Baron Hawke

Baron Hawke, "of Towton" in the County of York, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain.

It was created on 20 May 1776 for Admiral Sir Edward Hawke (of Scarthingwell Hall in the parish of Towton), responsible for a blockade of all French merchant shipping and the grounding of six French ships, and scattering of the rest, at the Battle of Quiberon Bay.

The year, 1759, was dubbed for Britain its Annus Mirabilis, or 'miracle year', as France could not follow up on clear victory in the Battle of Sainte-Foy just before the Siege of Quebec for want of reinforcements and supplies from France, and its crippled trade triggered a credit crunch.

[1] His son, the second Baron, represented Saltash in the House of Commons for the six years until his father died.

On his death the title passed to his younger brother, the eighth Baron.

The coat of arms of the Barons Hawke, as used in the family memorial of 1781.
Monument to Admiral Lord Hawke, St Nicolas church, North Stoneham, showing the arms of Hawke ( Argent, a chevron erminois between three boatswain 's whistles purple ), with inescutcheon of pretence of Brooke, for his heiress wife