Sir Robert Kingsmill, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Robert Kingsmill, Bt
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Admiral Sir Robert Kingsmill by Gilbert Stuart
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| Born | 1730 Belfast, Ireland |
| Died | 23 November 1805 Sydmonton Court, Kingsclere, Hampshire |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1746–1805 |
| Rank | Admiral of the Blue |
| Commands held | HMS Swallow HMS Basilisk HMS Crescent HMS Vigilant HMS Elizabeth HMS Duke Cork Station |
| Battles/wars | Seven Years' War American War of Independence French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars |
Admiral Sir Robert Brice Kingsmill, 1st Baronet (1730 – 23 November 1805) was a brave officer in the Royal Navy. He served for almost 60 years. His career included the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
Kingsmill was a good friend of Lord Nelson. He was known as one of "The Conquerors of the Seas." This was shown in an engraving from 1800 by Piercy Roberts. He fought alongside famous admirals like Rodney and Keppel. He even took breaks from the Navy to work as a Member of Parliament.
By 1793, Kingsmill had become a high-ranking admiral. He was in charge of the Navy on the coast of Ireland. There, he stopped several French attempts to invade Ireland. He died in 1805 as an Admiral of the Blue and a baronet.
Contents
Robert Brice was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1730. His father, Charles Brice, was a Captain in the Navy. Robert followed in his father's footsteps.
He joined the Navy on 29 October 1746. He started as an able seaman on a small warship called HMS Speedwell. This ship had 14 guns. He stayed on Speedwell for several years. On 3 October 1748, he was promoted to midshipman.
A Daring Rescue and Promotions
In August 1750, Robert was on HMS Blandford near Guinea. During a storm, he bravely saved 19-year-old Isaac Heard. Heard was swept overboard with a broken mast. Robert rescued him from the water. Isaac Heard later became a very important person at the College of Arms. He and Robert remained close friends for life.
Robert passed his officer's test on 5 July 1754. He became a commissioned officer on 29 April 1756. The Seven Years' War began, giving him more chances to advance. In February 1761, he became a "master and commander" of the small warship HMS Swallow.
He captured a French privateer (a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships) called Sultan. This helped confirm his rank on 3 July. Soon after, he took command of HMS Basilisk, a ship used for firing bombs.
Royal Duty and West Indies Service
During this time, Robert was called back to England. He commanded one of the yachts that carried Princess Charlotte to England. She was coming to marry King George III. The journey was very stormy, but all the ships arrived safely.
After this, he returned to Basilisk. He sailed to the West Indies with Admiral George Rodney's fleet. Robert helped in attacks on Martinique and St Lucia. He was wounded during these battles.
Marriage and New Name
For his good service, Robert was promoted to "post-captain" on 26 May 1762. This was a high rank for a ship's commander. He was given command of HMS Crescent, a 28-gun ship. He stayed in the West Indies until the Seven Years' War ended in 1764. Then he returned to England.
Around 1766, he married Elizabeth Corry. She was the heir to the Kingsmill family's large estates at Sydmonton Court. Her uncle had died, and Robert changed his last name to Kingsmill. This allowed him to inherit the estates. He then left active naval service for a while to enjoy his new wealth.
Kingsmill's Return to Service and Politics
When war with France began again in 1778, during the American War of Independence, Kingsmill returned to the Navy. He took command of HMS Vigilant, a 64-gun ship. He was part of Admiral Augustus Keppel's fleet at the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778. The battle did not have a clear winner. Kingsmill later resigned his command.
A Short Career in Parliament
Kingsmill used this break to enter politics. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Yarmouth. An MP represents an area in the government. He held this position for only one year. His time in politics created some powerful enemies for him.
He did not get another ship until April 1782. He then took command of HMS Elizabeth, a large 74-gun ship. Kingsmill was too late to join Admiral Lord Howe's mission to help Gibraltar. Instead, he was offered command of a group of ships heading to the East Indies.
His group of ships included Elizabeth, HMS Grafton, HMS Europa, and HMS Iphigenia. They were ready to sail by 17 January 1783. But strong storms in the Bay of Biscay forced them back to England. Before they could repair the ships, Kingsmill learned that the war was over. The Treaty of Paris had been signed.
Elizabeth was kept in service as a "guard ship" (a ship that protects a port). Kingsmill accepted this three-year job.
Back to Politics and Friendship with Nelson
He used this time to return to Parliament. He was elected for Tregony on 5 April 1784. He held this seat until 1790. He didn't speak much in Parliament.
In 1790, the Nootka Crisis happened. This was a brief disagreement that almost led to war. Kingsmill returned to active duty. He commanded HMS Duke, a 90-gun ship. The crisis passed without war. Kingsmill then left the Duke and went back to semi-retirement.
In October 1790, he was part of the court-martial (military trial) for the mutiny on HMS Bounty. Sir Robert and Horatio Nelson were both serving at this time. They became close friends. Their friendship lasted until Nelson's death at Trafalgar in 1805.
French Revolutionary Wars and Final Years
When war broke out with revolutionary France on 1 February 1793, many Royal Navy officers were promoted. Kingsmill became a "Rear-Admiral of the White." He was put in charge of the Irish naval station. He had two large ships, seven smaller frigates, and four even smaller vessels. He used these ships to fight enemy cruisers in the area.
On 4 July 1794, he was promoted again to "Vice-Admiral of the White." He continued to capture enemy ships and privateers. This made him quite wealthy.
Defending Ireland
In 1796, Kingsmill was still stationed in Cork. He played a key role in stopping the French from invading Ireland. A large French fleet sailed from Brest. They avoided the British ships and headed for Ireland. The French wanted to land troops to support an uprising there.
Kingsmill knew his forces were too small to fight the French fleet directly. But he followed them closely. Storms scattered the French fleet, and Kingsmill's ships harassed them as they retreated. This showed how important Kingsmill's squadron was. The British Navy quickly sent him more ships and supplies.
He was ready when the French tried to invade again in May 1798. But the main French force was crushed by Sir John Borlase Warren at the Battle of Tory Island. This ended the threat to Ireland.
Retirement and Legacy
Kingsmill continued to run the Irish station. He was promoted to "Admiral of the Blue" on 14 February 1799. He had asked to retire in February 1798. His request was finally granted in late 1800. Sir Alan Gardner took over his command.
On 24 November 1800, King George III made Kingsmill a baronet. This was a special honor for his many years of service. He spent his last years in retirement.
Sir Robert Kingsmill died on 23 November 1805 at Sydmonton Court. He was 75 years old. He had served the Navy for almost 60 years, fighting in four major wars. He had no children, so his baronetcy passed to his nephew, Robert Kingsmill.
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