Sir Roger Roland Charles Backhouse
(1878-1939), Admiral of the fleetSitter in 6 portraits
Sir Roger Roland Charles Backhouse
by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1932
NPG x88128
Sir Roger Roland Charles Backhouse
by Bassano Ltd
bromide print, 5 January 1938
NPG x84375
Sir Roger Roland Charles Backhouse
by Bassano Ltd
half-plate glass negative, 5 January 1938
NPG x155163
Sir Roger Roland Charles Backhouse
by Bassano Ltd
half-plate glass negative, 5 January 1938
NPG x155164
Sir Roger Roland Charles Backhouse
by Bassano Ltd
half-plate glass negative, 5 January 1938
NPG x155165
Sir Roger Roland Charles Backhouse
by Bassano Ltd
half-plate glass negative, 5 January 1938
NPG x155166
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Biggs and Curtis families
04 May 2021, 08:51
Sir Roger Backhouse
A Brilliant Naval Officer (quoted from his obituary in The Times Newspaper)
Roger Roland Charles Backhouse was born on 24th November, 1878, the fourth son (twin with his brother Miles) of Sir Jonathan Backhouse (1st bart.) and Florence (nee Salusbury-Trelawny). The family had been Quaker bankers in Darlington in the past. His childhood was spent at the Rookery, Middleton Tyas, Yorkshire, (prep school St. George's, Ascot, then a boys' school) before joining the Navy in 1892 (cadet on the training ship, Britannia).
A gunnery officer, he served on many ships (H.M.S. Repulse, Comus, Revenge, Russell, Queen, Dreadnought, Conquest, Lion, Malaya and had several postings to the Whale Island Gunnery School and the Admiralty. During the first World War he served for a time under Jellicoe in H.M.S. Iron Duke). As Vice-Admiral he was 2 I/C Mediterranean Fleet, based in Malta and then C in C, Home Fleet, based in Portsmouth. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was First Sea Lord for about 7 months in 1938/9, at a time when the fleet was being readied for war, before retiring because of ill health, possibly caused by being injured in a flying accident. From July 38 to April 39, he was First and Principal Aide-de-Camp to King George VI, who approved the exceptional measure of his promotion to Admiral of the Fleet on the retired list. He died in May 1939, at the age of 60.
He married Dora Louisa, daughter of J.R. Findlay (proprietor of The Scotsman newspaper) in 1907 and had 2 sons and 4 daughters.
An extract from a letter to The Times from a Captain R.N. "I have never met in any walk of life a man of greater essential simplicity of nature, a more just judge of men, or a man of more entire honesty, who hated humbug. His kindliness and inner sense of humour were allied to a shy courtesy that was a pattern for us all."
Decorations: C.B. (Civil) 1914, C.M.G, 1917, C.B. (Military) 1928, K.C.B. 1933, G.C.B 1938, and at the time of the coronation of King George VI G.C.V.O.