A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Groves, John
GROVES. (Lieut., 1827. f-p., 17; h-p., 31.)
John Groves was born 29 March, 1795, at Godmanstone, co. Dorset.
This officer entered the Navy, 21 Nov. 1809, as a Volunteer, on board the Argo 44, Capt. Stephen Thos. Digby, with whom, until the peace of 1815, he continued to serve, a great part of the time as Midshipman, in the same ship, and in the Theban 36, Cornwallis 74, and Hydra 38. While on her passage out with convoy, the Theban, at noon on 8 Sept. 1812, being at the time in the China Sea, was caught in a typhoon, and before midnight had nothing standing but the foremast and bowsprit. During his attachment to the Hydra, Mr. Groves attended the expedition to New Orleans, where constant exposure to wet and cold in an open boat deprived him for some time of the use of his limbs. In Jan. 1816, shortly after he had passed his examination, he was appointed Mate of the Newcastle 50, flag-ship of Sir Pulteney Malcolm at St. Helena, from which station he returned to England and was paid off 10 Sept. 1817. Re-entering the service in Dec. 1818, he joined the Révolutionnaire 46, Capt. Hon. Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds Pellew, whom he soon afterwards accompanied, as Admiralty-Midshipman, to the Mediterranean. On 18 May, 1821, we find Mr. Groves serving, under Lieut. Arthur Morrell, in one of two boats belonging to the latter ship, and assisting at the capture, in the harbour of St. Jean, in the Gulf of Patras, of two Greek pirate-boats, together with two others supposed to be their prizes; on which occasion the British sustained a loss of 1 man killed and 3 slightly wounded. While next borne on the books, from May 1823 until March, 1825, of the Bulwark 74, and William and Mary yacht, Capts. Thos. Dundas and Chas. Malcolm, he was part of the time employed in the British and Irish Channels on board the Falcon and Tiger tenders. He was ultimately, on 28 April, 1827, advanced to his present rank, while serving in the Victory 104, flag-ship at Portsmouth of Sir Geo. Martin. Since that period he has been on half-pay.
Lieut. Grove, whose first marriage took place 25 Sept. 1827, wedded, secondly, 16 April, 1838, Harriet, daughter of the late Mr. Levi Groves, of Minterne, co. Dorset. Two children are the surviving issue of his first marriage.