# Provo Wallis

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{{short description|Royal Navy officer (1791–1892)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [Sir](/source/Sir)
| name             = Provo Wallis
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GCB}}
| birth_name       = Provo William Parry Wallis
| birth_date       = {{Birth date|1791|4|12|df=y}}
| death_date       = {{death date and age|1892|2|13|1791|5|12|df=y}}
| image            = WilliamParryWallisByRobertField.jpg
| caption          = Portrait by [Robert Field](/source/Robert_Field_(painter)), 1813
| birth_place      = [Halifax](/source/Halifax_(former_city)), [Nova Scotia](/source/Nova_Scotia)
| death_place      = [Funtington](/source/Funtington), [England](/source/England)
| burial_place     = 
| burial_label     = 
| nickname         = 
| allegiance       = [Great Britain](/source/Kingdom_of_Great_Britain) <br /> [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland)
| branch           = [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy)
| service_years    = 1795–1892
| rank             = [Admiral of the Fleet](/source/Admiral_of_the_Fleet_(Royal_Navy))
| unit             = 
| commands         = {{HMS|Snipe|1801|6}}<br>{{HMS|Niemen|1820|6}}<br>{{HMS|Madagascar|1822|6}}<br>Senior Naval Officer, Gibraltar<br>[South East Coast of America Station](/source/South_East_Coast_of_America_Station)
| battles          = [War of 1812](/source/War_of_1812)<br>[Pastry War](/source/Pastry_War)
| awards           = [Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath](/source/Knight_Grand_Cross_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath)
| relations        = 
| other_work       = 
| signature        = Provo William Wallis Signature.jpg
}}
[Admiral of the Fleet](/source/Admiral_of_the_Fleet_(Royal_Navy)) '''Sir Provo William Parry Wallis''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GCB}} (12 April 1791 – 13 February 1892) was a [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) officer. As a junior officer, following the [capture of USS ''Chesapeake''](/source/Capture_of_USS_Chesapeake) by the [frigate](/source/frigate) {{HMS|Shannon|1806|6}} during the [War of 1812](/source/War_of_1812), the wounding of HMS ''Shannon''{{'}}s captain and the death of her first lieutenant in the action, he served as the temporary captain of HMS ''Shannon'' as she returned to [Halifax, Nova Scotia](/source/Halifax_(former_city)), with ''Chesapeake''.

As commanding officer of the fifth-rate {{HMS|Madagascar|1822|6}}, Wallis earned the thanks of the people of [Veracruz](/source/Veracruz) in [Mexico](/source/Mexico) when he protected them from French bombardment during the [Pastry War](/source/Pastry_War). He went on to be Senior Naval Officer, Gibraltar, and then Commander-in-Chief on the [South East Coast of America Station](/source/South_East_Coast_of_America_Station). Wallis was promoted to senior flag officer positions and was still carried on the active list at 100 years old when he died.

==Early career==
[[File:John Christian Schetky, H.M.S. Shannon Leading Her Prize the American Frigate Chesapeake into Halifax Harbour (c. 1830) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Wallis commanded HMS ''Shannon'' on her return to Halifax with her prize, after the [capture of USS ''Chesapeake''](/source/Capture_of_USS_Chesapeake)]]
He was the son of Provo Featherstone Wallis, a clerk at the [Royal Naval Dockyard, Halifax](/source/Royal_Naval_Dockyard%2C_Halifax), Nova Scotia, by his wife Elizabeth Lawlor.<ref name=bca>{{cite DCB |title=Wallis, Sir Provo William Parry |first=Carl |last=Christie |volume=12 |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/wallis_provo_william_parry_12E.html|accessdate=17 January 2015}}</ref> Wallis benefited from his father's desire to secure a naval career for his son. Knowing the rules for an officer's entry into the navy, his father managed to get him officially registered in May 1795, at the age of four, as an [able seaman](/source/able_seaman) on the 36-gun [frigate](/source/frigate) [HMS ''Oiseau''](/source/French_frigate_Cl%C3%A9op%C3%A2tre_(1781)), under Captain  [Robert Murray](/source/Robert_Murray_(Royal_Navy_officer)).<ref name="Ellis127-8">Ellis, p. 127-8</ref>

