Molyneux Shuldham, 1st Baron Shuldham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Shuldham
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| Born | c. 1717 |
| Died | 30 September 1798 (aged 80–81) |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars | War of Jenkins' Ear Seven Years' War |
Admiral Molyneux Shuldham, 1st Baron Shuldham (around 1717 – 30 September 1798) was an important officer in the British Royal Navy. He also served for a time as the governor of Newfoundland, a British colony.
Contents
Molyneux Shuldham was born in Ireland around 1717. He was the second son of Reverend Lemuel Shuldham. Molyneux joined the navy in 1732 when he was about 15 years old. He started as a captain's servant on a ship called HMS Cornwall.
He later served on other ships like HMS Solebay and HMS Falkland. He passed his final naval exam on January 25, 1739.
First Lieutenant Role
In August 1739, he became a lieutenant on HMS Tilbury. This ship sailed to the West Indies and took part in an unsuccessful attack on Cartagena in 1741.
In 1742, while he was the first lieutenant, HMS Tilbury caught fire due to an accident and was destroyed. Many of the crew were lost. Shuldham and other officers faced a military trial, called a court-martial, but they were found innocent of any wrongdoing.
Becoming a Commander
Shuldham was promoted to commander of HMS Blast in Jamaica on May 1, 1744. In November 1745, his ship was attacked and captured by two Spanish privateers near the Black River. Privateers were like armed ships run by private individuals, allowed by their government to attack enemy ships.
Shuldham was treated badly by the privateers, but the Spanish governor of Havana later made up for it. After he returned to England, he was promoted to captain of HMS Sheerness in May 1746. He then commanded other ships, including HMS Queenborough and HMS Unicorn.
In 1755, he was given command of the 60-gun ship HMS Warwick. While sailing near Martinique in March 1756, his ship was captured by a larger French ship and two smaller French frigates.
Serving in the Seven Years' War
Even though war had not been officially declared, fighting had already started. Shuldham and his crew from the Warwick were sent to France as prisoners. He was held in Poitiers for almost two years.
He returned to England in March 1758. A court-martial cleared him of any blame for losing the ship. In July 1758, he was given command of HMS Panther. With this ship, he joined Commodore Sir John Moore in the West Indies. They helped capture Guadeloupe and its nearby islands between March and May 1759.
Later, he commanded HMS Raisonnable, which was lost on a reef near Martinique in 1762 during an attack on the island. He then commanded several other ships, including HMS Marlborough, HMS Rochester, and Foudroyant.
By August 1763, peace was declared between England and France. Shuldham was ashore on half-pay until December 1766, when he was appointed to HMS Cornwall, a guardship at Plymouth. In 1770, he transferred to HMS Royal Oak.
Governor of Newfoundland
On February 14, 1772, Molyneux Shuldham was appointed as the commodore and commander-in-chief of the Newfoundland Station. This meant he was in charge of the British naval forces and also served as the governor of the colony for three years.
During his time as governor, he oversaw the building of Fort Townshend, which was finished in 1780. He also sent his lieutenant, Roger Curtis, to explore the northern coast of Labrador and visit the Moravian missionaries there.
Reaching Flag Rank
On March 31, 1775, Shuldham was promoted to rear-admiral of the white. This was a very high rank in the navy, often called "flag rank" because admirals had their own special flags.
In the autumn of 1775, he was elected to the House of Commons as a member of Parliament for Fowey. On September 29, he was made commander-in-chief of the North American coast. He sailed to Boston and arrived on December 30, 1775. While on his way, on December 7, he was promoted again to vice-admiral of the blue.
His main job in North America was to support the British troops and stop trade by the American colonies. In July 1776, he helped Admiral Howe enter New York Harbor. He was later replaced by Lord Howe. On July 31, 1776, he was given the title of Baron Shuldham in Ireland, which made him a peer.
He returned to England in early 1777. From 1778 to 1783, he served as the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, a very important naval command. He also became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1777, which is a group of important scientists.
He continued to be promoted, becoming admiral of the blue on September 24, 1787, and admiral of the white on February 1, 1793.
Later Life and Legacy
Admiral Shuldham passed away in Lisbon in the autumn of 1798. His body was brought back to England on HMS Colossus. This ship also carried many ancient vases collected by Sir William Hamilton. The Colossus was unfortunately wrecked in a storm near the Isles of Scilly. While many of the vases were lost, Shuldham's body was safely recovered.
He had married Margaret Irene, but they did not have any children. Because of this, his title of Baron Shuldham ended when he died.
