Background
John Jervis was born at Meaford, Staffordshire, on the 9th of January 1735; the second son of Swynfen Jervis, solicitor to the admiralty, and treasurer of Greenwich hospital, and Elizabeth Jervis. He had two younger sisters.
Admiral Earl of St. Vincent
Earl of St. Vincent
John Jervis as a young captain
Earl of St. Vincent, wearing rear-admiral's undress uniform 1787-95, and the ribbon and star of the Bath.
John Jervis was born at Meaford, Staffordshire, on the 9th of January 1735; the second son of Swynfen Jervis, solicitor to the admiralty, and treasurer of Greenwich hospital, and Elizabeth Jervis. He had two younger sisters.
Jervis studied at Burton Grammar School (nowadays Abbot Beyne School) and at a private school in Greenwich, where his father was treasurer of the hospital and solicitor to the Admiralty. John was intended for the law but, after trying to run away to join the Navy, was allowed to do so in 1749.
John Jervis entered the navy on January 4, 1749. He became lieutenant on February 19, 1755, and served in that rank till 1759, taking part in the conquest of Quebec. He was made commander of the "Scorpion" sloop in 1759, and was promoted to captain in 1760. During the peace, he commanded the "Alarm" 32 in the Mediterranean, and when he was put on half-pay he travelled widely in Europe, taking professional notes everywhere. While the War of American Independence lasted, he commanded the "Foudroyant" in the Channel, taking part in the battle of Ushant on July 27, 1778 and in the various reliefs of Gibraltar. His most signal service was the capture of the French "Pégase" after a long chase on April 19, 1782, for which he was made K.B.
In 1783 Jervis became a Member of Parliament. On September 24, 1787, he attained flag rank, and was promoted vice-admiral in 1793. From 1793 till 1795 he was in the West Indies co-operating with the army in the conquest of the French islands. On his return he was promoted admiral. In November 1795 he took command in the Mediterranean, where he maintained the blockade of Toulon and aided the allies of Great Britain in Italy.
But in 1796 a great change was produced by the progress of the French armies on shore and the alliance of Spain with France. The occupation of Italy by the French armies closed all the ports to his ships, and Malta was not yet in the possession of Great Britain. Then the addition of the Spanish fleet to the French altered the balance of strength in the Mediterranean. The Spaniards were very inefficient, and Jervis would have held his ground, if one of his subordinates had not taken the extraordinary course of returning to England, because he thought that the dangerous state of the country required that all its forces should be concentrated at home. He was therefore obliged to act on the instructions sent to him and to retire to the Atlantic, withdrawing the garrisons from Corsica and other places. His headquarters were now on the coast of Portugal, and his chief duty was to watch the Spanish fleet at Cadiz.
On February 14, 1797 he gained a most complete victory against heavy odds - the Battle of St. Vincent. For this victory, which came at a very critical time, he was made an earl and was granted a pension of £3000.
His qualities as a disciplinarian were soon to be put to a severe test. In 1797 the grievances of the sailors, which were of old standing, and had led to many mutinies of single ships, came to a head in the great general mutinies at Spithead and the Nore. Similar movements took place on the coast of Ireland and at the Cape of Good Hope. The spirit spread to the fleet under St Vincent, and there was an undoubted danger that some outbreak would take place in his command. The peril was averted by his foresight and severity.
Earl's health broke down under the strain of long cruising, and in June 1799 he resigned his command. When his health was restored in the following year he took the command of the Channel fleet, into which he introduced his own rigid system of discipline to the bitter anger of the captains. But his method was fully justified by the fact that he was able to maintain the blockade of Brest for 121 days with his fleet.
In 1801 Jervis became the First Lord and held the office till Pitt returned to power in 1803. His administration is famous in the history of the navy, for he now applied himself to the very necessary task of reforming the corruptions of the dockyards. Naturally, he was fiercely attacked in and out of parliament. His peremptory character led him to do the right thing with the maximum of dictation at Whitehall as on the quarter-deck of his flagship. He also gave an opening to his critics by devoting himself so wholly to the reform of the dockyards that he neglected the preparation of the fleet for war. He would not recognize the possibility that the peace of Amiens would not last.