In May 1798, young Provo became a volunteer in the 40-gun frigate {{HMS|Prevoyante}} where he remained (on paper at least) until September 1799 when he joined the 64-gun [third-rate](/source/third-rate) {{HMS|Asia|1764|6}}. He served on HMS ''Asia'' until September 1800, when he was promoted to [midshipman](/source/midshipman) in the 32-gun [fifth-rate](/source/fifth-rate) {{HMS|Cleopatra|1779|6}}.<ref name=heath248>Heathcote, p. 248</ref> HMS ''Cleopatra'' was the first ship he actually served aboard – he physically joined the ship in October 1804 – but by now he had amassed nearly a decade of seniority.<ref name="Ellis127-8"/> In an action on 16 February 1805, HMS ''Cleopatra'' was captured by the French frigate [''Ville de Milan''](/source/HMS_Milan_(1805)) and the ship's company taken [prisoner of war](/source/prisoner_of_war). Wallis was freed a week later when ''Ville de Milan'' was itself captured by the Royal Navy: he transferred to ''Ville de Milan'' which now became a British ship.<ref name=heath248/>

Wallis transferred to the third-rate {{HMS|Triumph|1764|6}} in November 1806 and to the third-rate {{HMS|Bellona|1806|6}} in February 1808 and, having been promoted to [lieutenant](/source/lieutenant) on 13 November 1808,<ref name=clowes>{{Cite book|last=Clowes, W. Laird (William Laird), Sir, 1856–1905.|title=The Royal Navy : a history from the earliest times to the present|date=1996–1997|publisher=Chatham Pub|pages=83|oclc=606148691}}</ref> he transferred again to the [sloop-of-war](/source/sloop-of-war) {{HMS|Curieux|1804|6}} later that month.<ref name=heath248/> HMS ''Curieux'' [ran aground](/source/Ship_grounding) and was wrecked on the coast of [Guadeloupe](/source/Guadeloupe) in November 1809 and Wallis transferred to the fifth-rate {{HMS|Gloire|1806|6}} in December 1809.<ref name=heath249>Heathcote, p. 249</ref> He subsequently served in the sloops [HMS ''Observateur''](/source/French_brig_Observateur_(1800)), {{HMS|Driver|1797|6}} and {{HMS|Emulous|1806|6}}.<ref name=heath249/>

Wallis transferred to the 38-gun [frigate](/source/frigate) {{HMS|Shannon|1806|6}} in January 1812.<ref name=heath249/> HMS ''Shannon'' [captured USS ''Chesapeake''](/source/Capture_of_USS_Chesapeake)  near [Boston](/source/Boston) on 1 June 1813, during the [War of 1812](/source/War_of_1812): HMS ''Shannon''{{'}}s Captain, [Philip Broke](/source/Philip_Broke), was badly wounded during the action and her first lieutenant was killed.<ref name=heath249/>

Wallis served as the temporary captain of the British frigate for a period of exactly six days as she made her way back to [Halifax, Nova Scotia](/source/Halifax%2C_Nova_Scotia), with ''Chesapeake'' flying the [Blue Ensign](/source/Blue_Ensign) above the [Stars and Stripes](/source/Flag_of_the_United_States), for which action he was promoted to [commander](/source/commander) on 9 July 1813.<ref name=heath249/><ref name=clowes/>

Wallis was given command of the [sloop](/source/Sloop-of-war) {{HMS|Snipe|1801|6}} at [Sheerness](/source/Sheerness) in January 1814.<ref name=heath249/> Promoted to [captain](/source/Captain_(Royal_Navy)) on 12 August 1819,<ref name=clowes/> he became commanding officer of the [sixth-rate](/source/sixth-rate) {{HMS|Niemen|1820|6}} at Halifax in June 1824 and commanding officer of the fifth-rate {{HMS|Madagascar|1822|6}} on the [North America and West Indies Station](/source/North_America_and_West_Indies_Station) in April 1838.<ref name=heath249/> He earned the thanks of the people of [Veracruz](/source/Veracruz) in Mexico when he protected them from French bombardment in Winter 1838 during the [Pastry War](/source/Pastry_War).<ref name=heath249/>

Appointed as [commodore](/source/Commodore_(Royal_Navy)) (but remaining a [post captain](/source/Post-captain) in substantive rank) he went on to be Senior Naval Officer, Gibraltar, with his [broad pennant](/source/broad_pennant) of the third-rate {{HMS|Warspite|1807|6}}, in October 1843.<ref name=heath249/>

