Sir John Beresford, 1st Baronet
| Sir John Poo Beresford | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1766 |
| Died | 2 October 1844 |
| Allegiance |
 |
| Service/ |
 |
| Years of service | 1782–1835 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
HMS Hussar HMS Prevoyante HMS Poictiers Leith Station Nore Station |
| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order |
Sir John Poo Beresford, 1st Baronet, GCH (1766 – 2 October 1844) was an officer of the Royal Navy who rose to the rank of admiral, held the post of Second Sea Lord, and also served as Conservative Member of Parliament.
Naval career
Beresford was an illegitimate son of George Beresford, 1st Marquess of Waterford, and the brother of William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford. He joined the Royal Navy in 1782.[1]
In the summer of 1809 he was called as a witness at the Court-martial of James, Lord Gambier which assessed whether Admiral Lord Gambier had failed to support Captain Lord Cochrane at the Battle of Basque Roads in April 1809. Gambier was controversially cleared of all charges.[2]
During the War of 1812, he served as captain of HMS Poictiers, during which time he ineffectually bombarded the town of Lewes in Delaware. More importantly, Poictiers participated in an action where, four hours after USS Wasp, commanded by Jacob Jones, captured HMS Frolic, Capt Beresford captured Wasp and recaptured Frolic, and brought both to Bermuda. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Leith between 1821 and 1825. In 1830 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1830 a post he held until 1833.[3]
He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Coleraine (1809–1812 and 1814–1823), Berwick-upon-Tweed 1823–1826, Northallerton (1826–1832), and Chatham 1835–1837.
Beresford was knighted in 1812,[1] and made a baronet in 1814, of Bagnall in the County of Waterford (see Beresford baronets).[4]
Family
In 1809 Beresford married Mary Molloy, the daughter of Captain Anthony James Pye Molloy; they had a son, George, before Mary's death in 1813. In 1815 Beresford was remarried to Harriet Elizabeth Peirse, daughter of Henry Peirce, and with her had three sons and two daughters. Harriet died in 1825, and Beresford was again married to Amelia Peach, widow of Samuel Peach and daughter of James Bailie. They had no children, and Amelia outlived him. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son from the first marriage, George, who, as he had no surviving sons, was later succeeded by his half-nephew.[5]
Notes
- 1 2 Lambert 2004.
- ↑ Gurney, W.B. (1809). Minutes of a court-martial . . . on the trial of James Lord Gambier. Mottey, Harrison & Miller.
- ↑ William Loney RN
- ↑ Laughton 1885.
- ↑ "Beresford-Peirse, of Bagnall, Waterford". Cracroft's Peerage.
References
- Lambert, Andrew. "'Beresford, Sir John Poo, first baronet (1766–1844)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2197. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir John Beresford
- Leigh Rayment's list of baronets
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs