{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\cocoartf1404\cocoasubrtf340{\fonttbl\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Helvetica;}{\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;}\pard\tx560\tx1120\tx1680\tx2240\tx2800\tx3360\tx3920\tx4480\tx5040\tx5600\tx6160\tx6720\pardirnatural\f0\fs24 \cf0 John George Philipps received his early education at Ystrad Meurig school, and on 12 March 1796 the master reported that John's "diligent application, his open behaviour, and the fair progress he has made, entitle him to my warmest recommendation". Later in that year he entered the Royal Navy, being thirteen years of age, and went to sea with his father's friend, Admiral John Macbride. CuDJohn Nash <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Nash_%28architect%29&oldid=24366101>C/uD wrote to the young sailor's father on 23 September 1796. "....I have the highest accounts of poor little John he crawls up the ropes like a young monkey, and there is not a masthead that he had not been at the top. He is extremely liked by every body in the ship and will make a thorough sailor; he is now on his way to the CiDMinotaurC/iD where the admiral is about to hoist his flag....none of you ever write to little John. I cannot wonder that you are so bad a correspondent with your friends when you neglect even your son. It will be necessary to assign John an allowance, say \'a330 a year". Soon, he was to experience what was, mercifully, an unusual occurrence in the Navy, and on 1 May 1797 wrote to his father that he could not have done so sooner as "the men would not let any letter out of the ship without reading, till lately"; and on 11 May tells him that everything will be settled as soon as the King's pardon comes down, that a great many officers had been turned out of different ships by the mutineers, especially CiDMarsC/iD and CiDDukeC/iD who have no officer at all on board, and that Lord Howe was expected to arrive. By firmness, moderation, and tact, Howe soon brought the sailors back to their allegiance. \par He saw active service within two years of joining his ship. In 1798 he was present at the Battle of the Nile, at the capture of Naples, Civita Vecchia, and Rome, and at Barcelona and Egypt. In 1804 he received his first promotion; on 5 March 1806 was appointed Lieutenant of the CiDLavina;C/iD on 8 December of the following year appointed to the sloop CiDPilot,C/iD and on 24 March 1808 to the sloop CiDSpeedy.C/iD On 2 February 1809 he was serving on the CiDShirleyC/iD at Spithead where he had just arrived from Newfoundland after a passage of 21 days, and told his father, "A great bustle prevails here at this moment occasioned by sending the Troops from Spain. I assure you it is very distressing to see the poor fellows almost the whole of them, both Men and Officers, being half naked. All the hospitals here are quite full of the sick and wounded. The mortality is very great amongst them. You can't walk the street without meeting the funeral of some gallant fellow going to his last home, about thirty die daily. Regiments that mustered a thousand strong have only brought home three hundred. Sir John Moore's retreat is supposed to be one of the first that ever was made, the Country has suffered a severe loss in him as he was the only person in our army that Buonaparte would allow to be a General. It is rumoured here that another expedition of sixty thousand men is to be sent off immediately . . . . for some part of Spain. I fear they will be served in the same manner as the last as it is impossible that we can fight against so great a superiority in numbers. If a sufficient force could be sent I have no doubt but we should thrash them. All the Officers that I have seen who have come from Spain agree in saying that the French are not equal to our troops in personal bravery as they could never stand against our charge."CuD60 </cgi-bin/twiki/view/Historian/CwmgwiliAndItsFamiliesPartIIReferences>C/uD He added he had received a letter from Mr Morris (the banker) that he (i.e. J.G.P.) had been admitted a burgess of Carmarthen. \par This was the "other end" of the retreat