Bevil Granville

Sir Bevil Grenville or Granville (died 1706) was an English soldier, governor of Barbados.

Grenville was the grandson of Sir Bevil Grenville, and the son of Bernard Grenville, M.P., and groom of the bedchamber to Charles II, by his wife Anne, daughter and sole heiress of Cuthbert Morley of Hornby, Yorkshire. After keeping his terms at Trinity College, Cambridge, he was created M.A. in 1679.[1][2] He then obtained a commission in the regiment of foot nominally commanded by his uncle, John Grenville, Earl of Bath. From James II he received the honour of knighthood. He saw some service in the Low Countries. In December 1693 he came over from Flanders, waited on William III, with whom he seems to have been a favourite, and gave him an account of the state of that country.[3]

In January of the following year he was gazetted to the colonelcy of the regiment of the Earl of Bath, on the latter's resignation,[4] and joined it in Flanders. In June 1695, in consequence of a violent quarrel, he fought in Flanders a duel with Colonel the Marquis de Rada, who shortly afterwards died of his wounds.[5] On 21 March 1695-6 he was appointed by the king Governor of Pendennis Castle in Cornwall.[6] At the end of May he re-embarked for Flanders, where he got again into trouble, ‘being accused by several officers for illegal practices on his regiment.’ A court-martial, however, acquitted him.[7] In June 1698 his regiment was ordered for Ireland .[8] Grenville accepted in May 1702 the governorship of Barbadoes, with a salary of £2,000 a year, but did not sail for the colony until March 1703.[9] He had scarcely settled, when he fell dangerously ill of a fever then epidemic in the island.[10] Some of the planters complained to the privy council of his tyranny and extortion. After a full hearing, 20 July 1705, Grenville was ‘honourably acquitted;’ but it was deemed politic to recall him in the following year.[11] He died at sea on his passage home in September or October 1706.[12] He was unmarried. By his will, dated 16 Jan. 1701-2, and proved at London on 6 Nov.1706,[13] he left his estate to his brother, George Granville or Grenville, later Lord Lansdowne. He wrote his name ‘Granville.’

References

  1. ^ Cantabr. Graduati 1787, p. 167
  2. ^ Grenville, Bevill in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.
  3. ^ Narcissus Luttrell, Brief Historical Relation of State Affairs, iii. 240
  4. ^ Luttrell, iii. 254
  5. ^ Luttrell, iii. 491
  6. ^ Luttrell, iv. 33
  7. ^ Luttrell, iv. 227, 254.
  8. ^ Luttrell, iv. 392.
  9. ^ Luttrell, v. 175, 198, 278.
  10. ^ Luttrell, v. 351
  11. ^ Luttrell, v. 575, vi. 92.
  12. ^ Luttrell, vi. 105.
  13. ^ P.C.C.234, Eedes
Military offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Bath		 Colonel of Granville's Regiment of Foot
1693–1703		 Succeeded by
The Lord North and Grey
Governor of Pendennis Castle
1696–1703		 Succeeded by
George Granville

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Granville, Bevil (d.1706)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.