Evan Nepean

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Sir Evan Nepean

Born 9 July 1751
St. Stephens, Cornwall, UK
Died 2 October 1822
Dorset, UK
Occupation politician
Spouse Margaret Skinner
Children one daughter, two sons
Parents Nicholas Nepean

Sir Evan Nepean, 1st Baronet PC (9 July 1751 or 1753, St Stephens near Saltash, Cornwall2 October 1822) was a British politician and colonial administrator.

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[edit] Early Career

Nepan entered the Royal Navy on December 28, 1773, serving on HMS Boyne as a clerk to Capt. Hartwell. He was promoted to purser in 1775. During the American Revolutionary War he served as secretary to Admiral Molyneux Shuldham, in Boston in 1776 and again at Plymouth (1777-78). From 1780-1782 he was Purser on HMS Foudroyant for Captain John Jervis (later Lord St. Vincent).

On March 3, 1782 (aged only 29) he was appointed Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. He served effectively there until December 1791, when he became Under-Secretary of State for War in 1794, secretary to the Board of Admiralty 1795-1804, Chief Secretary for Ireland 1804-1805, Commissioner of the Admiralty, and then governor of Bombay 1812-1819.

He was Member of Parliament for Queenborough from 1796 till 1802, then moving to Bridport where he remained until 1812. He was made a baronet in 1802 and was admitted to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in 1804.

[edit] Personal Life

Evan Nepean was the second of three sons of "Nicholas Nepean, Gent." His father was Cornish and his mother was from South Wales. The name "Nepean" is thought to come from the village of Nanpean, (“the head of the valley”), in Cornwall.

Nepean married Margaret Skinner, the only daughter of Capt. William Skinner, on June 6, 1782 at the Garrison Church at Greenwich. They had one daughter and two sons.

[edit] Legacy

The city of Nepean, Ontario, Canada, the Nepean River in New South Wales, Australia, the Nepean Highway from Melbourne to Portsea (and nearby Point Nepean) in the south east of Victoria, Australia and two roads in Mumbai, India, Nepean Road and Nepean Sea Road, were all named after him.


Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Richard Hopkins
John Sargent
Member of Parliament for Queenborough
with John Sargent

1796–1801
Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Member of Parliament for Queenborough
with John Sargent

1801–1802
Succeeded by
John Prinsep
George Peter Moore
Preceded by
Charles Sturt
George Barclay
Member of Parliament for Bridport
with George Barclay 1802–1807
Sir Samuel Hood 1807–1812

1802–1812
Succeeded by
William Best
Sir Horace St Paul
Political offices
Preceded by
None
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
1782
Succeeded by
Thomas Orde
Preceded by
John Bell
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
1782–1794
Succeeded by
John King
Preceded by
None
Under-Secretary of State for War
1794–1795
Succeeded by
William Huskisson
Preceded by
Philip Stephens
First Secretary to the Admiralty
1795–1804
Succeeded by
William Marsden
Preceded by
William Wickham
Chief Secretary for Ireland
1804–1805
Succeeded by
Nicholas Vansittart
Preceded by
Jonathan Duncan
Governor of Bombay
1812–1819
Succeeded by
Mountstuart Elphinstone
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
New creation
Baronet
(of Bothenhampton)
1802–1822
Succeeded by
Molyneux Hyde Nepean

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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