Mediterranean, with his flag in the second-rate HMS Boyne, to ensure the treaty was being observed in September 1698; he then retired from active service in October 1699. In around 1700 he acquired Wallett's Court Manor at Westcliffe in Kent as a property in which he would live in retirement. He also had a property at No. 12 Great Piazza in Covent Garden. Following the death of Prince George (Queen Anne's consort), which brought Russell back to the Admiralty, Aylmer was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet and Commander-in-Chief of the Navy on 12 November 1709. He lost his Dover seat at the 1710 British general election which produced a landslide victory for the Tory party in the wake of the prosecution of Henry Sacheverell which Aylmer had supported. In July 1710, when Aylmer met a French squadron and convoy, he was only able to capture one merchantman and the 56-gun Superbe: the new Harley Ministry used this failure as an excuse to remove him as Commander-in-Chief and did so in January 1711. Following the accession of George I in August 1714, which led to the appointment of the Townshend Ministry in September 1714, Russell was back at the Admiralty again and Aylmer was reappointed Commander-in-Chief on 5 November 1714. Alymer was also appointed Governor of Greenwich Hospital on the same date: in this post he started to fund education for the sons of seamen from entry charges to the Painted Hall, pensioners' fines and proceeds from the sale of stores. The same day he was also appointed Ranger of Greenwich Park. Alymer recovered his seat in Parliament at Dover at the 1715 British general election which saw the Whigs win an overwhelming majority in the House of Commons. He went on to join the Board of Admiralty led by the Earl of Berkeley, as Senior Naval Lord, in April 1717. He resigned his appointments as a member of the Admiralty Board and as Commander-in-Chief in March 1718 and was rewarded by being appointed Rear-Admiral of Great Britain and also being created Lord Aylmer of Balrath in the Peerage of Ireland on 1 May 1718. Aylmer died at Queen's House in Greenwich on 18 August 1720 and was buried at St Alfege's Church in Greenwich. Family In circa 1680 Aylmer married Sarah, daughter of Edward Ellis; they had a son and two daughters. References Sources Further reading External links Matthew