George Augustus Giffard

Born at Southampton on 20 February 1849, George Augustus Giffard was the elder son of Captain Henry Wells Giffard of the Royal Navy, who lost a leg during the Crimean War and subsequently died of gangrene; his grandfather Admiral John Giffard (1766-1855) had served during the Napoleonic wars. George entered the Royal Navy as a cadet in June 1862 and had a varied round of service over the following 50 years, including an expedition to the Arctic in 1875-76 under Sir George Nares, for which he received the Arctic medal. In 1884, after his promotion to Commander, he married Eleanor, the youngest daughter of Colonel Bruce Brine. The couple had three sons and one daughter.

Giffard reached the rank of Captain in 1890, Rear-Admiral in 1903, Vice-Admiral in 1907 and Admiral in 1911. He was placed on the Retired List at his own request in 1913.

Admiral George Augustus Giffard was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 1921. He died on 23 September 1925 at Bishop’s Waltham in Hampshire, aged 76, and was buried in the churchyard of St Peter’s in Bishop’s Waltham. His estate was valued at £12,326.

Photographed by the Southwell Brothers of London.