Rees Howell Gronow

Rees Howell Gronow (1794 – 22 November 1865), "Captain Gronow", was a Welsh Grenadier Guards officer, an unsuccessful parliamentarian, a dandy and a writer of celebrated reminiscences.

He was the eldest son of William Gronow of Court Herbert, Neath, Glamorganshire, who died in 1830, by Anne, only daughter of Rees Howell of Gwrrhyd. He was born on 7 May 1794, and was educated at Eton, where he was intimate with Shelley.

On 24 December 1812 he received a commission as an ensign in the 1st Battalion 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, and after mounting guard at St. James's Palace for a few months was sent with a detachment of his regiment to Spain. In 1813 he took part in the principal military operations in that country, and in the following year returned with his battalion to London. Here he became one of the dandies of the town, and was among the very few officers who were admitted at Almack's, where he remembered the first introduction of quadrilles and waltzes in place of the old reels and country dances. Wanting money to equip himself for his further services abroad, he obtained an advance of £200 from his agents, Cox & Greenwood, and going with this money to a gambling-house in St. James's Square, he won £600, with which he purchased horses and other necessaries. Sir Thomas Picton then took him out to Flanders as an honorary aide-de-camp but finding no employment for him, he was advised to join the 3rd battalion of his regiment and was subsequently present at Quatre Bras and Waterloo. He entered Paris on 25 June 1815, and on 28 June became a lieutenant and later a captain in his regiment. From this period until 24 October 1821 he continued with his regiment in England, and then retired from the army.

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