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Sir Josias Rowley, 1st Baronet

Sir Josias Rowley, Bt
JosiasRowley.jpg
Admiral Sir Josias Rowley
Born 1765
Died 10 January 1842
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy
Rank Admiral
Commands held HMS Lark
HMS Braave
HMS Impérieuse
HMS Raisonnable
HMS Boadicea
HMS America
Cape of Good Hope Station
Cork Station
Mediterranean Fleet
Battles/wars Napoleonic Wars
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George

Admiral Sir Josias Rowley, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCMG (1765 – 10 January 1842), known as "The Sweeper of the Seas", was an Anglo-Irish naval officer who commanded the campaign that captured the French Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mauritius in 1810.

Rowley was born in 1765 the second son of Clotworthy Rowley and Letitia (née Campbell), of Mountcampbell, Drumsna, County Leitrim, in the West of Ireland. His father was Barrister and MP for Downpatrick in the Irish Parliament. His paternal grandfather was Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Rowley, KCB.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1778, age 13, in HMS Suffolk in the West Indies.

Promoted to post captain in 1795, age 30, he commanded HMS Braave (40 guns) at the Cape of Good Hope and then HMS Impérieuse (38 guns) in the East Indies. He also commanded HMS Raisonnable (64 guns) and took part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1805. In 1798 he became the Member of the Irish House of Commons for Downpatrick.


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