with modest, affordable housing, while small industrial business units were constructed at Swanfield, Bonnington, Seafield and off Lindsay Road. The Shore developed
3696-416: The merger. Until 1923 there was no through tram service between Leith and Edinburgh; at the boundary in Leith Walk it was necessary to change from a Leith tram (electrically powered) to an Edinburgh tram (cable hauled) until the electrification of the Edinburgh Corporation Tramways in the early 1920s. Leith has undergone significant regeneration and is now a busy port with visits from cruise liners and
3773-490: The mid-18th century. By 1863 this had become a horse-drawn omnibus running every 5 minutes from 9 am to 10 pm. This was put on tracks sometime around 1880 effectively then becoming a horse-drawn tram. Leith was the first town in Scotland to electrify its tram system (1905). Leith Corporation Tramways were merged into Edinburgh Corporation Tramways as part of the 1920 merger of the two burgh councils. Tram services ran until 1956 and were then replaced by buses due to
3850-423: The morning when the tide beached the ships. The Scottish authorities requested the fighting stop. The ships were allowed into Leith harbour where artillery from Edinburgh Castle was placed to ensure order. Leith suffered during the 1645 plague outbreak, with over 50% of the population in the southern district dying. Archaeological excavations in 2016 at St Mary's RC Primary School, by Wardell Armstrong, as part of
3927-408: The muster books of HMS Quebec , under the patronage of Captain Alexander Hood . Domett spent the next five and a half years in the Mediterranean Sea , leaving Quebec in 1772 and joining HMS Scorpion . In 1775, Domett was briefly attached to HMS Marlborough before joining HMS Surprize on the Newfoundland Station at the start of the American Revolutionary War . At
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#17327717230074004-404: The north-east served as officers' quarters, and was known as "London Row" because, being brick-built, it looked more like a London terrace than any in Edinburgh. The fort was in active use until 1955, latterly serving for National Service training. Most of the barracks were demolished to build a Council housing scheme centred on Fort House and enclosed by the old fort walls. The council development
4081-411: The official ranks became admiral of the white and so forth, however each admiral's command flags were different and changed over time. The Royal Navy has had vice and rear admirals regularly appointed to the post since at least the 16th century. When in command of the fleet, the admiral would be in either the lead or the middle portion of the fleet. When the admiral commanded from the middle portion of
4158-449: The opening of the first new wet dock, the first of its kind in Scotland. The Fife packet called The Buccleuch was the first to enter the dock, with the civic dignitaries on board, amid discharges of artillery from the fort and His Majesty's warships in Leith Roads. The foundation stone for the second (middle) wet dock was laid on 14 March 1811, which was completed and opened with due ceremony in 1817 by Lord Provost Arbuthnot. The same year
4235-414: The outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Domett was in Surprise when she was at the relief of the Siege of Quebec . As reward for his service in this operations, Admiral John Montagu promoted Domett to lieutenant aboard HMS Romney . Less than a year later, Montagu returned to Britain and brought Domett with him, seconding him to Hood's service. Serving aboard Hood's ship HMS Robust , Domett
4312-417: The permanently moored Royal Yacht Britannia. The Edinburgh Trams light rail line extension, from the city centre to Newhaven opened to passengers in June 2023 providing Leith and the new dock developments with a fast and convenient route for both local commuters and visitors. In 2004 the owner of the docks, Forth Ports , announced plans to eventually close the port and carry out a major redevelopment of
4389-409: The port, and his four bailies were admirals-depute. Emperor Nicholas II of Russia arrived by sea at Leith with his family and suite on Tuesday 22 September 1896. Scottish anarchist Thomas Hastie Bell managed to get in his face to criticise him. Leith was the scene of the dockers strike in 1913 recounted in the book Red Scotland . Continued growth meant that Leith and Edinburgh formed
4466-436: The principal parish kirk for Leith was South Leith Parish Church, originally constructed in 1483. In June 1811 a census gave the population of South Leith as 15,938; North Leith 4,875. With a procession and ceremony, the foundation stone of the new church for the parish of North Leith was laid on 11 April 1814. Leith was the port of entry for the visit of King George IV to Scotland , and The Old Ship Hotel and King's Landing
4543-439: The section of the line towards Leith and Newhaven was delayed. It opened just after midday on 7 June 2023 with Leith stops at Balfour Street (Leith Walk), Foot of the Walk (Constitution Street), The Shore (Constitution Street), Port of Leith and Ocean Terminal . Leith has a long history of pioneering social advances, some of which were the first of their kind in Scotland: All boys were educated for free from 1555 onwards. This
4620-556: The seven years he spent in command being a record in the Channel Fleet at the time. When Lord St Vincent took command of the Channel Fleet, Domett was initially sceptical of his new commander, but the two soon developed a close working partnership and Domett even retained the flag captaincy over the claims of Sir Thomas Troubridge . When St Vincent stepped down a year later, his replacement Admiral Hyde Parker initially transferred Domett to HMS Belleisle but later changed his mind and made Domett his flag captain on HMS London for
4697-471: The shore commander of a British naval port and was in charge of supplying, refitting, and maintaining the ships docked at harbour. The problem of promoting strictly by seniority was well illustrated by the case of Provo Wallis who served (including time being carried on the books while still a child) for 96 years. When he died in 1892 four admirals under him could immediately be promoted. By request of Queen Victoria , John Edmund Commerell became Admiral of
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#17327717230074774-480: The siege in April 1560 and are listed as scheduled monuments, but may be natural hillocks. The best documented day of the siege was 7 May 1560, when the English and Scots charged the walls of Leith with ladders that turned out to be too short. John Knox records the delight of Mary of Guise at the failure of the attack, and English sources report 1000 casualties. On 19 August 1561, Mary, Queen of Scots, arrived in Leith and, finding no welcoming party to receive her, made
