Admiral of the Fleet, GCB (1895) source: Burke: Irish Landed Gentry 1912 There is a memorial tablet to him in the Crypt of St Paul's Cathedral near Nelson's tomb unveiled 6 March 1915. Career (from Richards of Wexford) 1879-1882 CinC of Cape of Good Hope and West Africa Station. Present at the battle of Gringesowo, the relief of Ekowe (2nd April 1879), and the action of Laing's Nek (28 Jan 1882) Zulu medal and clasp 1882-1885 Junior Lord of the Admiralty 1885-88 C in C East Indies. Served in Burmese war in command of naval forces (Burmese medal & Clasp) 1890-92 C in C China Station 1892-93 Second Naval Lord of the Admiralty 1872--82 ADC to Queen Victoria 1904 Honorary DCL Oxford. Known as "King Dick". Sir Gerard Noel wrote: "The Admiral has done more for the Navy and for his country than any naval man since the days of the great Nelson." Extracts from a monograph said to have been written by Robert Charles Pickering Richards: "An early example of the high estimation in which Sir Frederick's professional qualifications were held by their lordships at the Admiralty came in 1873 when he was appointed Captain of the Devestation, the first sea-going turret-ship which had been designed without auxiliary sail power. There was serious anxiety among the general public concerning the safety of these ships and the Admiralty ordered that an exhaustive series of sea trials should be carried out. This was done by Captain Richards accompanied by Mr William Froude, a scientific adviser of considerable authority. The resulting report was published as a parliamentary paper and set the public mind at rest. In 1888, by which time he had become an Admiral, he was appointed to act with Sir William Dowell and Sir Vesey Hamilton on a committee to report on the naval manoeuvres of that year. Their report contained a most able discussion on the conditions of modern naval warfare and undoubtedly influence the Government which introduced the naval defence act of 1889 soon after. During the long period 1893-1899, when Sir Frederick acted as first naval adviser to the government remarkable progress was made in all branches of naval administration and equipment. To him was due the initiation of the Spencer programme of shipbuilding, together with a scheme for manning the fleet as well as by a programme of naval works such as had never been undertaken previously. Amongst these works may be mentioned the improvement in, and deepening of naval port sand harbours at home and the construction of harbours at Portland, Dover, Gibraltar, Hong-Kong and Simon's Bay. In 1914 Lord Sydenham who had been secretary to the Hartingdon Commission on Naval and Military Administration, on which Sir Frederick had served, wrote this fine tribute when appealing for funds to enable a Charitable Trust to be established in his memory:- "Nearly two years ago in quiet retirement, there passed away from us almost unnoticed one of the really great men of the Victorian age. Younger naval officers of to-day have little idea of all they owe to the silent Admiral, to whom more than anyone was due the creation of the modern navy." " 1881 Census Entry Vessel: "Boadicea" Census Place: Royal Navy, At sea or in a foreign port. Source: FHL Film 1342355 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 5640 Folio 53 Page 29 Marr Age Sex Birthplace Fredk.W. RICHARDS W 47 M Ireland Occ: Commodore 2 Class Augustus L. SCOTT U 24 M Plymouth, Devon, England Occ: Sub Lieutenant John CARLISLE M 38 M Charlton, Kent, England Occ: Secretary Regd.P. COCKRAN U 25 M Scotland Occ: Lieutenant Edwd.E. MAHON U 30 M Aspley Guise, Bedford, England Occ: Surgeon Andw.H. DUNCAN U 25 M Australia Occ: Lieutenant Geo.M. HENDERSON U 29 M Ely, Cambridge, England Occ: Lieutenant

Year of birth is a guesstimate. She was living at Kensington Lodge, Kensington Place, Clifton, Bristol 1860-1866 according to the Bristol Directory.