from Corunna and the . evacuation of the British troops from Spain. \par Between 1809 and 1813 he served as a Lieutenant in H.M Ships CiDMajesticC/iD and CiDRedpole,C/iD and on 6 May 1814 was appointed in the same rank to the CiDMonmouthC/iD or any ship where the flag of Admiral Foley might be flying. Promotion came on 22 October 1814 when he was made Commander of the CiDReliance,C/iD and in the following year he became a Captain in which rank he was to retire later. \par The few letters that have survived offer some glimpses of naval affairs during the latter part of his service. On 5 February 1812 he wrote from HMS CiDMonmouth,C/iD off the Downs, about "the melancholy fate of the CiDSt George,C/iD and the CiDDefence,C/iD only eighteen members of their crews having been saved after they had foundered in a storm; the body of Captain Atkins of the CiDDefenceC/iD had been washed ashore, which was to be buried, "by order of the King with the honours of War", and about seventy more bodies were also recovered, but the bodies of Admiral Reynolds and Captain [?Ginon] had not been found. The bodies of two females were washed ashore, and, from her dress, one was believed to be the Admiral's daughter. The CiDSt GeorgeC/iD went down in deep water at Boston on 24 December. He noted that his father had been appointed High Sheriff, which would mean a great deal of work should parliament be dissolved in course of the year.CuD61 </cgi-bin/twiki/view/Historian/CwmgwiliAndItsFamiliesPartIIReferences>C/uD Later in the month he wrote to tell his father that "the fleet at this anchorage have subscribed two days pay for the benefit of the relations of those that were lost in the CiDSt GeorgeC/iD and the CiDDefence,C/iD and it is expected that such a subscription will be made throughout the Navy; heavy gales have damaged several ships; the CiDAdmiral,C/iD a heavy man, fell from his horse the other day, but is much better"; "smuggling is carried on to a great extent at this place, several of them of late have been taken"; he expects that Grismond [who was home at Cwmgwilil is as good a sportsman as he is a soldier particularly after the daily practice he takes, but he (the writer) has "knocked down a few snipe this winter"; adding, "I don't think his Royal Highness the Prince Regent so determined a man as what was thought he would be when the restrictions were taken off; it is generally thought here that if the Catholics are not emancipated there will be disturbance in Ireland, such a business would be very unfortunate at the present moment".CuD62 </cgi-bin/twiki/view/Historian/CwmgwiliAndItsFamiliesPartIIReferences>C/uD \par The CiDMonmouthC/iD was still off the Downs when he wrote to his father on 15 May 1812. He has learned that Grismond is still at home, but supposes that the affair at Badajos will soon occasion his departure to join the first battalion; when he does go it would be a good thing to get him recommended if possible to General Picton "who appears to be a rising character in the Army and might be of great service to him"; he was sorry to see Mr Thomas Tucker's name in the list of severely wounded, who, he has been informed, is to be one of Picton's aides de camp; it is said promotions will take place on the Prince Regent's birthday, and "I should like very much to be included, pray have you any interest as High Sheriff? I shall be much obliged to you if you will have the goodness to speak to Lord Cawdor about it when you see him"; everybody is quite in a gloom about the assassination of Mr Perceval.CuD63 </cgi-bin/twiki/view/Historian/CwmgwiliAndItsFamiliesPartIIReferences>C/uD \par The last surviving letter from him was sent to his father from the Admiral's Office, Deal, on 8 June 1814. He tells him of "the landing of the allied Sovereigns in England the day before yesterday, and certainly was a most gratifying sight"; the Admiral received them at Dover, taking the writer with him as aide de camp; "before our arrival there we could see the CiDImpregnableC/iD with the Royal standards of Russia and Prussia flying at her mastheads, standing over from Boulogne under a press of sail with the squadron