Admiral Richard Rodney Bligh, R. N. 159
- Born: 1737, Cornwall 300
- Christened: 1737, Holy Trinity Church, Gosport 301
- Marriage (1): Anne Worsley on 13 November 1765
- Died: 26 April 1821, Belle Vue, Southampton aged 84 300,302
- Buried: 9 May 1821, St. Mary's, Alverstoke, Hampshire 303
 General Notes:
Of Wickham. He entered the Royal Navy about 1750. He was a midshipman of the Ramillies with John Byng at the battle of Minorca on May 20, 1756, the opening sea battle of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). He was made lieutenant soon after in 1756 and commander in 1762. In 1782 he commanded the Asia under Richard Howe at the relief of Gibraltar.
On November 6, 1794, during the Franco-British War (1793-1802), he wsa rear admiral in command of the Alexander, accompanied by the Canada, when the two ships encountered a French squadron of five 74-gun ships, three frigates and a brig. The Canada escaped, but the Alexander, in spite of stout resistance and being in an almost sinking condition was captured and taken into Brest. On his return to England in May 1795, Bligh was tried by court-martial for the loss of the Alexander but was honourably acquitted. He was vice-admiral (1799) and admiral (1804). In 1815, Bligh - after 64 years of service - was aggrieved when eighty naval officers were made Knight Commander, Order of the Bath, and he had been passed over. In 1820, Bligh was invested with the Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath.
304
Death Notes:
Death date also found as 30 April, 1821 (DNB).
Richard married Anne Worsley, daughter of Sir Edward Worsley and Elizabeth Miller, on 13 November 1765. (Anne Worsley was born in 1745 and died on 7 July 1797 299.)
Richard next married Mary Golightly.
|