Sir Henry Kellett | |
|---|---|
 Sir Henry Kellett | |
| Born | (1806-11-02)2 November 1806 Tipperary County, Ireland |
| Died | 1 March 1875(1875-03-01) (aged 68) Tipperary County, Ireland |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1822–1871 |
| Rank | Vice-Admiral |
| Commands | China Station Jamaica Division HMS Resolute HMS Herald HMS Starling |
| Battles / wars | First Opium War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of theOrder of the Bath |
Vice-AdmiralSir Henry Kellett,KCB (2 November 1806 – 1 March 1875) was an Irishnaval officer and explorer.
Born at Clonacody inTipperary County, Ireland, on 2 November 1806,[1] Kellett joined theRoyal Navy in 1822.[2] He spent three years in theWest Indies and then served on survey vessels underWilliam Fitzwilliam Owen in Africa, as second-in-command ofHMS Sulphur underEdward Belcher in theEast Indies,[1] and as captain ofHMS Starling in theFirst Opium War with China during which he was promoted to commander in 1841 and post-captain in 1842.[3]
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In 1845 Kellett was appointed captain of the survey shipHMS Herald as part of ahydrography survey mission, the primary objective of which was to survey the coast of the Americas fromGuayaquil toVancouver, including theGalápagos Islands.[4] He was temporarily reassigned in 1848 to join the search forSir John Franklin. During this voyage he sailed through theBering Strait across theChukchi Sea and discoveredHerald Island. Kellett landed on Herald Island and named it after his ship. He also sightedWrangel Island in the western horizon.William Pullen was on this expedition.
In 1852, he commandedHMS Resolute and went to the aid ofRobert McClure, whose vessel,Investigator, was trapped in the Arctic.[1] His men constructed a storehouse on Dealy Island off the south coast ofMelville Island.[6]
Kellett becameSenior Officer in the West Indies in 1855 and superintendedJamaica Dockyard. He served as Admiral Superintendent of theMalta Dockyard in 1864 andCommander-in-Chief, China Station in 1869. Kellett retired in 1871.[2] His final years were spent at Clonacody, where he died on 1 March 1875.[1]
Several places in Hong Kong have been named after him:Kellett Island,Kellett Bay andMount Kellett.[7][8] Kellett Bluff onHenry Island, Washington, USA, was probably named after Captain Kellett as well. It is a place with extreme currents, views, and is frequented by feeding orcas. Kellet's whelkKelletia kelletii is named after him.[9] On Bank's Island in the Canadian Arctic, Cape Kellett and the Kellett River are named after him.
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| Preceded by | Admiral Superintendent, Malta Dockyard 1864–1868 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander-in-Chief, China Station 1869–1871 | Succeeded by |
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