Sir Alan Hotham | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Hotham pictured in 1922 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Alan Geoffrey Hotham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1876-10-03)3 October 1876 Edinburgh,Midlothian, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 10 July 1965(1965-07-10) (aged 88) Victoria,London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buried | Lennel Kirk 55°39′50″N2°13′41″W / 55.6638°N 2.2280°W /55.6638; -2.2280 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service |  Royal Navy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1890–1929 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Admiral | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commands | HMS Aurora HMS Comus New Zealand Division Director of Naval Intelligence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battles / wars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards | Order of St Michael and St George Legion of Honour Order of the Rising Sun Order of the Bath | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cricket information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1901 | Hampshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1905 | Devon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:Cricinfo,2 January 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AdmiralSir Alan Geoffrey HothamKCMG CB (3 October 1876 — 10 July 1965) was a Scottish first-classcricketer and an officer in theRoyal Navy. Graduating from theBritannia Royal Naval College in 1892, Hotham served in the Royal Navy until 1929, seeing action in theFirst World War, serving as theDirector of Naval Intelligence, and rising to the rank ofadmiral. He also playedfirst-class cricket forHampshire in 1901, andminor counties cricket forDevon in 1905.
The youngest son of theAdmiral of the FleetSir Charles Hotham,[1] he was born inEdinburgh,Midlothian on 3 October 1876.[2] He joined theRoyal Navy in 1890, studied atHMSBritannia atDartmouth, Devon from 1890 to 1891, was rated midshipman in 1892 and promoted actingsub-lieutenant in 1895, and was confirmed in that rank in October 1896.[3] While based atHMNB Portsmouth, Hotham made a single appearance infirst-class cricket forHampshire againstLancashire atPortsmouth in the1901 County Championship.[4] Batting twice in the match, he was dismissed for 5 runs in Hampshire's first innings bySidney Webb, while in their second innings he was dismissed for 11 runs byArthur Mold.[5] By September 1902, he was alieutenant posted as a gunnery officer to theprotected cruiserHMS Isis,[6] based atHMNB Devonport. There, Hotham playedminor counties cricket forDevon in the 1905Minor Counties Championship, making one appearance againstGlamorgan atExeter.[7] A knee injury would put an end to his playing participation in later years.[8]
Hotham was promoted tocommander in January 1907,[9] with promotion tocaptain following in June 1913.[10] Soon after ascending to the rank, he was placed in command of the newly constructed cruiserHMS Aurora.[2] He was appointed to the ship six weeks before the outbreak of theFirst World War, and in 1915 he was selected to command theC-classlight cruiserHMS Comus, which was part ofAdmiral Jellicoe'sGrand Fleet.[2] Whilst commandingComus, Hotham took part in theBattle of Jutland in May 1916. For his actions in the battle, Hotham wasmentioned in despatches and recommended for a commendation.[11][12] In December 1916, he was appointed assistant director of Naval Equipment, but in October 1917 he was reappointed as Director of theTrade Division at theAdmiralty Naval Staff.[2]
After the conclusion of the war, Hotham was appointed a Companion of theOrder of St Michael and St George in the1919 Birthday Honours.[13] His wartime service was also honoured by France, when he was made an Officer of theLegion of Honour in December 1919,[14] and by theEmpire of Japan, who conferred upon Hotham theOrder of the Rising Sun, 3rd Class.[15] He was appointed Commodore Commanding theNew Zealand Division in May 1920, and First Naval Member of the New Zealand Naval Board.[2] Hotham was made anaide-de-camp toGeorge V in November 1922,[16] while in the1923 Birthday Honours, he was made a Companion of theOrder of the Bath,[17] in recognition of valuable services rendered in organising, recruiting, and training for the New Zealand Division, and as naval adviser to theNew Zealand Government. His appointment in New Zealand expired in July 1923, when he returned to the Admiralty to become director ofNaval Intelligence Division in the autumn of 1923.[2][18] With this appointment, he was promoted torear admiral.[19] He remained in this post until 1927 and retired from active service in 1929.[2] Whilst on the retired list, he was promoted toadmiral in December 1932.[20]
After retiring from the navy, Hotham became a member ofPort of London Authority in 1929 and remained so until 1959.[21] He also served on theWest India Committee from 1928 and was one of its oldest members by the 1960s.[22] Hotham wasGentleman Usher of the Blue Rod between 1934 and 1959;[23][22] in this capacity he was present at theCoronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.[24] He had a keen interest inTest andcounty cricket into his final years, regularly attending matches atLord's.[8] Hotham died on 10 July 1965 atVictoria, London.[2] His funeral service took place at St Mary & All Souls Church inColdstream, Berwickshire,[25] with his burial occurring in the nearby Lennel Kirkyard on the Scottish bank of theRiver Tweed.[26]
| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by New Post | Commodore, New Zealand Squadron and First Naval Member, New Zealand Naval Board 1921–1923 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Director of Naval Intelligence 1924–1927 | Succeeded by |
| Court offices | ||
| Preceded by | Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod 1934–1959 | Succeeded by |
 Directors ofNaval Intelligence | |
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