# Basil Keith

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{{Short description|British naval officer and Governor of Jamaica}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix = [Captain](/source/Captain_(Royal_Navy))
|name             = Sir Basil Keith
|honorific_suffix = 
|image            = 
|image_upright    = 
|alt              = 
|caption          = 
|nickname         = 
|birth_date       = {{circa}}1734
|birth_place      = 
|death_date       = 15 November 1777
|death_place      = [Jamaica](/source/Jamaica)
|burial_place     = 
|allegiance       = [Kingdom of Great Britain](/source/Kingdom_of_Great_Britain)
|branch           = [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy)
|service_years    = 1747–1777
|rank             = [Captain](/source/post-captain)
|commands         = [HMS ''Medway''](/source/HMS_Medway_(1756))<br/>[HMS ''Badger''](/source/HMS_Badger_(1745))<br/>[HMS ''Dover''](/source/HMS_Dover_(1740))<br/>[HMS ''Amazon''](/source/HMS_Amazon_(1745))<br/>[HMS ''Levant''](/source/HMS_Levant_(1758))<br/>[HMS ''Preston''](/source/HMS_Preston_(1757))<br/>[HMS ''Pearl''](/source/HMS_Pearl_(1762))<br/>[Governor of Jamaica](/source/Governor_of_Jamaica)
|known_for        = 
|battles          = {{Tree list}}
*[War of the Austrian Succession](/source/War_of_the_Austrian_Succession)
**[Second Battle of Cape Finisterre](/source/Second_Battle_of_Cape_Finisterre)
*[Seven Years' War](/source/Seven_Years'_War)
*[American Revolutionary War](/source/American_Revolutionary_War)
{{tree list/end}}
|battles_label    = 
|awards           = [Knight bachelor](/source/Knight_bachelor) (1772)
|memorials        = 
|alma_mater       = 
|spouse           = 
|children         = 
|relations        = [Robert Murray Keith](/source/Robert_Murray_Keith) (father)<br/>[Sir Robert Murray Keith](/source/Robert_Murray_Keith_(the_younger)) (brother)
|signature        = 
|signature_size   = 
|signature_alt    = 
}}
'''Sir Basil Keith''' ({{circa}}1734 – 15 November 1777) was a British naval officer and [Governor of Jamaica](/source/Governor_of_Jamaica).

He was born the second son of diplomat [Robert Murray Keith](/source/Robert_Murray_Keith) and the younger brother of Lieutenant-General [Robert Keith](/source/Robert_Murray_Keith_(the_younger)).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/14125.html|title=Captain Sir Basil Keith (d. 1777)|publisher=Royal Museums Greenwich|accessdate= 21 August 2019}}</ref>

Keith joined the Navy, and was promoted lieutenant in 1756 while serving in {{HMS|Badger|1745|6}}. He was raised to commander in 1758 and appointed to {{HMS|Dover|1740|6}}. He was finally promoted captain in 1760 and given command in turn of {{HMS|Amazon|1745|6}}, {{HMS|Levant|1758|2}}, {{HMS|Preston|1757|2}} and {{HMS|Pearl|1762|2}}. 
thumb|St Jago de la Vega cathedral, Spanish Town
He was knighted on 10 June 1772 and appointed [Governor of Jamaica](/source/Governor_of_Jamaica) in February 1773, taking up his post in January 1774.

He died in Jamaica in 1777 and a large marble monument by sculptor [Joseph Wilton](/source/Joseph_Wilton) was erected in his honour in 1780 at St Catherine's Parish Church (St Jago de la Vega church) in the old capital of Spanish Town.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keith, Basil}}
Category:Date of birth unknown
Category:1777 deaths
Category:Royal Navy captains
Category:Governors of Jamaica
Category:Knights Bachelor

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Basil Keith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Keith) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Keith?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.