Admiral Owen Francis Gillett

Date of Brass:

1938

Place:

Halvergate

County:

Norfolk

Country:

Number:

Style:

Description

December 2025

Owen Francis Gillett was born on 8 February 1863 in Flegg, Norfolk. His father, Rev. Edward Gillett, vicar of Runhall, Norfolk, died when he was six. Owen’s mother was Ellen Elizabeth Francis, daughter and co-heir of Captain George Edward Francis of Martham Grange, Norfolk. She and Edward Gillett had married in 1862, and Owen was the eldest of four children.   

Edward Gillett was the fourth son of Cyrus Gillett of Halvergate Hall. Cyrus' great-great-grandfather John had purchased the Hall in 1705. 

The Francis family were successful farmers in Martham, and both of Owen's younger brothers were also given Francis as their second forename. Their mother's mother, Anne Rising Francis, had married her cousin George Edward Francis on 23 January 1824 in Kensington. and thus retained her natal surname. 

Owen Gillett passed the examination for naval cadetships in late 1875, coming fourth of forty-two candidates. He was promoted Lieutenant in September 1885. Three years later, his dice-based naval wargame was published. Promotion to commander followed in mid 1898, and to Captain in late 1903.

In 1907 he assumed command of HMS Diadem, a cruiser. Early in 1908 he failed to complete a course at the Royal Navy War College, being described as "captious". Nevertheless on 13 May 1908 he was appointed to command the battleship Jupiter, and on 16 February 1909 the cruiser Warrior. After two years (1911-1913) as Commodore-in-Charge, Portland, he was promoted Rear-Admiral on 11 September 1914, a few months into the First World War, while in command of the armed merchant cruiser Armadale Castle. At the end of the same year he was appointed Senior Naval Officer of the important base at Simonstown, South Africa. He was placed on the Retired List at his own request in May 1915, but remained in post until May 1918. He was made a Companion of the Bath (CB) the following month, advanced to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List in February 1919, and to the rank of Admiral in March 1924.

On 16 April 1907 he married Mabelle Alice ("May"), daughter of the late Wentworth Cavenagh-Mainwaring, at St Paul’s church, Valletta, Malta, where he was King’s Harbour Master. He had probably met May in Southsea near Portsmouth, where her parents had moved in 1891 with their five unmarried daughters after returning from Australia. All five married naval officers. Interestingly, none of the five were particularly young when they married, ranging from twenty-five to thirty-seven. May was one of two to marry at the latter age. Owen and May had two children, Michael, born in 1907, and Anne, born in 1911.

Admiral Owen Francis Gillett died on 21 March 1938 and was buried at Halvergate. May died in 1943. They are both commemorated by brass plates, obviously engraved by the same company, Owen’s having an achievement of arms and May’s an oval of impaled arms.

Owen’s grandfather had also pursued a military career, purchasing the rank of Ensign in the 77^th Regiment of Foot on 27 April 1815. The regiment had returned from Spain the previous year. On 16 April 1818 he exchanged to become Ensign in the 6^th Foot, and on 25 July 1834 exchanged again from being on half pay to be Ensign in the 81^st Foot. In the interim he had joined the East Norfolk Militia shortly after it was revived, and was promoted Captain on 3 December 1821.

Copyright: Jon Bayliss (Text & Photographs)