A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Sneyd, Clement
SNEYD. (Rear-Admiral, 1846.)
Clement Sneyd, born in Feb. 1773, at Bishton, near Rugeley, Staffordshire, is second surviving son of the late John Sneyd, Esq., at one time of Bishton and afterwards of Belmont, by his first wife Penelope, eldest daughter of Thos. Kynnersley, Esq., of Loxley Park, co. Stafford; and brother (with the present Wm. Sneyd, Esq., of Ashcombe, co. Stafford) of Lieut. Ralph Sneyd, R.N., who died 7 March, 1805.
This officer entered the Navy, in Nov. 1786, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Expedition 44, Capt. Jas. Vashon, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Alan Gardner, with whom he served his time in the West Indies and Channel in the same ship, and the Courageux 74. From the period of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant 14 Oct. 1793 until Dec. 1795, he was employed in the Swift sloop, Capt. John Doling, and Suffolk 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Peter Rainier, in the East Indies. He next, in Dec. 1796 and July, 1799, joined the Russel 74, and Juste 80, Capts. Arch. Dickson and Sir Henry Trollope, in the former of which ships he bore a warm part in the action off Camperdown 11 Oct. 1797. After serving, as First-Lieutenant, with Capt. Jas. Walker in the Prince George 98, and with Capt. Wm. Selby in the Cerberus 32 (the latter engaged at the bombardment of Granville in 1803), he was appointed, in the spring of 1804, to the Culloden 74, fitting for the flag of Sir Edw. Pellew, by whom, on their arrival in the East Indies, he was appointed Governor, with the rank of Acting-Commander, of the Hospital at Madras. He was confirmed a Commander 25 Sept. 1806; acted subsequently as Captain of the Lord Duncan and Sir Francis Drake frigates; was appointed, 26 Oct. 1809, to the Muros 14, on the Home station; and from 3 April, 1811 (the date of his Post commission), until 13 June, 1813, commanded the Myrtle 20, on the coast of Portugal. While in the Sir Francis Drake, and in charge of a China convoy, Capt. Sneyd, we are told, beat off the French frigate Piémontaise of superior force. On being superseded from her, in consequence of a change in the administration, he returned home a passenger in the Albion 74, Capt. John Ferrier; which ship, when near the Cape of Good Hope, was caught in a violent gale and half dismasted, while several ships under her convoy actually foundered. Capt. Sneyd accepted his present rank 1 Oct. 1846.
He married, first, 27 Oct. 1813, Helen, third daughter of Roger Swetenham, Esq., of Somerford Booths, near Congleton, Cheshire, by whom (who died 16 March, 1821) he had issue one son and two daughters; and, secondly, Eliza Catherine, daughter of John Cotton, Esq., of Etwell, co. Derby.