# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Robinson, Hercules

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​ROBINSON. (Captain, 1814. f-p., 17; h-p., 30.)
Hercules Robinson, born 16 March, 1789, is son of the Rev. Christopher Robinson (only son of the Hon. Christopher Robinson, of Newby Lodge, Second Justice of the King’s Bench in Ireland), by Elizabeth, daughter of the Right Hon. Sir Hercules Langrishe, Bart., representative for 40 years of the borough of Knocktopher in the Irish parliament.
This officer entered the Navy, in June, 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Penelope 36, Capt. Hon. Henry Blackwood, with whom (deducting a few months passed in 1802-3 at Spithead in the Puissant 74, Capt. John Irwin) he continued employed as Midshipman and Master’s Mate in the Euryalus 36 and Ajax 74, on the Mediterranean, Irish, Channel, and Cadiz stations, until transferred, in Jan. 1807, to the Ocean 98, flag-ship of Lord Collingwood. In the Euryalus he fought at Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805. On 25 April, 1807, he was confirmed a Lieutenant (after having acted for nearly two months as such) in the Glory 98, Capt. Wm. Albany Otway, stationed off Cadiz; in the ensuing Dec. he was again placed under the orders of Capt. Blackwood in the Warspite 74, employed in the North Sea and Atlantic; and on 30 Aug. 1809, at which period he had been serving for a few weeks in the Baltic in the Téméraire 98, Capt. Edw. Sneyd Clay, he was promoted to the command of the Prometheus 18. Capt. Robinson’s services in the latter vessel were a series of disappointments and mortifications from her irremediably bad sailing – her log presenting a continuation of pursuits after the enemy’s vessels of war, who from the cause alleged succeeded in effecting their escape. He contrived, however, while cruizing in the Baltic, to make prize, 24 May, 1810, of two Danish privateers (one of 3 guns and 20 men, the other of 3 guns and 16 men), and to destroy, 2 Aug. following, under circumstances highly creditable to him, La Messalina French schooner of 6 guns and 38 men; and to capture, 8 May, 1814, off the coast of Nova Scotia, the Lizard American schooner privateer of 2 long guns and 34 men. Several merchant-vessels, also, fell into his hands; and his vigilance in watching the enemy’s privateers fitting out at Danzig gained him the particular admiration of Sir Jas. Saumarez. After visiting Madeira, the West Indies, and Newfoundland, and participating in much general service, he was advanced, 7 June, 1814, to Post-rank. His last appointment was, 15 Sept. 1817, to the Favorite 26, in which ship he was successively employed at St. Helena, in the Rio de la Plata, and again at Newfoundland, whence he returned, touching on his way at Gibraltar and Cadiz, in Dec. 1820. On the opening, in the early part of the latter year, of the fisheries on the coast of Labrador to the Americans, considerable difficulties being apprehended between them and the British settlers in carrying into effect a treaty then recently entered into, Vice-Admiral Sir Chas. Hamilton, the Commander-in-Chief at Newfoundland, relying upon the temper and judgment of Capt. Robinson, sent him to arbitrate between the parties, to make bye-laws, and to survey the newly occupied harbours. “So essential,” to use the Vice-Admiral’s own words in his report to the Admiralty, “did I consider these precautions, that I shortly after followed in H.M.S. Grasshopper to communicate with Capt. Robinson, which I did at Cape Charles; and feeling perfectly satisfied with the arrangements and decisions he had made on that coast, I proceeded immediately elsewhere, feeling no necessity for any interference of mine; and there has been only a single instance of complaint of an American vessel having committed any impropriety out of 600 sail, and that one, I trust, will be settled amicably. I beg also to refer their Lordships to their hydrographer for ample proofs of Capt. Robinson’s exertions in surveying the harbours and passages he has visited, of which we had not before even an outline that could be depended upon, and of which he has left copies in this office.” Capt. Robinson accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
In 1842 Capt. Robinson was appointed Sheriff for Westmeath, for which co. he is a Deputy-Lieutenant. He married, 17 June, 1822, Frances Elizabeth, only child of Henry Wedman Wood, Esq., of Rosmead, co. Westmeath, and has issue six children, the three eldest of whom are in the naval and military services. His second son, Hercules G. R. Robinson, an officer in the 87th Fusileers, married, in Oct. 1846, the Hon. Nea Arthur Ada Rose d’Amour Annesley, daughter of Viscount Valentia, of Bletchingdon Park, Oxford. Agents – Goode and Lawrence.