Pownoll Pellew, 2nd Viscount Exmouth

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Captain Pownoll Bastard Pellew, 2nd Viscount Exmouth RN (1 July 1776 – December 3, 1833) was an English nobleman and sailor. He was the son of Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth.

He served in the Royal Navy and attained the rank of Captain in 1806.

On 1 October 1808 he married Eliza Harriet Barlow, eldest dau. of Sir George Hilaro Barlow, 1st Baronet, and they had three children:

On 2 April 1822 he married Georgina Janet Dick and she bore him three children:

Pownoll first served as a midshipman under his father, Sir Edward Pellew, in the ship of the line l'Impetueux and was at this time described by his father as "clever and quick, but idle and unmanageable."

Impetueux was an American-built ship originally was meant to be commanded by the American 'pirate' John Paul Jones. Jones oversaw much of the construction, and awaited its completion impatiently, "but at the close of the summer of 1782, the Magnifique, a seventy-four gun ship belonging to the French Squadron under the Marquis de Vaudreuil, was lost by accident in the harbour of Boston. Policy, and perhaps equity, rendered it expedient for Congress to present to France their solitary ship-of-the-line, and a resolution to that effect was passed on the 3d of September. She was called L' Amerique. After various adventures and cruising in the French navy, she was captured by the British in Lord Howe's engagement of the 1st of June, 1794." (Charles W. Brewster, 1802-1869, The Portsmouth Journal) England already had a 64 gun ship called The America, so they changed her name to Impetueux, to replace an identical ship of that name which had burned in Portsmouth harbour.

Pownoll's first experience of sea life took place before Impetueux weighed anchor. His father was commanded to sit in the court martial of three infamous Hermione mutineers, Redman, Slushing and Fulga. One man was hanged at the yardarm within an hour of the court martial, and "the whole fleet was appalled when the close of the court-martial was announced to them by the signal for execution; and at the end of the allotted hour, the wretched criminal was brought up to undergo his sentence." (The Life of Admiral Viscount Exmouth - By Osler, Edward. London 1841) Undoubtedly, the people of the other ships in the fleet were well able to witness this spectacle, and this would have included the twelve-year-old midshipman, Pownoll Bastard Pellew.

Within weeks of this event, he witnessed another three hangings because the crew of the Impetueux mutinied. Pellew's report states:

"It appears by various evidence that a plot has existed in this ship soon after her leaving Cawsand Bay, for turning the captain and such other officers as were obnoxious to the people out of her, under pretence of grievances which are called insupportable; and for the execution of this intention various times have been proposed and rejected. It was at last fixed, and perhaps accelerated, by the signal being made for the fleet to unmoor in Bantry Bay; when the conduct of the ship's company became marked with the most unexpected acts of open and daring mutiny.

"Hearing a great noise, I instantly ran out, and on my appearance the noise was much increased, the people, about two or three hundred, still pressing aft, and crying out, 'One and all, one and all; a boat - a boat.' I asked what was the matter, and was answered by Samuel Sidney (1st), and Thomas Harrop, and others, who were foremost in complaining of hard usage, flogging etc., and muttered something about a letter to Lord Bridport, which I repeatedly and vehemently asked for, saying on my honour I would carry it myself, or send an officer with it. To all this there was a constant cry of 'No - no - no ! a boat of our own !' and the more I endeavoured to pacify them, and bring them to reason, the louder the noise became; many saying - Sidney, Harrop, and Jones, particularly - 'We will have a boat; d----, we'll take one.' This convinced me they were determined to go the greatest lengths, and was more than either my patience or my duty permitted me to bear. I only answered 'You will, will you !' and flew into my cabin for my sword, determined to support the King's service and my own authority, and to kill Sidney or Harrop, who were addressing me, and appeared to be the leaders. Happily that measure became unnecessary . . . ."