Pitt made himself the mouthpiece of St Vincent's enemies, mainly because he considered him as a dangerous member of the party which was weakening the position of England in the face of Napoleon. When Pitt's second ministry was formed in 1803, St Vincent refused to take the command of the Channel fleet at his request. After Pitt's death he resumed the duty with the temporary rank of admiral of the fleet in 1806 but held it only till the following year. After 1810 he retired to his house at Rochetts in Essex. The rank of admiral of the fleet was conferred on him in 1821 on the coronation of George IV, and he died on March 14, 1823.
An established churchman, Jervis was devoutly religious.
In 1783 Jervis entered parliament as member for Launceston, and in the general election of 1784 as member for Yarmouth. He described himself as a Royalist Whig, despite being a supporter of the slave trade, and in admiring the King he hated William Pitt. The latter attacked Jervis as a danger to the party. At the beginning of his political career, Jervis voted for Pitt's parliamentary reforms and against Charles James Fox and his East India Bill. Jervis then voted against Pitt's further bills for reform but supported him once more during the 1788–1799 Regency Crisis.
In 1790 Jervis stood down as a Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth and stood instead for the Chipping Wycombe seat to which he was returned as a Member of Parliament alongside the Earl Wycombe. In 1794 he resigned his seat and did not stand again for political office.
Quotations: "No price is too great to preserve the health of the fleet."
Jervis was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1815.
St Vincent's character was one of rigorous self-sufficiency and professionalism, both acquired from the hardships of his early life, linked with often grim humour at the discomforts which he created for others but willingly endured himself, and a consistent distaste for public ostentation. The determination to fight, and the admirable discipline of his squadron, which was very largely the fruit of his own care in preparation, supply the best proof that he was a commander of a high order. He brought a new urgency to the Mediterranean fleet and generally earned respect, although many officers hated him. Nicknamed Sour Crout in respect of his stern deportment, Jarvie, and Old Jack or Hanging Jervis; he was strongly opposed to the marriage of sea-officers. He always took great care of his men, demanding that stores were of good quality and quantity, and he did much to assist the sick and wounded in the fleet, providing hospital ships for their comfort. He also followed the French revolutionary fashion of holding his hat over his head when speaking to anyone, whatever their rank.
He could be kind-hearted and generous to those he liked and was gallant and charming in the company of most women. He could also relax easily when not on duty, was a lavish and charming entertainer, enjoyed whist in particular, and never allowed the discussion of politics at his table. Jervis did not like the word 'trouble' and said 'cant' should be substituted by the word 'try'. He encouraged those who were uncertain but determined and rebuked anybody showing arrogance.
Jervis was a lifelong friend of Lord Keith, General Wolfe and Evan Nepean, secretary to the Admiralty. In his opinion Nelson and Troubridge were the greatest of sea officers, but although he was apparently a great friend of the former it did not prevent a lawsuit between the two over prize-money in 1801. He was despised by the Lords Hood and Bridport and shared the same view of them, particularly Bridport, where enmity had existed since the days of the Keppel court martial in 1779. He disliked Scotsmen in general and the Cochrane's in particular, suggesting that they were greedy, mad and liars. He described Admiral Lord Barham as a Scottish Pack-horse, and made plain his dislike for Admiral Lord Gambier, describing him as a compound of paper and pack-horse. Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren earned his disapprobation for his interest in pursuing prize money before duty.
Physical Characteristics: Jervis was bull-necked, heavy-shouldered, and had a large head, long nose, darting eyes and heavy eyebrows. He was inclined to stooping, was of medium height and strongly built, being described as burly.
Quotes from others about the person
P. K. Crimmin: "His importance lies in his being the organiser of victories; the creator of well-equipped, highly efficient fleets; and in training a school of officers as professional, energetic, and devoted to the service as himself."
Lord St Vincent married his cousin Martha Parker, who died childless in 1816. The earldom granted to Jervis became extinct on his death, but a viscount, created for him in 1801, passed by special remainder to Edward Jervis Ricketts, the second son of his sister Mary who had married William Henry Ricketts, of Longwood, Hampshire.