Samuel Hood's marriage to Susanna Linzee, daughter of Portsmouth Dockyard's master rope maker and a mayor of Portsmouth, gives a concrete example of naval families marrying within maritime networks. Hood combined the First Naval Lordship with Mediterranean command, and even a furious demand for missing frigates ended in recall rather than disgrace. He returned as a full admiral, received a £2,000 annual pension, and became governor of Greenwich Hospital. Susanna's standing was recognized separately when she became Baroness Hood of Catherington in 1795. Dockyard connections, parliamentary service, honours, pensions, and family reputation all formed part of an eighteenth-century naval career.
Chapter · 1:17:39-1:21:14
Hood's family networks and political rewards
Hood's marriage, offices, pension, and his wife's separate title show how family reputation and political reward surrounded an eighteenth-century naval career.