John Pascoe Grenfell

Infobox Person
name = John Pascoe Grenfell


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = September 20 1800
birth_place = Battersea,England
death_date = March 20 1869 [ [http://grenfell.history.users.btopenworld.com/Biographies/john_pascoe_grenfell.htm] Grenfell Family History site - sourced 26th Aug 2007]
death_place = Liverpool,England
occupation = Naval Officer
spouse = Dona Maria Dolores Masini
parents = John Maugham Grenfell
Sophia Turner (1775-?) [ [http://grenfell.history.users.btopenworld.com/Databases/ghtout/gp80.htm#head3 Col. Harold Maxwell GRENFELL, CMG MVO, b: 1870 - Taplow, England ] ]
children = John Granville Grenfell (1829-1866)
Maria Dolores Grenfell (1831-?)
Sophia Grenfell(1833-1898) [ [http://web.ukonline.co.uk/nigel.battysmith/Database/D0029/I8603.html I8603: Sophia Grenfell ( - 19 AUG 1898) ] ]
Maria Emma Grenfell (1833-?)
Flora Grenfell (1841-1874)
Harry Tremenheere Grenfell (1845-1906)
Thomas Cochrane Granfell (1847-49) [ [http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/Djan1849.html] "Liverpool Journal" January 20 1849]

Admiral John Pascoe Grenfell (1800 – 1869) was an Officer in the Brazilian Navy who spent most of his service in South America campaigns, most notably under the leadership of Lord Thomas Cochrane and Commodore Norton. He was the nephew of British politician Pascoe Grenfell and grandfather to General Sir John Grenfell Maxwell.

Early history

John Pascoe Grenfell was born on September 20th 1800 to J.M. Grenfell. In 1811 he entered the service of the British East India Company, and in 1819 he joined the Chilean republic under Lord Cochrane. He took part in most of the conflicts undertaken by Lord Cochrane during the war of Chilean independence, and rose to the rank of lieutenant. On the November 5 1820 Grenfell was injured in the cutting of the "Esmeralda" the last major Spanish warship in the South Pacific. In 1823 now holding the rank of commander he followed Lord Cochrane to Brazil, on this occasion in hostilities against Portugal. In August 1823, Grenfell in command of the small brig "Dom Miguel" sailed to Pará and using a similar tactic used by Lord Cochrane at Maranham, forced the surrender of the junta governativa by making them think a larger fleet was following. [ [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Para] Encyclopedia Britannica 11th Edition.] On July 29 1826, under the command of Commodore Norton, he lost his arm in a conflict in Buenos Ayres. He then returned to England to recuperate.

Later life

In 1828 Grenfell returned to Brazil, and during 1835-36 he commanded a squadron of ships on the lakes of Rio Grande do Sul against rebel flotillas. He was successful in defeating his opponents which forced the surrender of the rebel army. In 1841 he was promoted to rear-admiral and in 1846 was consul general in England and he returned to Britain to live in Liverpool. In 1848 when supervising the Brazilian warship "Alfonso" he was involved in the rescuing of passengers from the "Ocean Monarch" off the coast of England. [ [http://www.mightyseas.co.uk/articles/ocean_monarch/report.htm] "The Illustrated London News", September 2nd, 1848]

In 1851 war broke out between Brazil and Argentina and he was posted to Brazil to take control of their Navy. In December of that year he successfully forced the passage of the Paraná. After the conflict ended he was promoted to vice-admiral and then finally admiral. He again returned to Liverpool to resume his role as consul-general and remained there until his death in 1869.

References