Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet (c. 1704 – 9 December 1777) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy, seeing service during the War of Jenkins' Ear, the wider War of the Austrian Succession, and the Seven Years' War. He also briefly served under the Imperial Russian Navy during the Russo-Turkish War. He rose to the rank of Admiral in a long and varied career, crowned with both success, and at times, controversy.
He was highly educated, and particularly skilled in building and destroying fortifications. His career was mainly centred on the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea, where he commanded ships and squadrons in actions against both Spanish and French ships and settlements. Despite an active naval career in which he reached the rank of Rear-Admiral, Knowles found time to continue his studies. He translated foreign scientific studies, and developed his own inventions. His career at sea was blighted, however, by several failures. This may have been the catalyst for his move to the Russian Empire during the later part of his life to oversee the development of the Russian fleet. He is noted as the catalyst for the Knowles Riot in British America.
Family and early life
Knowles was probably born c. 1704, though some sources date his birth to as early as 1697. He was reputed to be an illegitimate son of Charles Knowles or Knollys, the titular fourth Earl of Banbury. His education was overseen by his half-brother, Lord Wallingford, and Knowles entered the navy in March 1718, having been recommended to Admiral Sir George Byng by Wallingford. Knowles went aboard one of the ships of Byng's fleet, the 70-gun HMS Buckingham, under Captain Charles Strickland, though he moved in April aboard as a captain's servant. He remained aboard the Lenox until December 1720, serving with Byng's fleet in the Mediterranean. He was present at the Battle of Cape Passaro on 11 August 1718, where he may have temporarily been aboard Byng's flagship .
Knowles was assigned to in June 1721, initially serving as a servant to Captain Lord Vere Beauclerk and, after the first eighteen months as an able seaman. Knowles remained on the Lymes books throughout her commission in the Mediterranean, being discharged in June 1726. This appears to have been a titular posting only, and he probably spent most of his time studying ashore. On his return to Britain, Knowles was appointed to serve aboard the guard ship at Portsmouth, and then Sir Charles Wager's flagship at Kinsale, under the command of Vere Beauclerk. He served aboard and until his promotion on 30 May 1730 as lieutenant of the sloop . He returned to serve aboard the Lion in March the following year, when she went to the West Indies as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Charles Stewart.
West Indies
Having established a reputation as an engineer, after Knowles's return to Britain he was given an advisory and supervisory role in the drawing up of plans for Westminster Bridge. For this project, he travelled to France to study the Pont Neuf in Paris. But the project was assigned for design to another man, and the bridge eventually gave way precisely where Knowles had predicted.
Knowles had been promoted to commander of the 40-gun in 1732, but the position appears to have been for rank only, as he did not become post-captain until 4 February 1737, when he was appointed to command . He was ordered to reinforce Admiral Edward Vernon's West Indies fleet in 1739, as the War of Jenkins' Ear developed. Knowles rendezvoused with the admiral at Port Royal, having captured two Spanish ships en route, one of which was a register ship carrying 120,000 pieces of eight, and clothing for 6,000 men. Knowles was unable to sail with Vernon when he commanded the fleet to Portobelo, but arrived there on 27 November, five days after Vernon's victory in battle. Vernon gave Knowles the task of destroying the Spanish forts. Because of their solid construction, this work took three weeks and 122 barrels of gunpowder. When the task was completed the British withdrew, and Knowles had impressed Vernon with his competent command of land operations.
