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Surnames: BRYDGES / BRIDGES DRAKE FRANCIS GLEDHILL / GOODALL EVANS GEORGE RODNEY http://www.heritage.nf.ca/govhouse/governors/g15.html [1748-1751 ...aged 29 to 31 yrs. "In 1748, RODNEY was appointed to the "Rainbow" as governor of Newfoundland. His term as governor was only for the 1749 season, however, he remained in Newfoundland for three years. RODNEY was known as a just governor. He prevented a Harbour Grace planter from lowering his employees' wages during an unprosperous year, and intervened when local magistrates tried to protect a man who abused his servants." He was well aquainted with his successor as NL Governor, Frances William DRAKE... http://www.heritage.nf.ca/govhouse/governors/g16.html http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=35984] ************************************************ Hello Lloyd, Interesting that you mention Admiral RODNEY, as he was the man that my father, also a sea captain, named me after and after whom the battleship HMS Rodney, of WWII, was named. I note a couple of discrepancies on the website you quoted and add some more of his history below:- ------- [1779... at age 60 yrs] Admiral Lord GEORGE BRYDGES RODNEY, 1st Baron Rodney (1719-1792) was appointed Commander in Chief of the Leeward Islands in 1779. This was his second posting there. [1761...at age 42 yrs.] During the first, in 1761, he had subdued Martinique, St. Lucia and Grenada, which earned him a baronetcy. [1780...at age 61 yrs.] On his second posting, he freed Gibraltar from the Spanish, enroute he captured a Spanish convoy off Cape Finisterre on January 8 1780, and eight days later, at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, defeated the Spanish Admiral Don Juan de LANGARA, taking or destroying seven of his ships. [1782...at age 63 yrs.] His crowning victory, though, was the Battle of the Saintes, off Dominica on April 12 1782, when, with 35 ships of the line, he defeated the French, under Compte de GRASSE, who had 33. The French inferiority in numbers was more than counterbalanced by the greater size and superior sailing qualities of their ships, yet five were and one sunk after 11 hours fighting. This important battle saved Jamaica and ruined French naval prestige. It enabled RODNEY to write: 'Within two little years, I have taken two Spanish,one French and one Dutch admiral.' Some naval historians argue that RODNEY became the first commander to use the manoeuvre of 'breaking the line' during this battle. RODNEY returned home to a rapturous welcome. He was created Baron Rodney of Rodney Stoke, Somerset, by patent of June 19 1782, and the House of Commons voted him a pension of £2,000 a year - a huge sum in those days. From that time he led a quiet life until his death in London on May 23 1792. Rodney's Pillar was raised on the top of Breidden Hill near Welshpool,Powys, late in 1782 to celebrate his victory over the French earlier that year and also to celebrate the fact that the bulk of Rodney's fleet was manufactured from Powysland oak. The architect of the pillar is unknown, though some local historians cite John EVANS of Llwynygroes. The round copper ball on the top of the pillar was destroyed in a gale in 1835. ------ Regards -- Rodney HALL Heywood, Lancashire Suaviter sed fortiter Agreeably but powerfully ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ rmh@rmhh.co.uk http://rmhh.co.uk/ http://rmhh.org.uk/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com SPOTLIGHT ON: When was the last time you visited http://ngb.chebucto.org/NGBRIF/index.html ************************************************************** Please be sure your messages are sent in Plain Text format. Htmled messages may bounce. Going on vacation? Prefer the digest mode? Manage your NGB Mailing List subscription http://ngb.chebucto.org/ngb-mail.shtml
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