Henry Harvey sir 1737–1810 – Genealogical Records

Sources

Genealogy Event 1
Event Type: Birth
Event Date: 15 Jul 1737
Event Place: Eastry, Kent, England
Record Source: Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-20, 22

Genealogy Event 2
Event Type: Baptism
Event Date: 4 Aug 1737
Event Place: Eythorn, Kent, England
Record Source: England, Select Births and Christenings

Genealogy Event 3
Event Type: Residence
Event Date: 1826
Event Place: Kent, England
Record Source: UK, City and County Directories, 1766 - 1946, UK, City and County Directories, 1600s-1900s

Genealogy Event 4
Event Type: Custom Event
Event Place: Kent England
Record Source: FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0«tab»British Isles
Family Group Record
Husband«tab»Richard Harvey«tab»
Marriage: «tab»1768
Wife«tab»«tab»Elizabeth Nickolls«tab»«tab»
Children
1.Henry Harvey«tab»Birth: «tab»JUL 1737 Of, Eastry, Kent, England
«tab» Death: «tab»28 DEC 1810
Father:«tab» «tab»Richard Harvey«tab»Family
Mother:«tab» «tab»Elizabeth Nickolls

Genealogy Event 5
Event Type: Custom Event
Record Source: Admiral Sir Henry Harvey, 1743 - 1810

Henry was born in 1743 educated at L'Ecole de la Marine de Calais. He began his naval career in May 1751 in Centaur, 24, and was evidently encouraged into service by the distantly related Sir Peircy Brett, whose patronage supported Harvey throughout his career. Three years later Henry joined Nightingale, 24. According to Wikkipedia, "it is not clear how much time Harvey actually spent aboard these ships, as it was common practice at the time for the children of naval families to be entered on a ship's books to gain experience pending their actual entry into the service." Certainly, in April 1756 he joined the Devonshire, 74, in the Channel Fleet and on March 10th, 1757 he was appointed third-lieutenant in the 4th rate Hampshire, 50, serving in the Channel, North America and Jamaica stations. He briefly commanded the brigantine Columbine enforcing an embargo on vessels at Rhode Island. Soon afterwards Hampshire, Boreas and Lively intercepted and defeated a force of five French frigates. "Having distinguished himself," Henry was promoted first-lieutenant and "was removed to the flagship." Henry was appointed first lieutenant in Hussar, which was successful in taking merchant ships, privateers and armed vessels off St. Domingo. On May 23rd, 1762, whilst watching a French squadron off Cape Francois, Hussar was wrecked; her whole crew became prisoners of war. They were detained a few weeks and then joined Sir George Pocock's fleet three days prior to the Moro being stormed, an action they were forced by the terms of their parole to watch and not participate in. Henry returned home soon after in Dragon, 74, on which he became a close friend of one of the lieutenants, The Hon. Constantine Phipps.

In April 1763 Henry was appointed first lieutenant in Mermaid, 28, which was shortly after completely dismasted in a severe storm and narrowly escaped being wrecked. In November 1764 Henry was appointed to command the armed schooner Magdalen cruising off the gulf of St. Lawrence on anti-smuggling operations.. At the end of this command he returned to England and in 1768 was appointed to the cutter Swift, 6, in the channel and North Sea. Swift was paid off in April 1771.

When Henry went to sea again in March 1773 it was because he had secured a significant commission. His new ship was Racehorse, 8; she and her consort Carcass were bomb vessels specially strengthened for a voyage of exploration into the arctic to find the entrance to the North West passage. This opportunity for employment and possible fame in peacetime made the few commissions available highly sought after, but Racehorse was commanded by the Hon. Constantine Phipps, who chose his friend Henry Harvey as his first lieutenant. The expedition got within ten degrees of the North Pole, but failed in its main objective and is best remembered for the bungled attempt by the captain's coxwain of the Carcass — a very young Horation Nelson — to shoot a polar bear. On the way home the ships become embayed and were trapped in ice. They escaped destruction because the ice providentially broke up as the wind changed. When Racehorse was paid off Henry was appointed her commander.

In 1776 Henry was appointed to the sloop Martin (14) and sailed to Quebec, then under siege from the Americans, and later joined the squadron off Newfoundland. In April 1777 Henry was promoted post-captain and appointed to the 6th rate Squirrel, 20, which sailed for the Mediterranean escorting a convoy. After a refit in England Squirrel sailed with the Minerva for the coast of Africa, returned with a convoy and then cruised in the channel. In December 1778 Henry was appointed to the Convert, 32, and whilst she was fitting out took temporary command of Courageux, 74, at the request of his friend Constantine Phipps, now Lord Mulgrave. Having Valiant, 74, and the frigate Arethusa under his command he cruised off Cape Clear. Henry next returned to Convert and joined a strong squadron of frigates and "assisted at the relief of Jersey in May 1779."