==Senior command==
thumb|left|Wallis in the uniform of a senior flag officer
[[File:EpaulettesOfProvoWallisMaritimeCommandMuseum.JPG|thumb|Wallis's [epaulette](/source/epaulette)s displayed in the [Naval Museum of Halifax](/source/Naval_Museum_of_Halifax), [CFB Halifax](/source/CFB_Halifax)]]
Promoted to [rear-admiral](/source/rear-admiral) on 27 August 1851,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=21240|page=2206|date=29 August 1851}}</ref><ref name=clowes/> Wallis became Commander-in-Chief, [South East Coast of America Station](/source/South_East_Coast_of_America_Station), with his flag in the third-rate {{HMS|Cumberland|1842|6}}, in May 1857 but only held the command until September 1857.<ref name=heath249/> He was promoted to [vice-admiral](/source/vice-admiral) on 10 September 1857,<ref name=":0">{{London Gazette|issue=22041|page=3141|date=18 September 1857}}</ref><ref name=clowes/> appointed a [Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath](/source/Order_of_the_Bath) on 18 May 1860<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22387|page=1915|date=18 May 1860}}</ref> and promoted to [admiral](/source/admiral) on 2 March 1863.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22722|page=1824|date=31 March 1863}}</ref><ref name=clowes/> He was appointed [Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom](/source/Rear-Admiral_of_the_United_Kingdom) on 17 July 1869<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23518|page=4063|date=20 July 1869}}</ref> and [Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom](/source/Vice-Admiral_of_the_United_Kingdom) on 12 February 1870.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23587|page=851|date=15 February 1870}}</ref>

In order to prevent admirals from dying as paupers, a special clause in the retirement scheme of 1870 provided that those officers who had commanded a ship before the end of the [Napoleonic Wars](/source/Napoleonic_Wars) should be retained on the active list: the six days Wallis was in command of HMS ''Shannon'' qualified him to remain on the active list until he died.<ref name="Ellis127-8"/> He was advanced to [Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath](/source/Order_of_the_Bath) on 24 May 1873<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23979|page=2583|date=24 May 1873}}</ref> and promoted to [Admiral of the Fleet](/source/admiral_of_the_Fleet_(Royal_Navy)) on 11 December 1875.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24278|page=6577|date=24 December 1875}}</ref> The [Admiralty](/source/British_Admiralty) suggested he retire when he reached his late nineties, as being on the active list meant he was liable for calling up for a seagoing command. Wallis instead replied he was ready to accept one.<ref name="Ellis127-8"/>

Wallis died at his country home in [Funtington](/source/Funtington) in [West Sussex](/source/West_Sussex) on 13 February 1892 and was buried in St Mary's churchyard at Funtington.<ref name=heath249/> He was only a few months short of his 101st birthday with a combined service of 96 years from the time his name first appeared on the books of a Royal Navy ship.<ref name="Ellis127-8"/> He was the last survivor of the action between HMS ''Shannon'' and USS ''Chesapeake'', and on his death, four admirals below him on the active list were able to gain immediate promotion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.warof1812.ca/wallis.htm|title= Salt Indeed: The Amazing Career of Lieutenant Provo Wallis of HMS Shannon|publisher=War of 1812|access-date=23 March 2017}}</ref>

==Family==
On 17 October 1817 Wallis married Juliana Massey; they had two daughters.<ref name=heath249/> Following the death of his first wife, he married Jemima Wilson, daughter of [Sir Robert Wilson](/source/Robert_Wilson_(British_Army_officer%2C_born_1777)), on 21 July 1849.<ref name=heath249/>

==Legacy==
[Wallis House](/source/Wallis_House) in [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa) is named after Wallis;<ref>"Wallis House; Building housed seminary, barracks, public housing and hospital." Joanne Laucius. ''The Ottawa Citizen.'' Ottawa, Ontario: 7 May 1990. p. B.3.</ref> the City of Ottawa has erected brass plaques, which were unveiled in 1990 and 1997 documenting the history of the building.<ref>{{cite web| title =Wallis House| work =National Inventory of Military Memorials| publisher =National Defence Canada| date =17 January 2015| url =http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/nic-inm/sm-rm/mdsr-rdr-eng.asp?PID=8372| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140521201935/http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/nic-inm/sm-rm/mdsr-rdr-eng.asp?PID=8372| archive-date =21 May 2014| url-status =dead| df =dmy-all}}</ref> The former Canadian Coast Guard Ship {{ship|CCGS|Provo Wallis||6}} was also named after him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/shorelinesfall2011-6|title=Changes to Coast Guard's fleet|publisher=Canadian Coast Guard|access-date=17 January 2015}}</ref> The main street in the Naval dockyard of [Halifax, Nova Scotia](/source/Halifax%2C_Nova_Scotia), is also named "Provo Wallis Street" in his honour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://halifax.street-map.ca/provo-wallis-street/|title=Provo Wallis Street|publisher=Halifax Street Map|access-date=16 July 2018}}</ref>

