A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Renou, Timothy
RENOU. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 31; h-p., 13.)
Timothy Renou was born 3 June, 1789. He is nephew of Capt. Adrian Renou, R.N., who served as First-Lieutenant in the Barfleur 98, under the late Lord Collingwood, in Lord Howe’s action 1 June, 1794, and, after an active career of 36 years, died in command of the Zealand 64 at the Nore in 1805.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 June, 1803, as Midshipman, on board the Victor sloop, commanded by his uncle, Capt. Adrian Renou, on the Guernsey station; and from March, 1804, until Dec. 1805, was employed with Capt. Jas. Nicoll Morris in the Leopard 50 and Colossus 74. In the former ship he served off Boulogne; and in the Colossus, after blockading Brest and Rochefort, he fought and was wounded at the battle of Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805.[1] In consideration of the injury he sustained on that occasion he was presented with a donation from the Patriotic Fund. After serving for 12 months in the Terrible 74, Capt. Lord Henry Paulet, part of the force employed in pursuit of the celebrated Rochefort squadron, he was again, in Jan. 1807, placed under the orders of Capt. Morris in his former ship the Colossus, commanded subsequently by Capt. Thos. Alexander, by whom, for his conduct as Master’s Mate at the siege of Cadiz, he was recommended to the notice of Rear-Admiral Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats. He was in consequence nominated, 12 Dec. 1810, Acting-Lieutenant of the Norge 74, Capt. John Sprat Rainier; in which ship he continued at Cadiz until Feb. 1811. Being sent out in the following summer to the Mediterranean on the Admiralty List for promotion in the Repulse 74, Capt. Rich. Hussey Moubray, he was again, on his arrival, ordered, 1 Aug. 1811, to act as Lieutenant in the Acorn 18, Capt. Geo. Miller Bligh. From that vessel he was detached for the purpose of conveying despatches from the late Sir Murray Maxwell, senior officer at Lissa, to the late Sir Chas. Rowley off Corfu, and also to the Admiral at Malta. In Nov. of the same year he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Merope sloop, Capts. Edw. Flin, John Chas. Gawen Roberts, and Benj. Wm. Suckling; in which vessel (being confirmed to her by commission dated 2 Jan. 1812) he continued until Sept. 1814- At the commencement of 1812, when an attack by storm was contemplated upon Tarragona by the Baron d’Eroles and General Sarsfield, Mr. Renou was intrusted with the charge of the scaling-ladders to be employed. He subsequently, in an armed boat belonging to the Bustard sloop, succeeded in cutting out two feluccas, well armed, from St. Philon, on the coast of Catalonia; and in 1813 he witnessed Sir John Murray’s unsuccessful attempt upon Tarragona. During the period which elapsed between the resignation of Capt. Roberts and the arrival of Capt. Suckling we find him acting as Commander of the Merope. With the exception of a command which he held, from March, 1831, until March, 1834, of the Wickham Revenue-vessel, on the coast of Ireland, he had charge, from May, 1822, until Aug. 1841, of a station in the Coast Guard. He was then under the necessity of surrendering his appointment from the effects of rheumatism, induced by long exposure and night-duty.
Lieut. Renou married, 18 May, 1818, Miss Sarah Ann Ashley, of Molescroft, co. York, by whom he has issue six children.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1805, p. 1481.