William Stanhope Lovell (born William Stanhope Badcock) was a distinguished British Royal Navy officer whose active career spanned the historic conflicts of the early nineteenth century. Born in 1788, he was the eldest son of Thomas Stanhope Badcock of Little Missenden Abbey, Buckinghamshire, and Maplethorpe Hall, Lincolnshire. Through his family line, he was a descendant of the notable judge Sir Salathiel Lovell. Lovell entered naval service during a defining era of British maritime power, famously serving under the command of Lord Nelson at the pivotal Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and later participating in the capture of Washington in 1814 during the War of 1812.\n\nIn 1822, Lovell married Selina, the daughter of Sir Henry Harpur Crewe of Calke Abbey, Derbyshire. In 1840, he and his brother, Lovell Benjamin Badcock, legally changed their surname from Badcock to Lovell by sign-manual. Lovell continued his naval career to eventually attain the rank of Vice-Admiral. He died on May 20, 1859, leaving behind a legacy of service during the height of the age of sail.
