Kingsmill, Sir Robert Brice, Admiral, 1730-1805.

The papers consists of the log of HMS ELIZABETH, 1783 to 1786, as well as ten letters and order books, 1793 to 1800.

Administrative / biographical background
Brice was made lieutenant in 1756, commander in 1761, captain in 1762 and served in the West Indies until 1764. In 1766 he changed his name to Kingsmill when his wife received an inheritance. In 1778 he took part in the action off Ushant but declined to serve again until the fall of Lord Sandwich's administration at the Admiralty. He sat for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, 1779 to 1780. He was appointed in 1783 to HMS ELIZABETH which served as a guardship until 1786. From 1784 until 1790 he was Member of Parliament for Tregony, Cornwall. Kingsmill was promoted to rear-admiral in 1793 and was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the Cork Station in HMS SWIFTSURE and HMS POLYPHEMUS, during which time he had to contend with the French invasion of Ireland, 1797. He held this post until 1800 and was promoted to admiral in 1799.