Allegiance British Died 7 July 1871 Commands held HMS Ocean | Rank Captain Service/branch Royal Navy | |
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Born January 19, 1823
Holme Lacy, England ( 1823-01-19 ) Awards Royal Humane Society Silver Medal Relations Sir Edwyn Francis Scudamore Stanhope, Mary Dowel, Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield | ||
Chandos Scudamore Scudamore Stanhope (also Chandos S. Stanhope; 19 January 1823 – 7 July 1871) was a British Royal Navy officer of the nineteenth century. He is recognized as a national hero, and a unique medal and award was named in his honour.
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Early life
Born in Holme Lacy, England, on 19 January 1823, Stanhope was the second son of Sir Edwyn Francis Scudamore Stanhope and Mary Dowell (died after 1859). He was the grandson of Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield. Stanhope's older brother was Henry Scudamore-Stanhope, 9th Earl of Chesterfield. His other siblings were Berkeley Lionel Scudamore-Stanhope (1824 – post 1861); Edwyn Francis Brydges Scudamore-Stanhope (1826–1855); William Pitt Scudamore-Stanhope (b. 1827); Anna Eliza Scudamore-Stanhope (1829–1830); Arthur Chesterfield Scudamore-Stanhope (1833–1841); and Philip John Scudamore-Stanhope (b. 1839).
Mid-life and career
Stanhope served as a naval officer mate from November 1842 after he passed his officer's exam. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in March 1846. He was also a personal assistant to First Lord of the Admiralty Hugh Childers for nine months.
Stanhope served on the HMS Warspite 50-gun ship with captains Sir John Hay and Sir Provo William Parry Wallis. These ships served the North America, West Indies, and Mediterranean ports. He was appointed in December 1846 to the HMS Queen 110-gun ship of Sir John West at Devonport. Stanhope later served from August 1847 in the Pacific on the HMS Asia 84-gun ship commanded by Rear-Admiral Phipps Hornby. Stanhope became a Captain in October 1858. He commanded the ship HMS Ocean from Rio de Janeiro to Singapore in 1867. The trip started on August 10 and it arrived on October 23, 1867.
Death and legacy
Stanhope died of smallpox in Malta on 7 July 1871. At the time he was in command of the ironclad ship Caledonia. He was recognized as a hero in his lifetime, as he was ready to risk his life to help others. He received a Royal Humane Society Silver Medal in 1851 for a life-saving rescue of a seaman. Soon after his death a group of his friends formed a memorial in his honour and raised a large sum of money. They gave the money to the Royal Humane Society on the terms that any interest the money earned would be for a periodic gold medal to be given for the greatest gallantry of a hero of the previous year. It is called the "Stanhope Medal" or "Stanhope Gold Medal" to honour him.