A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Barrell, Justinian
BARRELL. (Commander, 1815. f-p., 23; h-p., 33.)
Justinian Barrell is son of the late Savage Barrell, Esq., by his wife, the sister of Gen. Rainsford; and great-grandson of the late Gen. Wm. Barrell, 15 years Colonel of the 4th, or King’s Own, and Governor of Pendennis Castle.
This officer entered the Navy, in Aug. 1791, as a Boy, on board the Brunswick 74, Capts. Sir Roger Curtis and John Harvey, under the latter of whom he fought in the battle of 1 June, 1794. He afterwards joined in succession the Russell 74, Capt. Joseph Larcom, Kingfisher 18, Capts. John Marsh, John Bligh, and John Maitland, Kent 74, bearing the flag of Lord Duncan, Veteran 64, Capt. Archibald Collingwood Dickson, Zebra bomb, Capt. Edw. Sneyd Clay, Plover 18, Capt. Edw. Galwey, and Santa Margaritta 36, Capts. Augustus Leveson Gower, Henry Whitby, and Wilson Rathbome. Of these ships (which were chiefly employed on the Home and West India stations) the Kingfisher appears to have taken part in the capture, during the year 1797, of L’Egalité national brig, and Le Général privateer; and the Kent and Veteran in the expeditions of 1799 and 1800 to Holland and Elsineur. Having passed his examination in 1802, Mr. Barrell, in July, 1805, became Acting-Lieutenant of the Despatch 18, Capts. Edw. Hawkins, Jas. Lillicrap, and Jas. Aberdour, and while in that vessel was present, 27 Sept. 1806, in a gallant engagement with the French 40-gun frigate Le Président, on which occasion he had the satisfaction, during an hour’s cannonade, of firing the only shot that hulled the enemy. On 19 Dec. 1807, after he had co-operated in the siege of Copenhagen, Mr. Barrell was at length confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant. He continued to serve in the Despatch, on the Jamaica station, until Aug. 1811; after which he joined – 23 Nov. 1811, the Loire 38, Capts. Alex. Wilmot Schomberg and Thos. Brown, employed off Lisbon and St. Helena – and, 28 July, 1813, the Gladiator, as Flag-Lieutenant at Portsmouth to Rear-Admiral Edw. Jas. Foote. In 1814 he was sent to Bordeaux to superintend the embarkation of the troops; and on 21 March, 1815, was promoted, on the occasion of Rear-Admiral Foote striking his flag, to the rank he now holds. He has not since been employed.
Commander Barrell, in 1815, submitted some valuable suggestions to the Admiralty, having for their object an improvement in the mode of supplying and receiving stores. His plan at the time attracted the very favourable notice of their Lordships. He married, in 1811, Miss Townley.