George William Preedy obituary

Royal Navy obituary in the Times newspaper

The following obituary for George William Preedy appeared in the Times newspaper.

*Obituary in the Times* newspaper**
Date	Obituary
6 June 1894	Vice-Admiral George William Preedy, C.B., who died on the 30th ult. at Park House, Budleigh Salterton, was a son of the late Sir. Robert Preedy, of Hampton, Worcestershire, and was born in 1817. He entered the Navy at the age of 11, and served in the West Indies for six years. During that period he was continually engaged in the suppression of the slave trade, and was on board the Nimble in her engagement with the slave schooner Joaquina. He was promoted in 1853 to the rank of commander, and in that capacity sailed in the Duke of Wellington, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Napier, to the Baltic at the beginning of the war with Russia. He was landed to participate in the operations for the capture of Bomarsond, and at the attack on Sveaborg, in August, 1855, commanded a division, consisting of the Starling and four other gunboats, which bombarded the western batteries. His conduct procured him mention in despatches and immediate promotion to the rank of captain. After the war he commanded the Agamemnon, which, in 1857-58, was concerned in laying down the first Transatlantic cable, and for this work he was made a C.B. (civil) and was presented with the gold Telegraph medal. He obtained in 1867 a captain's good service pension, and in 1869 the C.B. (military). His name was put upon the retired list in 1870, and he became a rear-admiral in 1874 and a vice-admiral in 1879.