George Eyre

George Eyre was born the fourth and youngest son of politician Anthony Eyre, who had represented the constituency of Boroughbridge in a number of parliaments, and his wife, Judith Laetitia Bury. George's elder brother, Anthony Hardolph Eyre, also entered politics and represented Nottinghamshire during the 1800s. On being spotted the two ships cut their cables and stood to the southwest, upon which Resistance promptly gave chase. The rearmost ship, carrying 20 guns, sprang her main topmast, and surrendered after Resistance came up and fired a broadside. She then gave chase to the other, carrying 28 guns, and after enduring fire from her stern chasers, came alongside and the Frenchman promptly surrendered. The ships were discovered to be two transports that had taken troops to Turks Island, garrisoning it with 530 men. One of the ships, the 28-gun Coquette was commanded by the Marquis de Grasse, nephew of the Comte de Grasse. Eyre returned to Britain with Resistance in 1786, and the following year joined the 44-gun under Captain Francis Parry. Parry went out as commodore to Guinea, but ill-health obliged him to resign his command, and Eyre went to Newfoundland aboard Captain Trigge's . Eyre joined Admiral Lord Howe's flagship during the Spanish Armament, and in November 1790 was promoted to lieutenant. He then joined under Captain Edward Thornbrough, and after Scipio was paid off, under Captain Robert Stopford, in which he sailed to the Mediterranean. ==French Revolutionary Wars==

On the outbreak of war with France in 1793 Eyre was appointed to , the flagship of Rear-Admiral John Gell, a relation of Eyre's. Eyre replied that they had not, on which he was told by Martin that "...I must tell you that it is now un guerre à mort [a war to the death]; and if I had been the first to come alongside of you, I should have instantly sent you to the bottom." After three weeks in this state, they were marched to Aix-en-Provence and were confined in the prison there. He went out with Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian to the West Indies and took part in the reduction of Saint Lucia. ==Napoleonic Wars==

Spanish coast , a later commander of Eyre's first command Speedy. Eyre helped to evacuate his garrison from Roses. Eyre was then unemployed for a while, with the exception of a brief period in temporary command of from 11 February to 18 March 1801, succeeding Thomas Hardy and in turn being succeeded by William Wolseley. He finally received a posting in July 1806 when he was appointed to the 64-gun , but was soon moved to command the newly built 74-gun . Magnificent initially served with the Channel Fleet, which was then under Admiral Lord St Vincent, before going out to the Bay of Biscay with Sir Eliab Harvey's squadron. Eyre moved to the Mediterranean in June 1807, coming under Lord Collingwood's orders while stationed off Cádiz. The French withdrew to a citadel, protected by three redoubts, which the British attacked. During the heavy fighting Eyre was hit in the head by a musket ball and knocked to the ground, narrowly avoiding death as three other balls passed through his clothing. With the islands secure Eyre enforced the blockade of Corfu. On 6 February 1811 he encountered an enemy relief convoy bound from Otranto to Corfu, consisting of 25 ships. Eyre arrived in England in 1812, his health having been affected by his five years on a foreign station, and requested and received permission to go ashore. As a mark of his services in the Adriatic and off Spain he was knighted by King George III. Eyre was appointed a Colonel of Marines on 4 June 1814 and was nominated as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath following the expansion of the order on 12 January 1815. ==Flag rank and South America==

Eyre was promoted to rear-admiral on 12 August 1819 and shortly afterwards received an offer from Lord Melville to take command of the Cape and St Helena stations, but was unable to accept owing to matters of a personal nature. His actions in the region included signing treaties with Spain and Portugal involving the prevention of illegal slave trafficking. He stepped down after the expiration of his posting and was succeeded by Admiral Sir Robert Otway. ==Family and later life==

Eyre returned to Britain, arriving at Spithead on 10 December 1826, and was almost immediately offered command of a squadron fitting out for Lisbon. Sir George Eyre died on 15 February 1839 at the rectory, Carlton, Derbyshire. ==Notes==