Richard FitzPatrick, 1st Baron Gowran
Encyclopedia
Richard FitzPatrick, 1st Baron Gowran (died 1727) was a British naval captain.
of Castletown, Queen's County, by Elizabeth, fourth daughter of Thomas, viscount Thurles, and relict of James Purcell of Loughmoe.
He entered the royal navy
and was appointed, on 14 May 1687 commander of the HMS Richmond
.
On 24 May 1688, he was made captain of the HMS Assurance
, from which in 1689 he was transferred to the HMS Lark, in which he cruised against the French in the German Ocean.
Having distinguished himself on that station, he was advanced on 11 January 1690 to the command of the HMS St. Alban's
, a fourth-rate, with which on 18 July he captured off Rame Head
a French frigate of 36 guns, after a fight of four hours, in which the enemy lost forty men killed and wounded, the casualties on board the St. Alban's being only four; and the French ship was so shattered that she had to be towed into Plymouth.
In February 1690–1, he drove on shore two French frigates and helped to cut out fourteen merchantmen from a convoy of twenty-two.
In command of the HMS Burford
(70 guns), he served under Lord Berkeley
in 1696, and in July was detached to make a descent on the Groix
, an island near Belle Isle
, off the west coast of Brittany, from which he brought off thirteen hundred head of cattle, with horses, boats, and small vessels.
He was promoted to the command of the HMS Ranelagh
(80 guns) on the outbreak of the war of the Spanish succession
, and took part in James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
's mismanaged expedition against Cadiz
(1702), and in the successful attack on Vigo which followed; but soon after retired from the service.
In 1696, he had received a grant of the town and lands of Grantstown and other lands in Queen's County, and on 27 April 1715, he was raised to the Irish peerage as Baron Gowran of Gowran, Kilkenny.
He took his seat on 12 November, and on 14 November helped to prepare an address to the king congratulating him upon his accession.
He died on 9 June 1727.
of Farmingwood, Northamptonshire, by whom he had two sons, John and Richard.
The former, promoted to the Irish earldom of Upper Ossory on 5 October 1751, was father of Richard Fitzpatrick
.
Life
He was the second son of John FitzpatrickJohn Fitzpatrick
John Fitzpatrick or FitzPatrick is the name of:* John FitzPatrick , former Australian federal politician* John Fitzpatrick , coach and manager in Major League Baseball...
of Castletown, Queen's County, by Elizabeth, fourth daughter of Thomas, viscount Thurles, and relict of James Purcell of Loughmoe.
He entered the royal navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and was appointed, on 14 May 1687 commander of the HMS Richmond
HMS Richmond
Seven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Richmond, after the English town of Richmond, or numerous holders of the title of Duke of Richmond:...
.
On 24 May 1688, he was made captain of the HMS Assurance
HMS Assurance (1646)
HMS Assurance was a 32-gun fourth rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, built by Peter Pett I at Deptford Dockyard and launched in 1646...
, from which in 1689 he was transferred to the HMS Lark, in which he cruised against the French in the German Ocean.
Having distinguished himself on that station, he was advanced on 11 January 1690 to the command of the HMS St. Alban's
HMS St Albans (1687)
HMS St Albans was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, launched at Deptford Dockyard in 1687.St Albans was wrecked in 1693....
, a fourth-rate, with which on 18 July he captured off Rame Head
Rame Head
Rame Head is a coastal headland, southwest of the village of Rame in southeast Cornwall, United Kingdom.-History and antiquities:The site was used for a hill fort in the Iron Age. The headland has a prominent chapel, dedicated to St Michael, accessible by a steep footpath...
a French frigate of 36 guns, after a fight of four hours, in which the enemy lost forty men killed and wounded, the casualties on board the St. Alban's being only four; and the French ship was so shattered that she had to be towed into Plymouth.
In February 1690–1, he drove on shore two French frigates and helped to cut out fourteen merchantmen from a convoy of twenty-two.
In command of the HMS Burford
HMS Burford (1679)
HMS Burford was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Woolwich Dockyard in 1679.She was rebuilt at Deptford in 1699, remaining as a 70-gun third rate....
(70 guns), he served under Lord Berkeley
John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton
John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton was an English admiral.- Biography :He was the second son of John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, and succeeded to the title on March 6, 1681, by the death of his elder brother Charles, a captain in the navy.On December 14, 1688 he was...
in 1696, and in July was detached to make a descent on the Groix
Groix
Groix is an island and a commune in the Morbihan department of the region of Brittany in north-western France.Groix lies a few kilometres of the coast off Lorient. Several ferries a day run from Lorient to Groix....
, an island near Belle Isle
Belle Isle
- Places :In Canada* Belle Isle , an island and strait In England, UK* Belle Isle, an area of Leeds, West Yorkshire* Belle Isle , an island in Lake District, Cumbria...
, off the west coast of Brittany, from which he brought off thirteen hundred head of cattle, with horses, boats, and small vessels.
He was promoted to the command of the HMS Ranelagh
HMS Ranelagh (1697)
HMS Ranelagh was a three-decker 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford Dockyard on 25 June 1697. She took part in a number of actions during the War of the Spanish Succession, including the Battle of Vigo in 1702 and the Battle of Vélez-Málaga in 1704.On 20...
(80 guns) on the outbreak of the war of the Spanish succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, and took part in James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde KG KT was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom of Ormonde...
's mismanaged expedition against Cadiz
Battle of Cádiz (1702)
The Battle of Cádiz, fought in August/September 1702, was an Anglo-Dutch attempt to seize the southern Spanish port of Cádiz during the War of the Spanish Succession. The Andalusian city of Cádiz was the great European centre of the Spanish–American trade...
(1702), and in the successful attack on Vigo which followed; but soon after retired from the service.
In 1696, he had received a grant of the town and lands of Grantstown and other lands in Queen's County, and on 27 April 1715, he was raised to the Irish peerage as Baron Gowran of Gowran, Kilkenny.
He took his seat on 12 November, and on 14 November helped to prepare an address to the king congratulating him upon his accession.
He died on 9 June 1727.
Family
Fitzpatrick married in 1718 Anne, younger daughter of Sir John RobinsonJohn Robinson
-Academics:*John Martin Robinson , English Officer of Arms and historian*John Alan Robinson , philosopher and mathematician*John Thomas Romney Robinson , Irish astronomer and physicist*John T. Robinson, paleontologist...
of Farmingwood, Northamptonshire, by whom he had two sons, John and Richard.
The former, promoted to the Irish earldom of Upper Ossory on 5 October 1751, was father of Richard Fitzpatrick
Richard FitzPatrick
General Richard FitzPatrick , styled The Honourable from birth, was an Anglo-Irish soldier, wit, poet, Whig politician and ‘sworn brother’ of the illustrious statesman of Charles James Fox...
.