John Le Mesurier (Alderney)

John Le Mesurier (1781–1843) was a soldier and governor of Alderney.^[1] He resigned his patent to the crown in 1825 and was the last hereditary Governor of Alderney.

Life

He was eldest son of Governor Peter Le Mesurier, who died in 1803, and grandson of Governor John Le Mesurier, who died in 1793. Alderman Le Mesurier and Commissary Havilland Le Mesurier were his uncles. He was appointed ensign in 1794 in the 132nd Highlanders, from which short-lived corps he was promoted into the 89th Foot, and became captain-lieutenant in 1796. He served with a flank battalion commanded by Colonel Stewart in the Irish rebellion of 1798, and afterwards with his regiment in 1799–1800 at the occupation of Messina after blockade and capture of Malta under General Thomas Graham, Lord Lynedoch. He served in the campaign in Egypt in 1801, including the battles before Alexandria, the defence of Rosetta, and the surrender of Cairo.^[2]

After the fall of Alexandria the 89th embarked on board Lord Keith's fleet on a secret expedition, the destination of which was supposed to be Brazil; but on reaching Malta peace was found to have been declared, and the regiment returned to Ireland. After attaining his majority in the 89th Le Mesurier retired on half-pay.^[2]

The government of Alderney, to which Le Mesurier succeeded on his father's death in 1803, was originally granted to an ancestor of the family, Sir Edmund Andros, by letters patent of Charles II, and was renewed to Le Mesurier's grandfather, John Le Mesurier, by George III, for a period of ninety-nine years, in 1763. Le Mesurier, who, while on the half-pay list, attained the rank of major-general, resigned the government at the end of 1824. He died at Bradfield Place, near Reading, 21 May 1843, aged 62.^[2]

Family

Le Mesurier married in 1804 Martha, daughter of Alderman Peter Pochard of London, a native of Guernsey, and had one son, in holy orders, the author of some devotional works.^[2]

Notes and references

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Le Mesurier, John". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.