Parkinson, Pellew's biographer, writes: "When Pellew reappeared, sword in hand, the mutiny suddenly collapsed. Peake, the carpenter, had run below and brought swords for a few other officers who were on deck. Captain Boyce, of the marines had his sword with him, and there were a few marines at hand to add their bayonets to the available number of side-arms. With these, Pellew cleared the unarmed sailors off the quarter-deck, drove them below, followed, and seized nine of the ringleaders. The anonymous letter to Lord Bridport was found under the cable bitts. The crew returned to their duty and were set to clear the hawse, unmoor, and hoist the boats in. That evening the ships in Bearhaven worked into Bantry Bay. They rejoined the fleet on the following morning.

...When the squadron reached Port Mahon, becoming a part of the Mediterranean fleet, Pellew applied to Earl St. Vincent (for a court-martial of the mutineers). He was refused. St. Vincent was ill and morose and would not even see him. The whole incident is shrouded in mystery, and the only evidence bearing on it is a letter written by Pellew to Sir George Grey nearly thirty years afterwards, in which the following words occur:

...nor have I ever ceased to be thankful for your kindness to me, when I was unfortunate with my Ship's Company, and could not gain a sight of that eminent Chief in whose confidence you lived. To your Goodness and liberal mind I was obliged for the opportunity of vindicating myself and the service, and should have been turned to Sea from Mahon, as I had been by Lord Bridport with a Ship's Company in a state of high Mutiny, from all which you relieved me at considerable risk to yourself. From that moment my heart was yours...

The one fact that emerges is that the crew of the Impetueux was still mutinous owing to a belief that Pellew was not supported by the admirals. But Grey interceded with effect, and the court martial was held on board H.M.S. Prince on the 19th and 20th of June. Sir Charles Cotton presided, and Collingwood was a member of the court, which was otherwise composed of the captains from the Channel fleet. The Mediterranean fleet was not there at the time, Lord Keith having taken it to sea during St. Vincent's illness.

When the signal for a court martial was finally hauled down at noon on the 20th, three of the mutineers had been condemned to death and five to be flogged round the fleet. Sentence was carried out promptly. On the 21st:

''A.M. at 9 Sam. Sydney, Will Jones and Thos. Harrop (Seamen) were hanged at the yard Arm and at 10 their Bodies were Committed to the Deep. Read the Articles of War etc.

On the 22nd:

A.M. at 7 made the Sig'1 for punishment. The following men were punished along side the Impetueux, Prince, Triumph, Formidable, - John Smith with 200 lashes, Law Rhodes, Mich. Pennell, W. McAram, Stephen Walford, 100 lashes Each.' On the following day, McAram, the sail maker, together with the carpenter's crew, Thorp and Smith, and Pennell, Rhodes, Scott, Morley and Walford, able seamen, were exchanged into other ships. On that day the squadron sailed to join Lord Keith.

...by September 2nd, that fleet was on its way to its station off Ushant. The weary task of blockading Brest began afresh and did not end, for Pellew, until the beginning of November." (Edward Pellew by C. Northcote Parkinson, 1934)

Peace regained, Pownoll's father soon wrote to a close friend that "Pownoll has been out thro' this long chace with me and likes a Sea Life, I am sorry to say, too well - he is a fine Idle boy but good parts (talents) - I have him under the care of a French Chevalier, my Companion a very . . . pleasant Man."

Pownoll's companion and tutor was an emigre French nobleman, who continued with Sir Edward even after he was joined by his next son, Fleetwood.

Pownoll was made a lieutenant well before he had served the mandatory seven years novitiate, but by then Sir Edward had gained much interest in the person of Admiral John Jervis, the Earl St. Vincent. Favors in parliament ensured the Captaian's promotion to Admiral, and Pownoll's promotion to captain, along with his first command, at the ripe age of seventeen, of a the 18-gun Fly in the East Indies under Admiral Dacres.

(SNL 1805) 2 March, Fly, 18 guns: The 18-gun sloop of war Fly, Cdr Pownoll Bastard Pellew, was lost on the Carysfort Reef in the Gulf of Florida; her were saved. (Although SNL of 1805, Norie of 1827, and Clowes of 1905 all give May as the month of the loss of the Fly, we may observe that the vessel was not lost during May: that was the month news of the loss of the vessel reached England. The ship was wrecked on 2 March and the court martial took place on 17 April 1805.)

