Allegiance United Kingdom Role Member of Parliament Service/branch Royal Navy Name Sir Beresford, Battles and wars War of 1812 | Battles/wars War of 1812 Awards Royal Guelphic Order Years of service 1782 - 1835 Party Conservative Party Rank Admiral | |
Commands held HMS Hussar
HMS Prevoyant
HMS Poictiers
Nore Command Died October 2, 1844, Bedale, United Kingdom | ||
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.
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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.
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.
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, The Nore in 1830.
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, and made a baronet in 1814, of Bagnall in the County of Waterford (see Beresford baronets).
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.