Wolfran Cornewall

Captain Wolfran Cornewall (about 1653 – 21 January 1720) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Origins He was born about 1653, the fifth son of Humphrey Cornewall MP and his wife Theophila Skynner (1622–1718).

Career Cornewall began his career in the army, joining the Duke of Monmouth's Regiment as an Ensign on 12 June 1679, transferring to Colonel Kirke's Regiment in Tangier in 1681. He seems also to have served in the navy around this time, being appointed Lieutenant aboard HMS Tyger on 30 January 1682. Returning to the army, he was appointed Ensign in the Duke of York's Regiment on 2 May 1684 before transferring to the cavalry as a Cornet in the Royal Horse Guards later that year. In 1687 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the same regiment. In late May and early June the Swallow, together with HMS Bonaventure and HMS Dartmouth) escorted a convoy under the orders of Major-General Percy Kirke. In September Cornewall came ashore and took part as a volunteer assaulting the breach during the Siege of Cork under the orders of the then Earl of Marlborough. Still aboard this vessel the following year, he was one of the seconds to Vice admiral Matthew Aylmer. In recognition of his services, he was given command of a troop of his old regiment, the Royal Horse Guards, in 1693.

In 1694 he was given his final command, the 100 gun first-rate , and was second-in-command to Rear admiral Edward Whitaker in 1696. At the Peace of Ryswick in 1697 he retired, and lived out his life on a pension equivalent to a first-rate captain's pay.

Marriage and children

Cornewall married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth Humfrey, with whom he had a daughter:

Rose Cornewall, married Robert Forder and was the maternal grandmother of Charles Wolfran Cornwall.

His second wife was Elizabeth Devereux (died 1741) with whom he had two more daughters:

Amarantha Cornewall (1700–1785), married Colonel Charles Jenkinson (1693–1750) and was mother of Charles Jenkinson, 1st Earl of Liverpool Bette Cornewall (born 1705)

His great-grandson was Robert Jenkinson, the 23rd Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

He died on 21 January 1720, and is commemorated with a stone in the nave of Bath Abbey.