Edward Bridges Rice, Sir. [3]
[Edward Bridges Rice's entry, spanning five pages, is transcribed here in full.]
Portrait of Sir Edward Bridges Rice.

Born October 30th 1819.
Entered the Royal Navy on August 3rd 1832.
From his own account, it was to the 'Service College' that he went in 1832, from the Royal Naval College where he was educated, going first to sea in 1834.
Passed his examination on November 23rd 1839.
Served as Mate on the Mediterranean, East India and Home Stations, in the 'Cyclops' steamer, 'Dido' of 18 guns (in which he took part in operations in the Yangtse during the First China War of 1842) 'Pelican' of 16 guns and 'St. Vincent' of 120 guns.
Obtained his commission as Lieutenant on August 5th 1844.
Appointed, for about a year, in February 1845, to the 'Rodney' of 92 guns – attached to an experimental squadron.
On October 14th 1846 he was appointed to the 'Thetis' of 46 guns, fitting out at Portsmouth. On December 30th 1846, to the 'Vanguard' of 80 guns, in the Mediterranean.
Promoted Commander, April 7th 1850.
Commanded Naval attachment ashore at the capture of Prome, in the second Burmese War of 1852 – receiving the medal and the thanks of the Governor-General in Council. (The combined Naval and Military operation of which his great-uncle, Rear-Admiral Charles John Austen C.B. was Commander-in-Chief; and during which his younger brother, commander George William Rice, received wounds from which he subsequently died.)
In 1854 he was in command of the 'Prometheus' in operations against pirates on the Riff coast, during which the English brig 'Cuthbert Young' was re-captured. Parliament voted the sum of £1,000 to the officers and men for this service.
Promoted Captain on February 24th 1855.
Served as Flag-Captain in the 'Leander' of 39 guns at Sebastopol, from January 1856 until the evacuation of the Crimea; receiving the Crimea War medal with bar 'Sebastopol' and the Turkish medal for the Crimea. During this period in the Black Sea he was Flag-Captain to Sir Charles Fremantle.
Aide-de-camp to H.M. Queen Victoria, 1869 to 1873, during which time he was Captain of the 'Royal Albert' of 107 guns – and Flag Commander once again to Sir Charles Fremantle, now in command in the Channel.
Promoted Rear-Admiral on February 12th 1873.
Admiral Superintendent of H.M. Dockyard, Malta, from December 1875 until March 1878.
Promoted Vice-Admiral on March 9th 1878.
Commander-in-Chief at the Nore, 1882 to 1884.
Promoted Admiral on October 27th 1884.
Retired from the Royal Navy on October 30th 1884.
He was nominated a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) in 1881, and a Knight Commander of the Order (K.C.B.) in 1887.
Fifty-two years of his life were spent in the Royal Navy, during which time he was never once on sick-leave; never wounded, though he served in four campaigns; seldom, if ever, unemployed, never held a Civil appointment, and was never on half-pay.

He married, on February 18th 1864, Cecilia Caroline, second daughter of the Rev. Sir William Vernon-Harcourt, Canon of York – by whom he had one son, Henry Edward Harcourt Rice, father of the present owner of Dane Court.

On the death of his mother, Elizabeth Rice, in 1884, he entered into possession of Dane Court – but he did not take up residence there for several years. He lived at Elvington Court, about two miles away; interesting himself in transforming Dane Court from a charming, friendly, old-fashioned white-washed home into a modernized red-brick building, removing all creepers from the walls and tidying everything up with Naval precision. Fortunately the interior of the house remained untouched.

He was at some time a Justice of the Peace for Kent and Hampshire.

'I knew him well in his retirement, both at Elvington and at Dane Court. He was the most endearing of Uncles and the most gentle and modest of men. He never alluded much to his career, though he was fond of talking and was a delightful companion. He was most equable in temper, I never saw him put out, or heard him utter a hasty or an unkind word. He and his wife sat, for the most part, in what had been 'grandmama's sitting-room', in large arm chairs on either side of a blazing fire – and where the welcome was almost as warm as the fire was hot!'
– His niece, Miss Marcia Rice.

Sir Edward Bridges Rice died at Dane Court eighteen years after his retirement, on October 9th 1902 – and was buried in Tilmanstone Churchyard. (Epitaph page 229)
Edward Bridges Rice

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