Background
Edward Hawke was born on February 21, 1705. the only son of Edward Hawke, a barrister at Lincoln's Inn, and Elizabeth Hawke (née Bladen). His uncle on his mother's side was Colonel Martin Bladen a Member of Parliament.
The Battle of Toulon (1744), where Hawke first saw action
The Second Battle of Cape Finisterre (1747) at which Hawke captured six ships of a French squadron: the French ship Intrepid battling against several British ships by Pierre-Julien Gilbert
The Battle of Quiberon Bay where Hawke won his most famous victory. Hawke believed he would have taken the entire French fleet had he two hours more daylight.
Edward, Lord Hawke, Replica of walrus ivory
Edward Hawke was born on February 21, 1705. the only son of Edward Hawke, a barrister at Lincoln's Inn, and Elizabeth Hawke (née Bladen). His uncle on his mother's side was Colonel Martin Bladen a Member of Parliament.
Edward Hawke joined the navy as a volunteer in the sixth-rate HMS Seahorse on the North American Station in February 1720.
Promoted to lieutenant on 2 June 1725, he transferred to the fifth-rate HMS Kingsale on the West Coast of Africa later that month, to the fourth-rate HMS Portland in the Channel Squadron in April 1729 and to the fourth-rate HMS Leopard in November 1729.
After that he moved to the fourth-rate HMS Edinburgh in the Mediterranean Fleet in May 1731, to the sixth-rate HMS Scarborough in January 1732 and to the fourth-rate HMS Kingston, flagship of Commodore Sir Chaloner Ogle, Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station, in December 1732.
In 1747 he was elected member of Parliament for Portsmouth, which he represented for nearly 30 years. By his influence and example, Hawke inspired his officers and raised professional standards to an unprecedented level.
In the wars with France of 1739-1748 and 1756-1763, Hawke rendered distinguished service to the British cause. His victory over a French convoy escort off Finisterre on October 14, 1747, was the most important naval action of the war. The crucial year of the Seven Years' War--"the Great Fifty-nine"--saw the zenith of his career. By his close blockade of the French squadron in Brest, Hawke may be said to have initiated a revolution in naval strategy.
His crowning triumph of Quiberon Bay on November 20, 1759, established him among the foremost fighting admirals of his age. Despite a rising gale, a tremendous sea, and a lee shore bristling with rocks and shoals, Hawke pursued and overtook the enemy under Admiral de Conflans and utterly defeated them. The French main fleet, as well as their whole elaborate organization for the invasion of Britain, was swept away at a single stroke. The conquest of Canada was thereby assured.
On his return to England, Hawke received the thanks of the House of Commons and a yearly pension of £2,000.p2,000.
From 1766 to 1771 he was first lord of the admiralty and in 1776 was raised to the peerage as Baron Hawke of Towton.
In 1737 Hawke married Catherine Brooke. They had three sons and one daughter as well as three children who died in infancy.