4851-402: Was an award-winning scheme in its day (1955), but the building was demolished in January 2013 and the site has been redeveloped with new low-density housing, again award-winning. A pair of the old fort's gatehouses survive at the southern entrance to the scheme. From the twelfth century South Leith was part of the parish of Restalrig and had no church of its own. After the Scottish Reformation
4928-398: Was back in Britain as Hood's captain on HMS London during the Spanish armament. When this emergency died down, Domett took command of HMS Pegasus and then later he took command of HMS Romney , a ship he had served aboard as a lieutenant, before returning to Hood's service as captain of HMS Royal George in 1803 at the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars . Royal George
5005-524: Was chosen as part of a design-and-build competition against other sites at Haymarket and Marionville. It was completed in 1994. The hoped-for influx of well-paid civil service jobs failed to have much local impact as most commute to the office, and only a small percentage venture beyond the confines of the office during lunchtimes. It did further foster Leith's growing reputation as a white-collar , small business location. Further large-scale service and tourist development followed, including Ocean Terminal and
5082-415: Was conflict between privateer " Dunkirker ships " flying the Spanish flag and ships from the Dutch Republic . King James allowed a Dunkirker to lie at Leith Roads in June 1622, and soldiers from the ship were able to come ashore at Leith. Three Dutch ships, commanded by Willem de Zoete , Lord of Hautain, Admiral of Zeeland , arrived and attacked the Dunkirker through the night. The fighting stopped in
5159-403: Was erected in 1656 to regulate the port traffic. All that remains of the fort today is a vaulted trance in Dock Street which was its main entrance. New industry in Leith included the Leith Sugar House , founded in 1677. During the American War of Independence the Scot, John Paul Jones , who, with John Barry , is credited as founder of the US Navy , set sail on 14 August 1779 as commodore of
5236-430: Was forced to shut herself in Edinburgh Castle . In June 1560, Mary of Guise died, and the Siege of Leith ended with the departure of the French troops in accordance with the Treaty of Leith, also known as the Treaty of Edinburgh . Two mounds on Leith Links , known as "Giant's Brae" and "Lady Fyfe's Brae", identified as Somerset's Battery and Pelham's Battery respectively, are believed to be artillery mounds created for
5313-403: Was given to Sir Thomas Moulton in 1264, who held the formal title of Keeper of the Sea and the Sea Ports. On 8 March 1287, Sir William de Leybourne was specifically commissioned as the Admiral of the Seas of England ( Latin : Admirallus Maris Angliae ) and, in 1294, captain of all sailors and mariners of the king's dominions. Sir John de Botetourt served under him as warden at sea from
5390-431: Was in action at the First Battle of Ushant in 1778. He held the rank of lieutenant from 27 December 1778. Three years later, Domett was still aboard Robust , and in her took part in the Battle of Cape Henry . A few months later, Domett had moved to HMS Invincible , under Captain Charles Saxton , and was engaged at the Battle of the Chesapeake . Following this action, Domett was again taken from his side to be
5467-418: Was made a post captain . As a captain, Domett was immediately requested by Alexander Hood to be his flag captain in HMS Queen . On board this ship Domett saw out the war, joining Lord Howe's fleet which relieved the Great Siege of Gibraltar and later fought at the Battle of Cape Spartel . The end of the war saw Domett, with many other officers, unemployed and on half-pay. Domett's close ties with
5544-424: Was only used as a rank at sea for a captain in charge of one or more fleets. In Elizabethan times the fleet grew large enough to be organised into squadrons . The squadron's admiral flew a red ensign , the vice admirals white , and the rear admirals blue on the aft mast of his ship. As the squadrons grew, each was eventually commanded by an admiral (with vice admirals and rear admirals commanding sections) and
5621-405: Was paid for by the local trade guilds. All girls were educated from 1820, a long time after the boys, but a very early example of free education for females (only required by law from 1876). A free hospital service was provided from 1777, paid for by a local tax, with beds sponsored by local shops. Leith had electric street lighting from 1890 and electric trams from 1905 (only Blackpool was earlier in
5698-525: Was provided with no municipal government whatever or any local magistrates . An act of Parliament, the Leith Municipal Government Act 1827 ( 7 & 8 Geo. 4 . c. cxii) arranged for municipal government and administration of justice in the town, providing watching, paving, cleansing, and lighting, with Edinburgh Council responding to the views of Leith townspeople. The Burgh Reform Act 1833 ( 3 & 4 Will. 4 . c. 46) made Leith
5775-478: Was replaced by Admiral William Cornwallis , Domett was again flag captain, aboard HMS Ville de Paris . The Peace of Amiens saw Domett briefly on the Irish station before rejoining Cornwallis at the outbreak of hostilities. On 23 April 1804, Domett was made a rear-admiral but refused a seagoing commission due to a sudden deterioration of his health. Instead, he served as one of the commissioners for revising
5852-641: Was second flagship of the Channel Fleet , and Lord Howe its overall commander. In 1794, Lord Howe embarked on the Atlantic campaign of May 1794 , which ended in the Glorious First of June , at which Domett and Royal George were heavily engaged and the ship badly damaged. Domett remained in command when Hood became Viscount Bridport and served under him again the following year at the Battle of Groix . Domett did not leave Royal George until 1800,
5929-666: Was then given its new name, to mark the king's arrival by ship's boat at Leith Shore for this event, and this monarch was welcomed by the High Constabulary of the Port of Leith . A painting of the occasion hung in Leith Town Hall , now Leith Police station. On 20 May 1806, there was a procession of the Lord Provost of Edinburgh , Baillies , and Council, along with a numerous company of ladies and gentleman, for
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