Edward Boscawen was born on August 19, 1711, at Tregothnan in Cornwall, the third son of Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth, and Charlotte Godfrey. He belonged to a prominent Cornish political family with strong parliamentary and naval connections. As a younger son, he was unlikely to inherit the principal family estates, and the Royal Navy offered a customary path to distinction. He entered naval service at about twelve years of age aboard HMS Superb, beginning the long apprenticeship through which young gentlemen learned seamanship, navigation, discipline, and command.

Boscawen served in the Mediterranean and West Indies during his youth and passed the examination for lieutenant in 1732. Family influence helped his advancement, but he quickly acquired a reputation for professional competence and personal bravery. He became a post captain in 1737 and commanded HMS Shoreham during the opening of the War of Jenkins’ Ear. At the 1741 attack on Cartagena de Indias, after his ship was badly damaged, he led sailors and marines ashore against Spanish defenses. The expedition failed disastrously from disease and poor coordination, but Boscawen’s conduct enhanced his standing.

During the War of the Austrian Succession, Boscawen commanded ships in European waters and served under Admiral Anson at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1747. He captured enemy vessels and demonstrated the aggressive pursuit that would characterize his later commands. In 1747 he was promoted to rear admiral and sent to the East Indies with a squadron intended to attack French power there. Although operations against Pondicherry were unsuccessful, the mission gave him experience directing fleets far from Britain, managing supplies, and combining naval forces with troops ashore.

Boscawen also entered Parliament, representing Truro and later other Cornish constituencies, while remaining an active sea officer. By the early 1750s he was among Britain’s most trusted admirals. His background joined aristocratic influence, parliamentary experience, and decades of operational service, preparing him to oversee the naval and amphibious campaigns that would prove essential to Britain’s war against France.