Christopher Mason

1734-1802. He was the son of Christopher Mason of Greenwich and his wife Anne Buckle

He was commissioned lieutenant on 21 November 1762, joining the Somerset 70, Captain John Clark, at the end of the year and after this vessel returned home was appointed to the Flamborough 24, Captain Francis Reynolds, on 2 May 1763, going out to the Mediterranean. His next commission was aboard the Boreas 28, Captain George Vandeput, from 24 October 1766, and thereafter the Newfoundland-bound flagship of Commodore Molyneux Shuldham, the Panther 60, Captain Cornthwaite Ommanney, on 25 February 1772.

Admiral Mason began and ended his life in Greenwich, london

He was appointed senior lieutenant of the Chatham 50 Captain John Raynor, on 26 July 1775, going out to North America with the flag of Rear-Admiral Molyneux Shuldham, and briefly during 1776 he held the temporary command of the sloop Nautilus on that station for Commander John Collins. He was promoted commander of the Tamar 16 on 7 June 1776 and commanded a division of boats during the invasion of Long Island in the New York campaign of July-October, before returning to Dartmouth, Devon in December with Vice-Admiral Lord Howe s despatches..

Having commissioned the Dispatch 14 in February 1777, he sailed under the orders of Captain Richard Onslow of the St. Albans 64 with a convoy for Vice-Admiral Lord Howe s fleet at New York in June, arriving before Onslow after the convoy had separated in unsettled weather near the North American coast. The Dispatch thereafter remained with the fleet, joining the Philadelphia campaign from 25 August.

Mason was posted captain of the Delaware 28 in North American waters by Vice-Admiral Lord Howe on 22 April 1778, and in the summer of 1780 was briefly the senior captain at Halifax. His vessel returned to England to be laid up in March 1781. He commissioned the new Quebec 32 in May, initially serving in the Channel and then taking her out to North American waters in September 1781. Here he captured the American privateer Warrior on 27 August, and in company with the Diomede 44, Captain Thomas Lennox Frederick, and Astraea 32, Captain Matthew Squire, took the South Carolina 40 and brigs Hope and Constance on 21 December off the Delaware. The Quebec was paid off in 1783.

During May 1794 he commissioned the new Zealous 74, serving in home waters. He was promoted rear-admiral on 1 June 1795, retaining the Zealous as his flagship with Commander James Young acting as his flag-captain and serving in the Mediterranean until the autumn before returning home.

He became a director of Greenwich Hospital, was advanced to vice-admiral on 14 February 1799, and died at his residence on Croom s Hill, Greenwich in June 1802.