Sir Thomas Blomefield, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Thomas Blomefield, 1st Baronet Blomefield, was born in February 1774 and died 24 August 1822.
He was the son of Reverend Thomas Blomefield and Mary Matthews. When he was 11 years old his father sent Thomas to sea on HMS Cambridge
under Sir Peircy Brett
, who was a close friend of the Rev. Blomefield. Thomas's naval career was short lived; in February 1758 he enrolled as a cadet at the Royal Military Academy
at Woolwich.
He was a talented student passed out as a lieutenant fire-worker eleven months later at age 15. He commanded a bomb-ketch at the bombardment of Havre and joined Hawke's fleet at Quiberon
.
Blomefield saw combat in the West Indies and Florida and served as personal aide-de-camp to General Conway, who was then acting Master General of the Ordnance. In 1771 Conway's successor, Lord Townshend, retained Blomefield as his aide. He resigned the position to serve in the American Revolutionary War
. He was brigade-major to Brigadier Phillips and was wounded in the head at the Battle of Saratoga
. When he recovered he returned to his duties as aide to the Master General of Ordnance.
In 1780 he was appointed Inspector of Artillery and Superintendent of the Royal Brass Foundry. Blomefield set himself to the task. He began by condemning 496 new artillery pieces, about a quarter of Britain's annual production, as unsuitable before they were sent to the army or the fleet.
He was entrusted with reorganisation of the Ordnance Department in 1783. At about this time he started to design artillery. Apparently he conducted his own experiments and used these to inform his designs.
He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1793 and colonel seven years later. He was promoted to major-general in 1803. He served as colonel-commandant of battalion in 1806. Blomefield was Major-General of the artillery expedition to Copenhagen
in 1807. He was created 1st Baronet Blomefield, of Attleborough
, County Norfolk
on 14 November 1807.
The Royal Navy
too conducted experiments. To enable new frigates to meet the American frigates on less unequal terms, in 1813 and her sister received medium 24-pounder guns and an increased complement of men. Cydnuss 24-pounders followed a Blomefield design and measured 7 ft. 6 in. in length while weighing about 40 cwt. The 24-pounders on Eurotas were to a design by Colonel Congreve. During December 1813 and January 1814, Cyndus and Eurotas actually temporarily exchanged six 24-pounders, presumably to enable both vessels to test the designs against each other. Ultimately, the Royal Navy adopted General Blomefield's design.
He was the son of Reverend Thomas Blomefield and Mary Matthews. When he was 11 years old his father sent Thomas to sea on HMS Cambridge
HMS Cambridge (1755)
HMS Cambridge was an 80-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Deptford Dockyard to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment as amended in 1750, and launched on 21 October 1755.-Early career:...
under Sir Peircy Brett
Peircy Brett
Sir Peircy Brett was an officer in the Royal Navy, who from 1740 to 1744 served on George Anson's voyage around the world. During this voyage he was appointed captain of the . He reached the rank of rear admiral in 1762, and thereafter served on land. In the Admiralty he was lord commissioner ,...
, who was a close friend of the Rev. Blomefield. Thomas's naval career was short lived; in February 1758 he enrolled as a cadet at the Royal Military Academy
Royal Military Academy
The Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, in south-east London, was a British Army military academy for the training of commissioned officers of the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers...
at Woolwich.
He was a talented student passed out as a lieutenant fire-worker eleven months later at age 15. He commanded a bomb-ketch at the bombardment of Havre and joined Hawke's fleet at Quiberon
Battle of Quiberon Bay
The naval Battle of Quiberon Bay took place on 20 November 1759 during the Seven Years' War in Quiberon Bay, off the coast of France near St. Nazaire...
.
Blomefield saw combat in the West Indies and Florida and served as personal aide-de-camp to General Conway, who was then acting Master General of the Ordnance. In 1771 Conway's successor, Lord Townshend, retained Blomefield as his aide. He resigned the position to serve in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. He was brigade-major to Brigadier Phillips and was wounded in the head at the Battle of Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
. When he recovered he returned to his duties as aide to the Master General of Ordnance.
In 1780 he was appointed Inspector of Artillery and Superintendent of the Royal Brass Foundry. Blomefield set himself to the task. He began by condemning 496 new artillery pieces, about a quarter of Britain's annual production, as unsuitable before they were sent to the army or the fleet.
He was entrusted with reorganisation of the Ordnance Department in 1783. At about this time he started to design artillery. Apparently he conducted his own experiments and used these to inform his designs.
He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1793 and colonel seven years later. He was promoted to major-general in 1803. He served as colonel-commandant of battalion in 1806. Blomefield was Major-General of the artillery expedition to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1807. He was created 1st Baronet Blomefield, of Attleborough
Attleborough
Attleborough is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England situated between Norwich and Thetford. The parish falls within the district of Breckland and has an area of 21.90 km² with a Mainline to both Norwich and Cambridge....
, County Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
on 14 November 1807.
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...
too conducted experiments. To enable new frigates to meet the American frigates on less unequal terms, in 1813 and her sister received medium 24-pounder guns and an increased complement of men. Cydnuss 24-pounders followed a Blomefield design and measured 7 ft. 6 in. in length while weighing about 40 cwt. The 24-pounders on Eurotas were to a design by Colonel Congreve. During December 1813 and January 1814, Cyndus and Eurotas actually temporarily exchanged six 24-pounders, presumably to enable both vessels to test the designs against each other. Ultimately, the Royal Navy adopted General Blomefield's design.