Pownoll was found 'not guilty' of negligence at his subsequent court-martial. In 1806, Pownoll rejoined his father now at Madras. Admiral Pellew was by this time Commander in Chief in the East Indies. Pownoll was immediately made acting-captain of the frigate Sir Francis Drake, and was given Terpsichore upon achieving post-rank in 1806.

A private letter written by Sir Edward shortly after says this about Pownoll: "Pownoll I believe has made about 30001.(prize money) - if he looks out for a good Girl with either Money or Connections he may do well. He is always in love; and I have hard work to keep him out of the noose. Cast about you for a nice thing who will take an open hearted good Boy - without money. You are all rich in the North. All boys are in great danger in India - snap is the word, as the following story will convince you . . . .in short I never permit Pownoll or Fleetwood to sit twice at Table with the same young Lady, for they really push them upon the boys in so bare faced a manner they can hardly get off without saying soft things. I have been obliged to wash Pownoll with the spray of a long Cruize - to avoid consequences which neither he nor I intended."

The Admiral's next mention of his son, shortly after the capture of a Spanish ship and a million in specie, says, "I am so rich I mean to cheat old Nick out of his prey as long as I can by leaving bile and liver in this vile hot country, and trying Devon by way of change. I want to buy a good thing there for Pownoll of about 2000 pr Ann, that the Dog may be tied down not to spend his pa's Money. Can you find me a nice Wife for him, he is a good fellow and is extremely anxious to be married and settled as he calls it - look about for us any where but in Doddington Hall [where] they are all Gamesters, Rogues, and - s, and many of them lousy. As we may all be home in 1808 mayhap some tender Creature may be good enough to wait for a boy of 20."

The admiral's friend at home did not need to interfere. Pownoll got his wish, and married at 22, the eldest daughter of Sir George Barlow. "This took place at Madras, on October 1st, 1808. Barlow was by then, since the arrival of Lord Minto, merely Governor of Madras. But the match was a good one, and marked Pellew's triumph over the many scheming Anglo-Indian mothers who had tried to entrap his sons." (Parkinson)

Upon his return to England, Pownoll began construction of Canonteign house, in Devonshire. While his father served England in the Mediterranean, Pownoll took up politics. This letter from Northumberland describes his first election:

Alnwick Castle 10th Oct. 1812

MY DEAR SR EDWARD I have not written to you for some time because I really had nothing worth communicating and I was in hopes every day of being able to acquaint you with your Nephew's promotion. But I do not find it has yet taken place altho' I contrived that the D[uke] of Y[ork]'s Memory should be refreshed by the P. Regent . . . I am grieved at it, and sorry that as yet I have not been able in this way to give you a proof of the great obligation I feel due to you for your uncommon goodness to my Son. I have however endeavoured to do this, in another way. As you are at a Distance, and therefore a Seat in Parliament would be of no Service to you, I have taken the Liberty of recommending your Eldest Son to my friends at Launceston. He will hold the seat as your Representative, with the express understanding of resigning it again on your return. This is all the solid acknowledgements I have been able to make for your extraordinary Kindness . . . .

I cannot help being a good deal surprised at Lord Melville's Conduct and Silence. Probably however you may have heard from his Lordship before this reaches you .... When your son is in Parliament, a little hint perhaps coming from me may even be of some use, under such Circumstances, as it will in some measure authorize me to interfere in your affairs at the Admiralty, because we have a Vote or two on certain occasions to use as an Allure . . . .

Your ever faithful friend NORTHUMBERLAND

Pownoll was MP for Launceston in 1816, but concerned himself only with local politics in Devonshire after that date. Lord Exmouth died in January of 1833, and Pownoll became the second Viscount Exmouth, a title he enjoyed for just eleven months. He died at age47, on 2 December 1833, and was succeeded by his eldest son.


Preceded by:
Edward Pellew		 Viscount Exmouth
1833		 Succeeded by:
Edward Pellew


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