English Naval Officer: Sir John Mennes

Andrew found two online sources about Sir John Mennes. One is the Pepys Diary website, where there are two posts. The first by Pauline starts: "(1599-71). Comptroller of the Navy 1660-71. He entered the navy as a youth….During 1635-9 he was continuously at sea, attaining the rank of Vice-Admiral, and later (1642) Rear-Admiral. He served in the army in the Scottish war and commanded a troop of horse for the king in the Civil War…..and during the ’50s acted as a royalist agent abroad. At the Restoration he was commissioned to the 'Henry'". The other, by Vincent is more a collection of comments and links. That concludes: "MENNES (Minnes), Sir John (1591_1671), Comptroller of the Navy 1660_71, inappropriately promoted after an active naval career. Admiral, 1662. P regarded him as hopelessly ill-suited to naval administration. (03Oct65)". Apparently, there is also a Dictionary of National Biography entry for him, but I do not have access. I would summarize what Andrew wrote to me as:

• Recommended for naval command in 1626 by Sir Alexander Brett
• "Served in the Narrow Seas"
• In 1640, raised a troop of carabineers
• Knighted in 1642
• Governor of North Wales for Charles I in 1644
• Commanded the Royalist navy from 1645 to 1647
• Comptroller of the Navy in 1661
• Commander-in-Chief in the Downs in 1662
• Pepys considered him not fit for administrative duty

N.A.M. Rodger, in the Safeguard of the Sea, page 404, has a note that in 1630, Sir Henry Mervyn asked for John Mennes to be given command at sea, so that he could have someone who could read and write serving with him.

R.C. Anderson has some additional notes about his service:

• In 1626, captain of the French prize Esperance
• From 1628 to 1629, commanded the Adventure
• In 1630, commanded the 3rd Rate Garland
• In 1635, commanded the Lion and Vanguard
• In 1636 he commanded the 3rd Rate Convertine
• In 1637, he commanded the 2nd Rate Vanguard
• In 1638, he commanded the Nonsuch
• In 1639, commanded the 2nd Rate Victory
• In 1640, appointed to command of the St. George, but did not serve
• In 1642, he probably commanded the Rainbow and then the Victory as Rear-Admiral
• From 1645 to 1647, Admiral of the Royalist fleet
• From 1648 to 1650, Rear-Admiral in the 3rd Rate Swallow