Peircy Brett

Sir Peircy Brett
Sir Peircy Brett
Born	1709
Died	14 October 1781
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	c.1725–1770
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	HMS Centurion HMS Lion HMS Yarmouth Royal Caroline HMS Cambridge HMS Royal George
Battles/wars	Jacobite rising War of the Austrian Succession Seven Years' War

Admiral Sir Peircy Brett (1709 – 14 October 1781) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he served on George Anson's voyage around the world and commanded the landing party which sacked and burned the town of Paita in November 1741. During the Jacobite rising Brett saw action on the 9 July 1745, when as captain of the fourth-rate HMS Lion he exchanged fire with the French ships Elizabeth and the Du Teillay: the Du Teillay at the time was carrying Charles Edward Stuart to Scotland with supplies and funds to support his cause. Brett also commanded the third-rate HMS Yarmouth at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre in May 1747 during the War of the Austrian Succession. He commanded HMS Cambridge on the North America and West Indies Station during the Seven Years' War and later became Senior Naval Lord. He was also a Member of Parliament, representing the constituency of Queenborough from 1754 until 1774.

Born the son of Peircy Brett, a master in the navy, Brett joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer in around 1725. Promoted to lieutenant on 6 December 1734, he was appointed to the fourth-rate HMS Falkland. In July 1738 he transferred to the fifth-rate HMS Adventure and later that year to HMS Gloucester, one of the ships which sailed under the then Commodore George Anson for the Pacific in September 1740.