following. Dover was then filling very fast besides 3000 troops that had marched in under the Earl of Rosslyn from all quarters were flocking in so that by 5 in the evening the crowd was immense. The tide having ebbed too much in the harbour for the Monarchs to land there, it was set that they should land on the beach directly under one of the forts called Archcliff; a stage provided for the occasion was accordingly placed there, and the troops were stationed in two lines from thence to Mr Hector's house which was prepared for the Emperor, and again from thence to the York Hotel where the King took up his residence. At 5 the CiDImpregnableC/iD with the whole Squadron anchored in the road, at 6 the Sovereigns shoved off in the barge accompanied by His Royal Highness and followed by all the boats under two Royal salutes from the ships. The yards were manned and three cheers given at the same time. When they were about half way on shore a general cheer from the immense crowd welcomed them to the British shore, and upon landing they were received, under two Royal salutes from all the batteries, by Lords Rosslyn and Yarmouth, the Russian and Prussian Embassardors, General Barlow and a great many military officers, Admiral Foley and a great many naval officers. The Sovereigns appeared much pleased at the attention shewn them. They conversed and shook hands with a great many people very cordially. The Emperor is a very fine looking fellow about 5 foot 11 in height, very square about the shoulders, well made, and pleasing in his manner. He looks younger than he is, and struck me at first sight to be in his countenance not unlike what Mr Davies of Penylan was 20 years ago. The King is taller but thinner in his person than the Emperor. He looks about 40, was dressed in his uniform and has very much the appearance of a soldier. I was also gratified with the sight of Blucher and Platoff the Hetman of the Cossacks. They are both fine looking old men. Blucher was particularly well received by the soldiers as he passed between the lines. They all cheered him and as many shook hands with him as could get near him. They stopped at Dover that night, and set off for London early next morning."CuD64 </cgi-bin/twiki/view/Historian/CwmgwiliAndItsFamiliesPartIIReferences>C/uD \par After leaving the Navy he returned to Carmarthen. Like all his family he was a Whig, and made a brief incursion into politics, when in the Reform election of 1831 he contested the Borough against the Tory John Jones of Ystrad. Feelings ran high, and as a result of the rioting that broke out soon after the poll was opened, the borough sheriffs declined to make a return, and on 30 April certified they had been unable to execute the writ "from the uproar, tumult and violence which prevailed", whereupon the House of Commons directed that a new election be held. As a precaution, a large force of constables was drafted to maintain order, and a force of dragoons quartered in Llandeilo. Nevertheless violence continued during the polling but not to the extent at the former poll, and on 25 August Jones was returned with 274 votes to Philipps's 203. \par On 1 February 1808 J. G. Philipps had married Frances Eliza Hawford, his address being then given as Furnace House, Carmarthen, and it was there that they were still living in 1835. Later they settled at Ystradwrallt near Nantgaredig. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 1821, was a Justice of the Peace, and served the office of Mayor of Carmarthen in 1817 and again in 1836. \par A list of the farms and lands of the Cwmgwili estate, made in 1821, shows its extent to be as follows: \par CiDAbergwili parish.C/iD Cwmgwili demesne, Cwmgwili Mill, Danyrhiw, stable at Abergwili, Rhydwyalchen, Rhydyrhaw, Trefynis, Pentrefynis fields, Machroes, Tir y Graig, Grug House, Baily glas, Glantowy, Cwmhowell, Rwythfawr, Fald fields and Parkcapel, Capel bach, Foes Mawr. \par CiDNewchurch parish.C/iD Blaenige, Falefach, fields in Folefawr, Llechigon, Pistillgwyon and Godrewene, Waunllane issa, Clynmelyn slangs, Bwlch Tomlid, Pantau, Henallt (part), Ffynnon Wiber, Penllwyncrwn. \par CiDMerthyr