==Effective dates of promotion==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Promotions
! Rank !! Date
|-
||[Admiral of the Fleet](/source/Admiral_of_the_Fleet_(Royal_Navy))||11 December 1877<ref name="canada">{{Cite web|url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/wallis_provo_william_parry_12E.html|title=Biography – WALLIS, Sir PROVO WILLIAM PARRY – Volume XII (1891–1900) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography|website=www.biographi.ca|access-date=26 March 2020}}</ref><ref name="clowes"/>
|-
||[Admiral](/source/Admiral_(Royal_Navy))||2 March 1863<ref name="clowes" /><ref name="canada" />
|-
||[Vice-Admiral](/source/Vice-admiral_(Royal_Navy))||10 September 1857<ref name="clowes" /><ref name=":0" />
|-
||[Rear-Admiral](/source/Rear_admiral_(Royal_Navy))||27 August 1851<ref name="clowes" /><ref name="canada" />
|-
||[Captain](/source/Captain_(Royal_Navy))||19 August 1819<ref name="clowes" /><ref name="canada" />
|-
||[Commander](/source/Commander_(Royal_Navy))||9 July 1813<ref name="clowes" /><ref name="canada" />
|-
||[Lieutenant](/source/Lieutenant_(Royal_Navy))||11 November 1808<ref name="clowes" /><ref name="canada" />
|-
|[Able seaman](/source/Able_seaman)
|1 May 1795<ref>{{Cite book|last=O'Byrne, William R.|title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary.|date=2012|publisher=Andrews UK|isbn=978-1-78150-281-5|oclc=778340012}}</ref>
|-
|}

==See also==
* {{cite wikisource |first=William Richard |last=O'Byrne |chapter=Wallis, Provo William Parry |title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary |year=1849 |publisher=[John Murray](/source/John_Murray_(publishing_house))}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book |first=James H.|last=Ellis|title=A Ruinous and Unhappy War: New England and the War of 1812|publisher=Algora Publishing|location=United States|year=2009|isbn=9780875866901}}
* {{cite book|last=Heathcote|first=Tony|title=The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995|publisher=Pen & Sword|year=2002 |isbn=0-85052-835-6}}
* Clowes, William Laird, Sir (1996–1997). ''The Royal Navy: a history from the earliest times to the present''. Chatham Pub.

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |first=J.G. |last=Brighton|title= Admiral of the Fleet Sir Provo Wallis, G.C.B., 2 volumes|publisher= London|year= 1892|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924027923154/page/n10}}

==External links==
* [http://www.warof1812.ca/wallis.htm Old Salt Indeed: The Amazing Career of Lieutenant Provo Wallis of HMS ''Shannon'']
* [http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=693 Provo Wallis] Career History

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[William Hope-Johnstone](/source/William_Hope-Johnstone)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Commander-in-Chief, South East Coast of America Station](/source/South_East_Coast_of_America_Station)|years=May 1857– September 1857}}
{{s-aft|after=[Stephen Lushington](/source/Stephen_Lushington_(Royal_Navy_officer))}}
|-
{{s-hon}}
{{succession box | title=[Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom](/source/Rear-Admiral_of_the_United_Kingdom) | before=[Sir Fairfax Moresby](/source/Fairfax_Moresby) | after=[Sir William Hope-Johnstone](/source/William_Hope-Johnstone) | years=1869–1870}}
{{succession box | title=[Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom](/source/Vice-Admiral_of_the_United_Kingdom) | before=[Sir Fairfax Moresby](/source/Fairfax_Moresby) | after=[Sir Michael Seymour](/source/Michael_Seymour_(Royal_Navy_officer)) | years=1870–1876}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallis, Provo}}
Category:1791 births
Category:1892 deaths
Category:Canadian men centenarians
Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Category:Lords of the Admiralty
Category:Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)
Category:Military personnel from Halifax, Nova Scotia
Category:Pre-Confederation Nova Scotia people
Category:Royal Navy admirals of the fleet
Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Napoleonic Wars
Category:Royal Navy personnel of the War of 1812
Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Crimean War
Category:Canadian people of the War of 1812

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