Evan Nepean

For the English barrister and first-class cricketer, seeEvan Nepean (cricketer).

The Right HonourableSir Evan Nepean BtFRS
Governor of Bombay
In office 1812–1819
Preceded by	George Brown
Succeeded by	Mountstuart Elphinstone
Personal details
Born	(1752-07-09)9 July 1752 St Stephens by Saltash,Cornwall, England
Died	2 October 1822(1822-10-02)(aged 70) Loders,Dorset, England
Spouse	Margaret Skinner
Children	8
Parent	Nicholas Nepean
Occupation	Politician colonial administrator

Sir Evan Nepean, 1st Baronet,PCFRS(9 July 1752 – 2 October 1822)was a British politician and colonial administrator. He was the first of theNepean Baronets.

Family

Nepean was born at St. Stephens nearSaltash,Cornwall,the second of three sons of Nicholas Nepean, an innkeeper, and his second wife, Margaret Jones. His father wasCornishand his mother was fromSouth Wales.The name "Nepean" is thought to come from the village ofNanpean( "the head of the valley" ), in Cornwall.

Nepean married Margaret Skinner, the only daughter of Capt. William Skinner, on 6 June 1782 at the Garrison Church atGreenwich.They had eight children,including Sir Molyneux Hyde Nepean, 2nd Bt., and Maj.-Gen. William Nepean, whose daughter Anna Maria Nepean married General SirWilliam Parke.Their youngest child, Rev. Canon Evan Nepean, became theCanonofWestminsterand aChaplain in OrdinarytoQueen Victoria.His grandsonCharleswas aMiddlesexcounty cricketer who also playedfootball.

Career

Nepean entered theRoyal Navyon 28 December 1773, serving onHMSBoyneas a clerk to Capt. Hartwell. He was promoted to purser in 1775. During theAmerican Revolutionary Warhe served as secretary to AdmiralMolyneux Shuldham,inBostonin 1776 and again atPlymouth(1777–78). From 1780 to 1782 he was Purser onHMSFoudroyantfor CaptainJohn Jervis(later Lord St. Vincent).

On 3 March 1782 (aged 29) he was appointedPermanent Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department.In this position, he came to have responsibility for naval and political intelligence which led to him running a network of spies across Europe.He served there until December 1791, when he becameUnder-Secretary of State for Warin 1794,Secretary to the Board of Admiralty1795–1804,Chief Secretary for Ireland1804–1805,Commissioner of the Admiralty,and thenGovernor of Bombay1812–1819.

He wasMember of ParliamentforQueenboroughfrom 1796 till 1802, then moving toBridportwhere he remained until 1812. TheBridport Town Hall,designed by architectWilliam TylerRA, was given a clock tower withcupola,in about 1805, by Sir Evan.He was made abaronetin 1802 and was admitted to thePrivy Council of the United Kingdomin 1804.

In 1820 he was made a member of theRoyal Society.In 1822 he was appointedSheriff of Dorsetbut died in office the same year at his estate atLoders.

Legacy

Places named after Evan Nepean include:

• Australia- theNepean RiverinNew South Wales,theNepean HighwayandPoint Nepeanboth inVictoria,Nepean BayinSouth AustraliaandNepean Islandin the external territory ofNorfolk Island.
• Canada- the former city ofNepean, Ontario,Nepean Point,Nepean Bay.
• India- the Nepean Road andNepean Sea RoadinMumbai.

Arms

Coat of arms of Evan Nepean

Crest On a mount Vert a goat passant Sable charged on the side with two Ermine spots in fesse Or collared and horned Gold Escutcheon Gules a fesse wavy Erminois between three mullets Argent. Motto Respice (Look Back)

References

Sources

• Knight, Roger(2013).Britain Against Napoleon: The Organization of Victory 1793-1815.London: Allen Lane.ISBN978-1-846-14177-5.
• Sparrow, Elizabeth.Nepean, Sir Evan.Retrieved14 March2014.{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help)

External links

• The Nepean Museum
• History of the Home Office 1782-1982
• History of Parliament biography