Captain Sir Rupert George, 1st Baronet (16 January 1749, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, Ireland – 25 January 1823, Willesden, London Borough of Brent, Greater London, England) was a British naval officer in the American Revolution, became the Commodore for the Royal Navy's North America Station (1792-1794). He then returned to England and became the first Commissioner of the Transport Service, where he stayed for 22 years.[1]
On 12 August 1781, while commanding HMS Charlestown, George captured the privateer Harlequin.[5] In November he was promoted to post-captain.[6] While in command of Charleston, on 21 February 1782 took over Nararro and Philadelphia. In March he captured the de la Floride-Orientale and de la Georgie.[7] He later joined HMS Thisbe (1790), which he sailed out of Nova Scotia.
French Revolutionary Wars
From 1792 to 1794, during the French Revolutionary Wars, George served as the Commodore of the North America Station, commanding His Majesty's Naval Force on the Coasts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.[8] He commanded the only ship of war attached to the North America Station.[9][10] He sailed the Hussar (1792) out of the Mediterranean for Newfoundland. In March 1792 he captured two privateers, Republicaine and Jou-Jou.[11] On 12 May, he arrived with the new Governor, John Wentworth after a five week crossing from Falmouth.[12][13][1][14][15][16][4] In May 1793, he captured the St. Pierre.[17][18]
The first press warrant granted in Nova Scotia was in April 1793, when Wentworth granted a warrant to Commander Rupert George of HMS Hussar. George sent press gangs from Hussar into Halifax. In one night they detained 50 to 60 men, including several Liverpool mariners, and brought them aboard Hussar.[19]
He was promoted to Chairman of the Transport Board (1795). He served in the position for 22 years, through seven administrations (until 1817). During this time he was responsible for the "care and custody" of the French prisoners of war held in the Norman Cross Prison.[20][21][22][23][24] He was knighted in 1803 and created a baronet in 1809.[4]
Family
He was buried in a vault at the centre of the plot in front of the portico of St Mary's Church, Battersea, England. (Also buried in the vault are Nova Scotians John Inglis and George's wife Margaret Cochran, daughter of Thomas Cochran by his first marriage.[25] Bishop Inglis also has a monument in the north gallery of the church.)[26][27]
His oldest son Samuel Hood George was sent to Nova Scotia (where his mother's family still lived) with the new Governor Sir George Prevost to become the Provincial Secretary (1808-1812), after which he returned to England and died (1813).[28]
His second oldest son Rupert Dennis George then departed for Nova Scotia to take his older brother's position as Provincial Secretary (1813-1827). He also became the second and last Baronet (1813). He also was the Aide-de-camp during Lieutenant Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland's command of the Nova Scotia militia.[29] Joseph Howe was the next Provincial Secretary and complained about George's handling of the position.[30]
^Akins in his history of Halifax errors, indicating that George's son is the captain of Hussar.
^Keith Mercer, "Northern Exposure: Resistance to Naval Impressment in British North America, 1775–1815," Canadian Historical Review, June 2010, Vol. 91 Issue 2, p. 222.
