Sir John Beresford, 1st Baronet

Sir John Poo Beresford
Sir John Poo Beresford
Born	1766
Died	2 October 1844
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1782–1835
Rank	Admiral
Commands	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

^ ^a ^b 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). "Beresford, John Poo" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 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

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

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[FOOTNOTELambert2004-1] Lambert 2004.

[Gurney-2] Gurney, W.B. (1809). Minutes of a court-martial . . . on the trial of James Lord Gambier. Mottey, Harrison & Miller.

[3] William Loney RN

[FOOTNOTELaughton1885-4] Laughton 1885.

[5] "Beresford-Peirse, of Bagnall, Waterford". Cracroft's Peerage.

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