Sir John Beresford, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir John Poo Beresford, 1st Baronet, GCH (1766 – 2 October 1844) was a Royal Navy admiral, Second Sea Lord and Conservative MP.
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 Commander-in-Chief, The Nore |
| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order |
Naval career
Beresford, an illegitimate son of George and a brother of William, joined the Royal Navy in 1782.[1]
In summer 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, as captain of HMS Poictiers, he ineptly bombarded Lewes in Delaware. The Beresford-led Poictiers-four hours after USS Wasp, commanded by Jacob Jones, captured HMS Frolic-captured Wasp, recaptured Frolic and brought both to Bermuda. Later, he was Commanders-in-Chief of Leith Station (1821–25) and The Nore (1830-33).[3]
He was MP for Coleraine 1809–12 & 1814–23, Berwick-upon-Tweed 1823–26, Northallerton 1826–32, and Chatham 1835–37.
Beresford was knighted in 1812,[1] and baroneted - Bagnall County Waterford in 1814 (see here).[4]
Family
In 1809 Beresford married Mary Molloy, the daughter of Captain Anthony James Pye Molloy; they had a son, George Pippy, 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 Pippy, who, as he had no surviving sons, was later succeeded by his half-nephew.[5]
Notes
- 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
- Laughton, John Knox (1885). . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- 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
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Walter Jones |
Member of Parliament for Coleraine 1809–1812 |
Succeeded by Lord George Beresford |
| Preceded by Viscount Ossulston Sir Francis Blake, Bt. |
Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed 1823–1826 With: Sir Francis Blake, Bt. |
Succeeded by Marcus Beresford John Gladstone |
| Preceded by William Lascelles Marcus Beresford |
Member of Parliament for Northallerton 1826–1832 With: Henry Lascelles to 1831 William Lascelles from 1831 |
Succeeded by John George Boss |
| Preceded by William Taylor Copeland |
Member of Parliament for Coleraine 1832–1833 |
Succeeded by William Taylor Copeland |
| Preceded by George Stevens Byng |
Member of Parliament for Chatham 1835–1837 |
Succeeded by George Stevens Byng |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Henry Blackwood |
Commander-in-Chief, The Nore 1830–1833 |
Succeeded by Sir Richard King |
| Preceded by Sir William Parker |
Second Naval Lord 1834–1835 |
Succeeded by Sir William Parker |
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New title | Baronet of Bagnall 1814–1844 |
Succeeded by George Beresford |
Authority control  |
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