Henry was next ordered off the Isle of Man with the Rodney, Rattlsnake and Star under his command, hoping to intercept John Paul Jones. Next Convert sailed with a convoy to Quebec and returned with another. In return for his service with the convoys Henry was presented with "several pieces of plate." The following December Convert sailed with Andromeda to the West Indies where Henry was "for some time" in command at St. Lucia and captured several French and American vessels. Convert was with the fleet in the action off St. Dominica on April 12th, 1782 (but was too small to participate in the action) and at sea during the hurricane of 1780, which sank many ships. In August 1782 Henry returned to England with a convoy, and in December was appointed to the Cleopatra, 32, which in January 1783 joined a squadron on a "boisterous but unsuccessful" cruise in the Bay of Biscay which was terminated by the end of the war.

Henry resumed his service in March 1786 commanding the Rose, 28, with his eldest son Henry and nephew John also on board. Soon Henry was required to take command additionally of Pegasus, 28. H.R.H. Prince William was then "first lieutenant" in Pegasus, but in reality in command under the superintendence of Captain Harvey — a most singular challenge for the latter! According to Ralfe, Henry "conducted himself with such discretion, as secured to him the lasting friendship of his Royal Highness." The two ships sailed in company for Newfoundland and continued together until Pegasus sailed for the West Indies in August. Rose remained on station from 1786 to 1788, wintering in England and occasionally serving in the channel. In 1788, whilst Rose was becalmed, the younger Henry drowned. As Ralfe records, the father's "feelings on witnessing the premature demise of a beloved son were of the most poignant description, and a considerable period elapsed before he resumed his usual composure." Rose returned to England in 1788 and was paid off the following year.

In 1790 the navy was preparing for war with France. Henry was appointed on June 24 to the Alfred, 74, and in the following October to Colossus, 74, but the war scare blew over and both ships were paid off. Henry returned to half-pay, but when war did break out in 1793 he was appointed to the Ramillies, 74, with his son Thomas as master's mate. Ramillies served with distinction in the action of May 29. On the "Glorious First of June Ramillies was in the rear division and notably came to the aid of Brunswick, 74, under the command of Henry's brother John.

After the battle Henry was promoted rear admiral of the blue, and in August he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of a squadron employed off the coast of Holland in support of the Dutch and British troops. In January 1795 Henry raised his flag in the Prince of Wales, 98, with his nephew John as flag-captain and his son Thomas one of the lieutenants. Henry joined the Channel Fleet and sailed with convoys. In March 1796 he sailed in the North Sea with four sail of the line to join the squadron bringing Princess Caroline of Brunswick to marry the Prince of Wales, and to protect the Duke of York's army on its return from the Elbe. Next Henry joined the Channel Fleet under Lord Bridport, and was present at the action off L'Orient on June 23rd, in which three sail of the line were captured.

In August 1796 Henry sailed in the Queen Charlotte,100, with Prince, Orion, Russell, Jason, Arethusa and over 100 transports to rendezvous with Lord Bridport off Belisle before landing a large body of emigrants and troops at Quiberon Bay. After the departure of Lord Bridport, Henry was left with ten sail of the line to watch Brest and L'Orient, to protect British operations on shore and to evacuate those forces when that became necessary.

In April 1796 Henry was appointed Commander-in-Chief in the leeward Isles. General Abercrombie was ordered to attack the Spanish colonies of Trinidad and Puerto Rico with Henry supporting the mission. Trinidad was taken and a Spanish squadron caught overnight at anchor avoided battle by scuttling and burning themselves. Puerto Rico however could not be taken because its fortifications proved too strong. Henry was next employed protecting trade and annoying enemy cruisers and trade "which were by his exertions nearly annihilated." The islanders of St. Christophers awarded him 500 guineas for plate, the English inhabitants of Port Royal contributed a similar sum and the inhabitants of Tobago gave him a large silver cup valued at 100 guineas.

Henry moved his flag to a frigate and returned to England with a convoy in July. He was given the Order of the Bath and soon appointed second in command of the Channel Fleet under Lord St. Vincent, hoisting his flag in Royal Sovereign, 100. He remained at sea during the winter months (St. Vincent having taken shore leave) and was said to have been the first admiral to winter afloat in the North Sea. He remained with the channel fleet until the end of the war in 1802 and then retired to his seat "Roselands," in Walmer.

On April 23rd, 1804 he attained the rank of admiral of the blue, in June he was installed with the Order of the Knights of the Bath, and on November 9, 1805, he attained the rank of admiral of the white. He married Elizabeth Boys And The Couple Had Five Children, Including Acting Lieutenant Henry Harvey, Lieutenant Richard Harvey And Admiral Sir Thomas Harvey. Henry died on December 28th, 1810.

Genealogy Event 6
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 28 Dec 1810
Event Place: Walmer, Kent, England
Record Source: Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-20, 22