parish.C/iD Place y parke, Cwmdyhen, Nantypair, Park y berllan, Tir y banal. \par CiDCounty of the Borough of Carmarthen.C/iD Henallt. House in town (Mr Tardrew), Weir and fields (Dr Morgan), Cots and fields. \par CiDLlanegwad parish.C/iD Ddolwyrdd. \par CiDLlanpumpsaint parish.C/iD Bedw bach, Derimisk, Derwen groes. \par Captain J. G. Philipps died in April 1869. He had the following children: \par CbD1/C/bD John George Hawford Philipps, born 19 February 1809, entered the army, served in the 61st Foot, and attained the rank of Captain. He lived sometime at Sarnau, Meydrim parish, and at Ystradwrallt, and was a magistrate; married Elizabeth only child of Edmond James, R.N.; he died on 15 November 1864, aged 55, and was survived by his wife who died on 23 May 1886, aged 71. They had five children - (a) John George Philipps, born on 31 August 1846, died on 22 March 1854. (b) Vaughan Lloyd Philipps born at Sarnau on 14 April 1848, admitted to the Middle Temple on 18 April 1868, became a magistrate, and a lieutenant in the Carmarthenshire Artillery Militia: he died on 26 January 1885. (c) Elizabeth Philipps, died an infant in 1849. (d) Emma Ellen Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 19 August 1850, married in 1879, Antony William John Stokes of St Botolphs, Pembrokeshire, lived for some time at Ystradwrallt, and had issue. (e) Elizabeth Frances ("Lilla") Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 5 January 1851, died on 11 July 1883. \par CbD2/C/bD Griffith Grismond Philipps, born 28 November 1811, entered the Royal Navy, served as a Lieutenant in the CiDRoyal William,C/iD the CiDCornwallisC/iD (1838), CiDSeringapatamC/iD (1839), CiDHecateC/iD (1845), CiDAcheronC/iD (1847), CiDMerlinC/iD (1855), and on 26 May 1856 was appointed Commander of HM Sloop CiDScout,C/iD and later retired in that rank. When in Carmarthen he lived at FerrysideCuD65 </cgi-bin/twiki/view/Historian/CwmgwiliAndItsFamiliesPartIIReferences>C/uD By his wife, Georgina Wilkinson of Barbadoes, whom he married in 1852, he had five children: (a) Fanny Philipps, married on 18 January 1877, J. H. Sandwith, R.M. (b) Georgina Elizabeth Emma Philipps, married on 20 August 1879, R. Manning Driver of Cromwell Road, S.W. (c) Magdalen Philipps. (d) Griffith Grismond Philipps, Lieut. R.N., married on 30 April 1895, the youngest daughter of William Arthur of Wellesburn, Compton Clifford, near Plymouth. (e) John George Philipps. \par CbD3/C/bD Grismond Frederic Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 22 November 1815. \par CbD4/C/bD Emma Eliza Philipps, born 1814, married John Jeffreys de Winton of Maesderwen, Breconshire, and had issue. \par CbD5/C/bD Lloyd Price Philipps, captain in E.I.C.S. He married a daughter of Thomas Tardrew, druggist, of Guildhall Square, Carmarthen. \par CbD6/ C/bDGeorge Vaughan Philipps, entered the Royal Navy, and on 3 May 1853 was appointed Lieutenant in CiDH.M.S. Royal William.C/iD He married, firstly, a Miss Galley, and secondly, a daughter of Nicholas Brabyn of Llanelli. \par CbD7/C/bD Herbert Folkes Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 11 July 1817, buried on 2 June 1843. \par CbD8/C/bD Cecil Elizabeth Philipps, eldest daughter, unmarried in 1850. \par CbD9/C/bD Georgina Catherine Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 2 August 1820. \par CbD10/C/bD Mary Anne Philipps, privately baptised in London on 19 October 1831, publicly at Abergwili on 12 August 1832. \par CbD11/C/bD William Thomas Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 20 February 1822. \par CbD12/C/bD Charles Henry Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 16 January 1824. \par CbD13/C/bD Edmund Garland Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 7 July 1825. \par CbD14/C/bD Lloyd Rice Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 5 March 1827. He lived in Abergwili village, married Maria Anne and their daughter Augusta Louisa was baptised on 26 October 1866. \par CbD15/C/bD George Vaughan Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 30 November 1829. \par CbD16/C/bD Elizabeth Grace Philipps, baptised at Abergwili on 5 August 1834.}