Sir John Beresford, 1st Baronet

Sir John Poer Beresford
Born	1766
Died	2 October 1844
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1782 - 1835
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	HMS Hussar HMS Prevoyant HMS Poictiers Nore Command
Battles/wars	War of 1812
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order

Admiral Sir John Poer Beresford, 1st Baronet, GCH (1766 – 2 October 1844) was an officer in the Royal Navy who rose to the rank of Second Sea Lord. He was a Tory (subsequently Conservative) politician in the United Kingdom.

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]

During the War of 1812, he served as captain of HMS Poictiers, during which time he ineffectually bombarded the town of Lewes, Delaware. More importantly, Poictiers participated in an action where, four hours after USS Wasp, commanded by Jacob Jones, captured HMS Frolic, Capt. Beresford hove in sight, captured Wasp and recaptured Frolic, and brought both to Bermuda. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1830.^[2]

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 Staffordshire.^[3]

Family

On his death was succeeded to the title by his son from his first marriage to Mary Molloy, the daughter of Captain Anthony James Pye Molloy. He married secondly to Harriet Elizabeth Peirse, who died on 28 February 1825, and had issue who later inherited the Baronetcy.^[1]

Notes

References

Laughton, John Knox (1885). "Beresford, John Poo". In Stephen, Leslie. 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