Sir George Ayscue (Askew)

Admiral Sir George Ayscue (or Askew) was buried in the chancel of St Margaret's church Westminster on 13th April 1672 but he has no memorial or marker.

He was born in about 1615, a son of William Ayscue, from Lincolnshire, gentleman of the privy chamber to Charles I. He married widow Mary Boys, daughter of Martin Fotherby, bishop of Salisbury. In 1641 he was knighted and in 1646 he commanded the ship Expedition at the siege of Pendennis Castle. He was made Governor of the Scilly Isles and in 1649 was appointed Admiral of the Irish Seas, before becoming Governor of Barbados the following year. Returning to England, he took part in the Anglo-Dutch wars. He lived in semi retirement at Weybridge but he did take a commission as admiral in the Swedish navy for a while. Later he was captured by the Dutch in 1666, commanding the ship Prince, and imprisoned until 1667. On 5th April 1672 he died at his house in Westminster and left his estate to his stepdaughter Margaret Boys, as his son George had died before him.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

His will is at the National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

His portrait by Lely is in the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.