53 Facts About Robert Roddam

Admiral of the Red Robert Roddam was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, and the American War of Independence.

Robert Roddam survived to see the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, but was not actively employed during them.

Robert Roddam was born to a gentry family in northern England, and entered the navy some years before the outbreak of the War of Jenkins' Ear.

Robert Roddam worked his way up through the ranks during this war, and the wider War of the Austrian Succession, distinguishing himself in several actions and gaining promotions which eventually led to his first command in 1746.

Robert Roddam impressed his superior officers, including George Anson and Sir Peter Warren, with his ability and enthusiasm, particularly during a daring attack on a French force at Cedeira.

Robert Roddam spent some time with the Channel Fleet watching the French coast, and was briefly employed as senior officer of one of the blockading squadrons, where he again showed his willingness to fight against heavy odds.

Robert Roddam was employed briefly escorting convoys before the end of the war, after which he went ashore.

Robert Roddam was promoted to flag rank not long afterwards, and became commander-in-chief at the Nore.

Robert Roddam continued to be promoted, reaching the rank of admiral of the red in 1805.

Robert Roddam inherited the family seat at Roddam Hall, but though he married three times, he died without issue in 1808.

Robert Roddam was born in 1719 at the family seat of Roddam Hall, in Northumberland.

Robert Roddam was the second of three sons born to Edward Roddam, and his wife, Jane.

Robert Roddam distinguished himself during these encounters, and narrowly escaped being killed, when a cannonball shot off part of his coat.

Robert Roddam was present when Superb encountered a Spanish ship off the Irish coast during her voyage back to Britain.

Robert Roddam gave evidence to support the charges against Hervey, who was found guilty and cashiered, while Hardy was honourably acquitted.

Robert Roddam was with Monmouth for the next four years, spent cruising off the French coast, and travelling as far south as the Canary Islands.

When relieved by Lieutenant Hamilton, Robert Roddam related the strange behaviour of the ship, suggesting that some sort of witchcraft was responsible.

In Hamilton's presence, Robert Roddam attempted to repeat the procedure, and for the fourth time the ship missed stays.

The commanders of the various ships in the fleet argued against sending a ship, owing to the strong south-westerly wind, but Robert Roddam, despite having a brand-new ship, not fully fitted and trialled at sea, offered to make the attempt.

Impressed, Anson wrote to the Admiralty, and requested that Robert Roddam be placed under his command.

Robert Roddam sailed that evening, and was in position the following morning.

Robert Roddam stormed the first battery, carrying it and destroying all its guns, as well as capturing a Spanish privateer which emerged from the bay.

Robert Roddam then entered the bay, burnt twenty-eight merchant ships and captured five of them, the most he could provide sailors to man from his small crew.

On his return to England Robert Roddam was embraced by Warren, who thanked him personally for his skill and gallantry.

Meanwhile, Robert Roddam had, on his return to Britain after his action off Cedeira, been petitioned by the constituents of Portsmouth to represent them as their Member of Parliament.

Robert Roddam turned down their offer, and went on to serve at sea under Commodore Mitchell, cruising off the Dutch coast and in the North Sea.

Robert Roddam retained command of Greyhound and went out to North America to serve under Admiral Charles Watson at Louisbourg, who based Roddam at New York for the next three years until 1751.

Robert Roddam still hoped to carry his plan of capturing one of them into execution, and assembled his men in an attempt to board the 64-gun Eveille, but several of her consorts bore up and opened fire, damaging Greenwichs rigging and leaving her unmanageable.

Robert Roddam gathered his officers together, and told them that though they had no hope of winning against such a superior force, if any man could point out the admiral's flagship, he hoped to engage her and fight on for another hour or two.

The colours were then struck to Eveille, upon which her commander demanded Robert Roddam come aboard his ship.

Robert Roddam refused, answering that if he was wanted on the French ship, a boat must be sent for him, or else he would rehoist the colours and defend the ship until she sank.

Robert Roddam protested, and demanded to be taken to see Bauffremont.

Robert Roddam replied that he would have considered it a disgrace, and that his sword would have been delivered through the body of the person demanding it, had it happened to him.

At first Robert Roddam was allowed to visit his men everyday, but after some time, this was refused.

Robert Roddam's men became concerned that he had been murdered, and on not getting a satisfactory answer to their queries, seized their guards and took up arms.

The prison governor sent for Robert Roddam and asked him to restore order among his men, which Robert Roddam only agreed to do once he had received promises of better treatment for them.

Robert Roddam had hoped for similar success to the minutes printed from Admiral Sir John Byng's court martial, which had been held earlier that year, but found they did not sell as well as he had expected.

Robert Roddam was told by the printer that 'if you had been condemned to be shot, your trial would have sold as well; but the public take no interest in an honourable acquittal'.

Robert Roddam returned to England aboard a packet, and had to work to save the ship when the master pressed on too much sail in a gale, and again when a mysterious sail appeared to be attempting to catch the packet.

When questioned by his subordinates that ordering his ships not to engage would leave them open to accusations of cowardice, Robert Roddam replied that since he gave the order, only he could be accused, and he would take Colchester and engage all the frigates single-handedly, trusting that 'some of them would be sent to the bottom.

Robert Roddam requested permission to try anyway, as Colchester was 'an old man of war, not worth much, and the loss of her would be trifling for the good of the service.

Robert Roddam returned to Plymouth, with Colchester leaking badly, but the port admiral, Commodore Hanaway, merely sent some caulkers on board, and sent her back to sea to join Sir Edward Hawke off Vans with a convoy.

Robert Roddam had a second occasion to warn the convoy, when off Dover.

Pocock gave the order to lie-to, but Robert Roddam, seeing that some of the convoy were in danger of running onto South Foreland, signalled for the ships to bear away to the Downs.

Robert Roddam was commander there for three years, flying his flag aboard the 84-gun HMS Royal William during the Spanish armament in 1790.

Robert Roddam had them fitted and ready for manning within five days, and on being ordered to fit a further five ships for sea, completed the task in fourteen days.

Robert Roddam was promoted to admiral of the white on 12 April 1794, and admiral of the red on 9 November 1805.

None of Robert Roddam's marriages produced any children, and he left his estates to his distant relative William Spencer Stanhope, of Cannon Hall near Barnsley in south Yorkshire, the great-grandson of his first cousin Mary Robert Roddam, wife of Edward Collingwood, and cousin to Admiral Lord Collingwood.

Robert Roddam had succeeded to the family estates in 1776, on the death without issue of his elder brother Edward Roddam, and settled at the family seat of Roddam Hall in Northumberland where he had been born.

Robert Roddam appears to have spent his time improving the house and grounds, and was probably responsible for adding the late eighteenth-century wings to the hall.

Robert Roddam planted an avenue of trees, which are still extant today, named on Ordnance Survey maps as Admiral's Avenue, which leads to Boat Wood.

Admiral Robert Roddam died at Morpeth on 31 March 1808.

Robert Roddam was buried in the Robert Roddam Mausoleum in the churchyard of St Michael's, Ilderton, in north Northumberland.