Charles Fremantle

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Admiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle (June 1 1800 - May 25 1869) was a Captain of the British Royal Navy.

His 26 gun frigate HMS "Challenger" was the first ship to arrive in a fleet of 3 ships sent out from Britain to establish a colony at the Swan River in Western Australia.

After arriving in Cockburn Sound and landing on Garden Island a few weeks earlier, on May 2 1829 he took formal possession of the whole of the western coast of Australia in the name of King George IV.

On May 30, Lieutenant Governor elect Captain James Stirling arrived on the HMS "Parmelia" and on June 17 a proxy proclamation was read by Stirling confirming the earlier proclamation.

The City of Fremantle in Western Australia is named after him.

Family

He was the son of Admiral Thomas Fremantle.

He married Isabella Wedderburn on October 8 1836. They had 3 children:

• Emily Caroline Alexander (April 14 1838 - February 10 1929). Married Reverend CL Alexander, Rector of Sturton-by-Bridge, Derbyshire.
• Celia Elizabeth McNeil (October 8 1840 - February 15 1929). Married Canon EA McNeile, Vicar of St Pauls, Princes Park, Liverpool.
• Louisa Frances Fremantle (February 23 1843 - March 20 1909).