The story of his entry into the navy is recounted by Edmund Lodge (1756–1839) (a personal acquaintance of Lord Bridport) in his Portraits of Illustrious Personages of Great Britain: To the breaking down of a carriage our naval history owes two of its most illustrious ornaments, and the offspring of a retired country clergyman two seats in the upper House of Parliament.

The mischance occurred to Thomas Smith, afterwards a Vice-Admiral, a commander whose memory is still highly celebrated and cherished by the profession, in travelling through Mr.

Hood's village of Butleigh, which afforded neither the means of repairing the damage, so as to enable the stranger for many hours to pursue his journey, nor any public place of accommodation in which he might pass the night.

[9] In the Seven Years' War Hood fought at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759, and in 1761 Minerva recaptured after a long struggle, the 60-gun Warwick of equal force, which had been captured by the French in 1756.

Promoted vice-admiral in 1787,[9] he was appointed a Knight of the Bath in the following year, and on the occasion of the Spanish Armament in 1790 flew his flag again for a short time.

For his exploits in this battle he was elevated to the Irish peerage as Baron Bridport[9] and received the large Naval Gold Medal and chain.

In 1796 and 1797 he directed the war from HMS London, rarely hoisting his flag afloat save at such critical times as that of the Irish expedition in 1797.

He succeeded at first in pacifying the crew of his flagship, who had no personal grudge against their admiral, but a few days later the mutiny broke out afresh, and this time was uncontrollable.

[20] It is inscribed as follows: For His Bravery, for his Abilities For his Achievements in his Profession For his Attachment to his King, and his Country, Consult the annals of the British Navy, Where they are written in Indelible Characters.

He was a sincere and pious Christian, A faithful and Affectionate Husband, A Warm and Steady Friend to Merit Benevolent to the Brave and Virtuous in Distress: Kind to his Domestics and Dependents, The Patron of unprotected Youth, The Poor Man's Benefactor, the Seamens' Friend, Beloved, Revered, and Deplored by AllLaurence Olivier portrayed Hood in the 1984 film The Bounty.