Admiral of the Fleet William Peere Williams-Freeman (born William Peere Williams; 6 January 1742 – 11 February 1832) was a Royal Navy officer. He saw action aboard as a junior officer at the Battle of Quiberon Bay during the Seven Years' War. He also took part, as captain of the fifth-rate HMS Venus, in the Battle of Rhode Island and then, as captain of the fifth-rate HMS Flora, in the second relief of Gibraltar during the American War of Independence. Many years after his retirement from the Navy, Williams-Freeman became Admiral of the Fleet for a brief period before his death at the age of 90.
Contents
Family and early life
Williams was born in Peterborough on 6 January 1742, the son of Frederick Williams, prebendary of Peterborough, and his wife Mary Williams (née Clavering). His paternal grandfather was William Peere Williams, while his maternal grandfather was Robert Clavering, bishop of Peterborough, and his maternal grandmother was Mary Freeman, sister of John Cook Freeman of Fawley Court, Buckinghamshire. William Williams was educated at Eton College, and was entered on the books of the 100-gun first-rate HMS Royal Sovereign, the guardship at Spithead, in June 1757. He appears to have first gone to sea in August 1759 aboard the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Magnanime under Lord Howe. Williams saw action aboard her at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759 during the Seven Years' War.