| John Montagu | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1719 |
| Died | 1795 (aged 75–76) |
| Place of birth | Lackham, Wiltshire |
| Place of death | Fareham, Hampshire |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
North American Station Portsmouth Command |
Admiral John Montagu (1719–1795) was a naval officer and colonial governor of Newfoundland.
[]
He was born in 1719, son of James Montagu of Lackham in Wiltshire (died 1747), and great-grandson of James Montagu of Lackham (1602-1665), third son of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester.[1] Montagu began his naval career in the Royal Naval Academy, Portsmouth on 14 August 1733.[2]
He was promoted lieutenant in 1740 and served on HMS Buckingham and, in 1744, was present at the Battle off Toulon.[2] In 1757 he was present at the execution of Admiral John Byng.[2] Promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1770, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the North American Station from 1771 to 1774.[2]
He was promoted Vice-Admiral in 1776 and then appointed Governor and commander-in-chief of Newfoundland.[2] Montagu captured St. Pierre and Miquelon for the British and defended Newfoundland from both French and American privateers.[2] By his swift actions he had prevented the French from capturing Carbonear and Harbour Grace.[2]
In 1783 he was made Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.[3] His honorary appointments included Admiral of the Blue in 1782 and Admiral of the White in 1787.[2]
Family[]
Montagu married Sophia Wroughton on 2 December 1748 and had one daughter and four sons. Of his sons, George and James became naval officers, while Edward became a lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Artillery.
References[]
- ↑
Laughton, John Knox (1894). "Montagu, John (1719-1795)". In Lee, Sidney. Dictionary of National Biography. 38. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Biography at Government House The Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador
- ↑ History in Portsmouth
The original article can be found at John Montagu (Royal Navy officer) and the edit history here.