John Peter Desmaretz facts for kids
John Peter Desmaretz (born around 1686, died 1768) was an important British engineer. He worked on many projects for both regular citizens and the military. For example, he helped build a new entrance for Shoreham-by-Sea's harbour in 1753. He also designed mills for making gunpowder and for horses in Faversham between 1755 and 1763. Desmaretz also created plans for gun batteries along the coasts of Kent and Sussex in 1759 to protect them. He even gave advice on improving plans for Ramsgate harbour between 1749 and 1772.
Early Life and Career
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Desmaretz's daughter, Mary, wrote on his tombstone that he was "born a foreigner." She said he quickly adopted British ideas of freedom and used his skills to serve the nation as an engineer. His last name and this message suggest he might have been a Huguenot, a French Protestant.
We don't know much about his early life. However, we know he joined the army of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough in 1709. After the war ended in 1713, he stayed in British service. He worked with John Armstrong to destroy the port at Dunkirk. He also surveyed the coastline between Gravelines and Ostend.
In 1724, he created a map of the River Medway in Kent. The next year, the Board of Ordnance hired him as a draughtsman at the Tower of London. A draughtsman is someone who draws detailed plans and maps.
Training and Major Projects
At the Tower of London, Desmaretz trained many future military draughtsmen. These included important engineers like Leonard Smelt and Andrew Frazer. He also prepared cost estimates, maps, and reports for various projects.
He was involved in almost every major Ordnance project in southern England during his time. Some of these projects included:
- A survey of Harwich Harbour in 1732.
- Building the Brompton Lines around Chatham Dockyard in 1756.
- Making changes at Dover Castle in 1756. This project cost a lot of money and involved many workers.
- Building a west porch for the Ordnance's magazine in Greenwich in 1733.
- Reporting on repairs for a gunpowder store in Woolwich in 1743.
- Working on plans for a magazine in Jamaica in 1743.
Later Career and Achievements
In 1747, Desmaretz designed Fort Cumberland. This fort was built to defend Langstone Harbour. He became an overseer at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1748. Nine years later, in 1757, he led the building of the Gosport Lines. These lines were defenses to protect the dockyard and Priddy's Hard.
By 1758, Desmaretz held several important positions. He was the Clerk to the Fortifications, Architect to the Ordnance Board, and Master Draughtsman. These roles earned him a good salary. He also mapped Portsmouth, its harbour, dockyard, and defenses. In 1762, he created a map for repairs after strong winds and tides damaged the harbour. Later, in 1768, he became the Commanding Engineer of the Dockyard.
Desmaretz continued to work on many significant projects. In 1755, he wrote a report and estimates for a large magazine at Purfleet. He also planned fortifications for Senegal in 1758. From 1762 to 1763, he worked on a military hospital in Sheerness.
In 1763, Britain took control of Dunkirk again. Three years later, Desmaretz, Frazer, and William Roy created plans for two new channels at Mardyke. Although he never held a military rank in the Royal Engineers, he was made a lieutenant colonel of artillery in 1761.
John Peter Desmaretz passed away in Dunkirk. His body was brought back to Portsmouth and buried next to his wife at Portsmouth Garrison Church. His daughter Mary, who married Stillingfleet Durnford, put up a memorial for him.
Sources
- 'John Peter Desmaretz', in A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland (London: Institution of Civil Engineers, 2002)
- The National Archives
