A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Meynell, Henry
MEYNELL. (Capt., 1816. f-p., 12; h-p., 32.)
Henry Meynell is second son of the late Hugo Meynell, Esq., of Hoar Cross, by Hon. Elizabeth Ingram, daughter and co-heiress of Viscount Irwin, whose elder daughter married the second Marquess of Hertford. Capt. Meynell is next brother of the present Hugo Chas. Meynell-lngram, of Temple Newsam, co. York, and Hoar Cross, co. Stafford, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for the latter shire, and High Sheriff in 1826; and brother-in-law of Wm. Beckett, Esq., of Kirkstall Grange, co. York, M.P. for Leeds, and Lieut.-Colonel of the Yorkshire Hussars.
This officer entered the Navy, 24 June, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Isis 50, Capts. Wm. Grenville Lobb and John Acworth Ommanney, bearing the successive flags of Vice-Admirals Jas. Gambier and Sir Erasmus Gower at Newfoundland, where he remained until Feb. 1805. Between the following month and July, 1806, we again find him serving with Capt. Lobb, chiefly in the capacity of Midshipman, in the Pomone 38 and Captain 74, on the Lisbon and Home stations. Towards the close of the year last mentioned he joined, first the Boreas 22, Capt. Robt. Scott, and then the Lavinia 40, Capt. Lord Wm. Stuart, in which frigate, it appears, he continued employed at Home and in the Mediterranean until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 8 Nov. 1809. He witnessed in consequence the surrender of a frigate and store-ship, contributed to the cutting-out of several vessels from under the enemy’s batteries, carried a prize on one occasion to Malta, and assisted, we believe, in forcing the passage between the batteries of Flushing and Cadsand during the expedition to the Walcheren. Obtaining an appointment, 16 Jan. 1810, to the Theban 36, Capt. Stephen Thos. Digby, Mr. Meynell, after cruizing for a considerable time in the Channel (where he commanded the boats at the capture, 2 Feb. 1811, of a French merchant-brig lying aground under two batteries near Dieppe[1]), sailed with convoy for the East Indies and China;[2] on her passage whither the Theban had the misfortune, at noon on 8 Sept. 1812, to be caught in a typhoon, which before midnight left her nothing standing but her foremast and bowsprit. In the early part of 1813 Mr. Meynell was nominated Acting-Commander of the Arrogant at Bombay; and, on 24 Aug. in the same year, he was there officially promoted into the Cornwallis. Quitting that vessel in the ensuing Oct., he was next, 23 Aug. and 24 Nov. 1815, appointed Acting-Captain of the 50-gun ships Jupiter and Newcastle; to the latter of which, bearing the flag of Sir Pulteney Malcolm at St. Helena, the Admiralty confirmed him 10 April, 1816. He was paid off 10 Sept. 1817, and has not been since afloat.
From 22 March, 1820, until the death of George IV., Capt. Meynell (who is Senior of 1816) filled the post of Gentleman Usher Quarterly Waiter to that monarch; as he also did to William IV. from 24 July, 1830, until 23 March, 1831, when he resigned. He was returned to Parliament in 1826 for the borough of Lisburn, which he continued to represent until 1847. For some time prior to April, 1845, Capt. Meynell held the office of Groom in Waiting on her present Majesty. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1811, p. 205.
- ↑ The following is an extract from a letter addressed to the author by an officer who was on board the Theban at the period to which it refers:– “On 18 March, 1811, the Theban having been ordered to Portsmouth to refit, entered the harbour under royals; let go the anchor off the Perseverance hulk at half-past eleven o’clock; and by half-past twelve that is to say in one hour – the ship was secured to the hulk and completely stripped to the lower masts, the sails and rigging made up, with the yards and small spars on board the hulk. Capt. H. Meynell was the Senior Lieutenant then doing duty.”