Barrington Reynolds

In 1808, Reynolds moved to HMS Russell but less than a year later was given his first command, the hulk HMS Arrogant. In February 1811 he became a commander and took over the sloop HMS Hesper in which he participated in the attack on Java and was promoted to post captain as a reward, taking over HMS Sir Francis Drake. The Admiralty confirmed his promotion in 1812, in recognition of the services of his father, who had died in the wreck of HMS St George on Christmas Eve 1811.[1] He returned to Britain in August 1812 in command of HMS Bucephalus and remained in her for a year before entering semi-retirement due to ill-health. Following the end of the war in 1815, Reynolds was offered continued service as a frigate captain in the reduced Navy, but was forced to turn the post down due to a protracted bout of ill-health.[1]

Obituary in the Times newspaper Date 5 August 1861 "We have to announce the death of Admiral Sir Barrington Reynolds, K.C.B., who expired at an early hour on Saturday morning at Penair, his residence, near Truro. The gallant admiral was the son of Rear-Admiral Robert C. Reynolds, who was lost in the St. George, 98, on returning home from the Baltic in December, 1811, and was born in 1785. The deceased officer entered the navy as a first-class volunteer soon after he had completed his tenth year; he was midshipman on board the Amazon, 36, when in company with the Indefatigable, 46, L'Unité, 33, and La Virginie, 44, were captured. In January, 1797, he was wrecked and taken prisoner near Ile Bas, at the close of a gallant action of ten hours with Les Droits de L’Homme, 74, also wrecked. On regaining his liberty in January of the following year he was appointed to La Pomone, in which he assisted in the capture of Le Chéri, French privateer, of 26 guns. He shortly afterwards joined the Indefatigable, Capt. Sir Edward Pelew (afterwards Lord Exmouth), under whom he contributed to the capture of La Vaillante corvette. Under the same famous commander he served with the squadron sent in the summer of 1800 to co-operate with the French Royalists and Chouans, in Quiberon Bay, and the Morbihan, and in August accompanied the expedition against Ferrol. For his gallantry in several successful boat actions with the enemy he was promoted to the rank of Lieut. In the boats of the Diana, on the night of 28 March 1806, Lieut. Reynolds captured Le Néarque, of 16 guns, off L’Orient, the rearmost of a French squadron, without being discovered by the three French frigates, her consorts. Afterwards he proceeded to the East Indies, and early in 1811 he was appointed to the command of the Hesper, 18, part of the force employed in the expedition against Java, where he assisted at the bombardment and storming of Fort Cornelis, and served on shore with a party of seamen throughout all the operations. After the reduction of the town of Cheribon he was appointed Commandant, pro tem., of that place. As a reward for his distinguished services in the subjugation of that island, he was appointed to the command of the frigate Sir Francis Drake, and was in the following year removed by the Commander-In-Chief, Sir Samuel Hood, into the Bucephalus, 32, in which he continued until paid off in 1813. From impaired health engendered by the climate of the East Indies he was not employed for several years. From October, 1833, to April, 1842, he commanded the Ganges, 84, which formed one of the fleet in the Mediterranean. He superintended, during the campaign of 1840 in Syria, the landing of the troops at D’Journie, and assisted at the bombardment of Beyrout, and the blockade of Alexandria. In 1843 to 1852 he was Commander-in-Chief at the Cape of Good Hope and the Brazil station. It was during his command at that station that he obtained the thanks of the Government for his activity and zeal in suppressing the slave trade. Shortly after his return home he was selected by the Admiralty, in May, 1857, for the post of Commander-in-Chief at Devonport, which appointment he filled up to October last. In 1838 he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath, and in February, 1856, was made a Knight Commander of that most honourable order of knighthood. The late Admiral's commissions bore date as follows:- Lieutenant, 18 Sept. 1801; Commander, Oct. 3,1810; Captain, 22 Jan. 1812; Rear-Admiral, Jan. 8,1848; Vice-Admiral, 4 July 1855 and Admiral, 1 Nov. 1860." Ref: https://www.pdavis.nl/ShowObit.php?id=164