John Jennings (Royal Navy officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Jennings
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Admiral John Jennings (Godfrey Kneller, 1708-1709)
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| Born | 1664 |
| Died | 23 December 1743 (aged 79) Greenwich, London, Great Britain |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1687–1743 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS St Paul HMS Experiment HMS Victory HMS Mary HMS Chichester HMS Plymouth HMS Kent HMS St George Mediterranean Fleet Greenwich Hospital |
| Battles/wars | War of Spanish Succession |
Sir John Jennings (1664 – 23 December 1743) was an important officer in the Royal Navy and a Whig politician. He served in the English and British House of Commons from 1705 to 1734. He was known for commanding HMS Kent during the Cadiz and Vigo battles in 1702. These events happened during the War of the Spanish Succession. Later, he became the Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station. He also served as the Senior Naval Lord and finally as the Governor of Greenwich Hospital.
Contents
A Life at Sea: Sir John Jennings
Early Years and Family
John Jennings was born in 1664. He was the fifteenth child of Philip Jennings and Christian Eyton. His family came from Shropshire, England. They had supported the King during the English Civil War. John Jennings later married Alice Breton.
Rising Through the Ranks
John Jennings started his naval career in 1687. He became a lieutenant on HMS Pearl. He also served on HMS St David and HMS Swallow. Soon, he was promoted to command the St Paul, which was a fireship. A fireship was an old ship filled with flammable materials. It was used to set enemy ships on fire.
In 1690, Jennings became captain of the new ship HMS Experiment. This ship had 32 guns. He sailed off the coast of Ireland. There, he stopped many small boats used by King James II's forces. In 1693, he became captain of the Victory. This was a very important ship. Later that year, he moved to the 62-gun HMS Mary. He sailed with Admiral Russell to the Mediterranean Sea.
In 1696, he commanded the 80-gun Chichester. The next year, he took command of the Plymouth. With this ship, he captured a French privateer from St Malo. A privateer was a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships. Soon after, with another ship called the Rye, he met three French ships. One surrendered quickly. Jennings chased the other two. He forced one to surrender after a tough fight.
Battles and Bravery
When the War of the Spanish Succession began, Jennings commanded HMS Kent. This ship had 70 guns. He fought under Admiral Rooke at Cadiz and Vigo in 1702. He helped destroy the French and Spanish fleets there. He also helped capture Gibraltar. In 1704, he was captain of the 96-gun HMS St George at the Battle of Málaga.
For his brave actions, Queen Anne made him a knight on September 9, 1704. This meant he was now called "Sir John Jennings." In 1705, he became a rear admiral. He then became the Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station in 1706. This meant he was in charge of all naval forces in that area. He was promoted to vice admiral in 1708 and full admiral in 1709. His attack on Tenerife in 1706 was not successful. From 1708 to 1710, he commanded the fleet near Lisbon. Later, he was Commander-in-Chief of the entire Mediterranean Fleet.
Serving in Parliament and Beyond
In 1705, Sir John Jennings became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Queenborough. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the government. He was a member of the Whig political party. He often supported laws that helped the navy and sailors. He was re-elected several times.
In 1714, he joined the Board of Admiralty. This board was in charge of the Royal Navy. He also became the governor of Greenwich Hospital in 1720. This hospital cared for retired sailors. He also became the Ranger of Greenwich Park. He gave a marble statue of King George II to Greenwich Hospital. In 1721, he became the Senior Naval Lord. This was a very high position in the navy.
Sir John Jennings also helped start the Royal Academy of Music in 1719. This group created an opera company in London. It hired famous composers like Handel to write music. Even though he was becoming deaf, he continued to serve. He retired from the Admiralty Board in 1727. In 1733, he was promoted to rear-admiral of England. He resigned a year later.
His Final Years and Legacy
Sir John Jennings passed away in Greenwich on December 23, 1743. He was 79 years old. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, a very famous church in London. There is also a monument to him at Barkway Parish Church.
He had one son named George with his wife Alice. George inherited Newsells, their family home.
