Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet (2 September, 1753 – 27 February 1822), was an
EnglishThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity as a people is of early medieval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn....
admiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above Vice Admiral and below Admiral of the Fleet/Fleet Admiral. It is usually abbreviated to "Adm." or "ADM"...
, politician and diplomat. Born in
Stapleford, NottinghamshireStapleford is a town in the county of Nottinghamshire, England some 6 miles west of the centre of Nottingham.-Geography:Stapleford lies on the border between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. To the north of Stapleford is Ilkeston and to the east is Beeston. To the west across the River Erewash is...
, he was the son and heir of John Borlase Warren (died 1775) of Stapleford and
Little MarlowLittle Marlow is a village and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England.It is on the north bank of the River Thames, about a mile east of Marlow. The village name 'Marlow' is Anglo Saxon in origin, and means 'land remaining after the draining of a pool'...
. He entered
Emmanuel CollegeEmmanuel College may refer to one of several academic institutions:in Australia* Emmanuel College, University of Queensland, part of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia* Emmanuel College...
,
CambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen....
in 1769, but in 1771 entered the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
as an
able seaman-Royal Navy:In the British Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century, the term Able Seaman referred to a seaman with at least two years' experience at sea...
; in 1774 he became member of
ParliamentThe Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
for
Great MarlowGreat Marlow, sometimes simply called Marlow, was a parliamentary borough in Buckinghamshire. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons between 1301 and 1307, and again from 1624 until 1868, and then one member from 1868 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.-1624-1640:*...
; and in 1775 he was created a
baronetA baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown known as a baronetcy...
, the baronetcy held by his ancestors, the
BorlaseBorlase may refer to:An ancient family originally of French extraction and named Taellifer/Telfer. They came to England in the reign of Henry III and settled in the parish of St Wenn in Cornwall. Following the ancient Cornish tradition they adopted the name of their place of residence, Borlas, as...
s, having become extinct in 1689.
His career as a seaman really began in 1777, and two years later he obtained command of a ship. In April 1794, as
CommodoreCommodore is a military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than that of a rear admiral...
of the
frigateA frigate is a warship. The term has been used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and manoeuvrability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
squadron off the north west French coast assisting in the blockade of
BrestBrest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in north-western France.Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, Brest is an important seaport and naval base. The 1999 census recorded 303,484 inhabitants of the Brest metropolitan area, while the...
, Warren and his squadron captured a number of
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
frigateA frigate is a warship. The term has been used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and manoeuvrability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s. In 1795 he commanded one of the two squadrons carrying troops for the
Quiberon expeditionThe invasion of France in 1795 or the Battle of Quiberon was a major landing on the Quiberon peninsula by émigré, counter-revolutionary troops in support of the Chouannerie and Vendée Revolt, beginning on 23 June and finally definitively repulsed on 21 July...
and in 1796 his frigate squadron off Brest is said to have captured or destroyed 220 vessels. In October 1798 a French fleet, carrying 5000 men, sailed from Brest intending to invade
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
. The plan was frustrated in no small part due to the squadron under his command.
In 1802 he was sworn of the
Privy CouncilHer Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. Its members are largely senior politicians, who were or are members of either the House of Commons or House of Lords of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The Privy Council, the...
and sent to St. Petersburg as ambassador extraordinary, but he did not forsake the sea, and in 1806 he captured a large French warship, the
MarengoThe Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.In October 1796, under captain Racord, she was part of the Villeneuve's squadron that sailed from Toulon to Brest...
at the
Action of 13 March 1806The Action of 13 March 1806 was a naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought when a British and a French squadron met unexpectedly in the mid-Atlantic. Neither force was aware of the presence of the other prior to the encounter and were participating in separate campaigns...
. He became an
AdmiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above Vice Admiral and below Admiral of the Fleet/Fleet Admiral. It is usually abbreviated to "Adm." or "ADM"...
in 1810, and was commander-in-chief on the
North American StationThe North American Station was an formation of the UK's Royal Navy stationed in North American waters from at least 1792 until the 1950s. During some periods of 19th century the North American Station was combined with the West Indies station....
in 1813–1814. He died on 27 February 1822. His two sons predeceased him. His daughter and heiress, Frances Maria (1784–1837), married George Venables-Vernon, 4th Baron Vernon. Their son was
George Venables-Vernon, 5th Baron VernonGeorge John Warren Vernon, 5th Baron Vernon was the only son of George Charles Venables-Vernon, 4th Baron Vernon of Sudbury, Derbyshire, and Frances Maria, only daughter of Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren. He was one of the last Members of Pariament for Derbyshire and the first for South Derbyshire...
.
There is a monument to him in
St. Mary's Church, AttenboroughSt. Mary's Church, Attenborough is a parish church in the Church of England in the village of Attenborough, Nottinghamshire.The church is Grade I listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest.-History:The present day church...
in
NottinghamshireNottinghamshire is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire...
.