Edward Southwell Sotheby

Sir Edward Southwell Sotheby
Born	1813-05-14 Clifton, Bristol, England
Died	1902-01-06
Occupation	Royal Navy officer
Years active	1826–1870
Known for	Service in the Royal Navy, Indian Rebellion involvement, naval commands including HMS Pearl and HMS Conqueror

Admiral Sir Edward Southwell Sotheby (14 May 1813 – 6 January 1902) was a distinguished officer in the English Royal Navy.

Early life and education

Sotheby was born in Clifton, Bristol as the second son of Admiral of the Blue Thomas Sotheby (1758–1831) and Lady Mary Anne, daughter of Joseph Bourke, 3rd Earl of Mayo. He hailed from the southern branch of the notable Sotheby family of Yorkshire, renowned for their achievements in auctioneering. His family connections included his uncle, the poet William Sotheby, and his cousin, Rear-Admiral Charles Sotheby. Educated at the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth, he entered the Royal Navy on 3 August 1826 at the age of thirteen.

Career

After successfully passing the Royal Navy examination in 1832, Sotheby was promoted to lieutenant on 3 October 1835. He participated aboard during the 1840 Syrian campaign amid the Egyptian–Ottoman War, which led to his advancement to commander on 30 October 1841.

In 1842, he served on Dido during the First Opium War, when Britain engaged in "gunboat diplomacy" against China. Between 1846 and 1847, he commanded during the New Zealand Wars. By 1850, as commander of , he concentrated efforts on combating the slave trade along Africa’s west coast. His promotion to captain came in September 1852.

From 1855 until 1858, Sotheby captained , a screw corvette armed with 21 guns, operating across the Pacific, China, and India. While en route to India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Pearl rescued HMS Transit’s crew near Sumatra. Sotheby led the Pearl's Naval Brigade ashore for a ten-month period and earned official commendations from Parliament, the Governor-General of India, Admiralty authorities, and military leaders for his significant contributions to quelling the rebellion.

In 1860, he took command of , a first-rate screw-propelled battleship equipped with 101 guns. Serving primarily in the English Channel until late 1861, Conqueror was sent to assist during the Second French intervention in Mexico. On 29 December 1861, it ran aground on reefs close to Rum Cay, Bahamas, due to navigational mistakes made by the ship’s master. During his court-martial, Sotheby contended that navigation fell under the master's duties; this view was initially upheld. Nonetheless, Admiral Sir Alexander Milne contested this stance, holding Sotheby accountable for insufficient oversight. Consequently, on 20 March 1862, Admiralty regulations were amended to place ultimate responsibility for ship safety on captains. Following this incident, Sotheby did not receive further sea commands; his last appointment was leading the Portland coastguard division in 1863.

He rose through flag officer ranks: rear-admiral on 1 September 1867, vice-admiral on 25 August 1873, and admiral in June 1879 before retiring on 1 April 1870.

After leaving active service, Sir Edward devoted himself to charitable endeavors supporting the blind. He chaired the Blind Institute in Tottenham and was appointed commissioner to investigate blind welfare issues in 1886.

Honours

Sotheby and his brigade were acknowledged with thirteen mentioned in dispatches citations for their role in suppressing the Indian rebellion. He was named a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) and served as an extra aide de camp to Queen Victoria from 1858 to 1867. In recognition of his service, he was elevated to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) during the 1875 Birthday Honours.

Personal life

Sotheby entered into marriage with Lucy Elizabeth Adeane, who was the daughter of Henry John Adeane and the granddaughter of Lord Stanley of Alderley. Together, they had three sons: William Edward Southwell Sotheby, Alfred Frederick Sotheby, and Herbert George Sotheby.

Sir Edward passed away at the age of 88 at his residence located at 26 Green Street in Mayfair.