Nepean, Sir Evan, 1st Baronet, politician and colonial administrator (1751-1822)

The first two sections consists of letters from Earl St. Vincent, 1793 to 1803. There are also two series from agents, one of fifty-four letters, 1796 to 1801, which include some from Sir Sidney Smith and the second of seventy-one letters from William May, 1797 to 1798. There is also a secret account book kept by Charles Wright, Chief Clerk to the Admiralty, between 1795 and 1804. In the Gosse collection of papers relating to piracy there are letters received by Nepean, 1817 to 1819.

Administrative / biographical background
Nepean was born in Cornwall and entered the Navy in 1773 as a clerk, serving initually on HMS BOYNE. He was promoted to purser in 1775. He served as a secretary to Admiral Molyneaux Shuldham, in Boston in 1776 and then at Plymouth (1777-1778). He became Purser on HMS FOUDROYANT for Sir John Jervis (later Earl St. Vincent) from 1780 until 1782. He then was appointed Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, running a network of spies across Europe, until 1791. In 1794 he became Under-Secretary of State for War, and then Secretary to the Board of Admiralty 1795-1804, Chief Secretary for Ireland 1804-1805 and then Governor of Bombay [Mumbai] 1812-1819. He was created a baronet in 1802. Nepean was Member of Parliament for Queenborough 1796-1802, and Bridport, 1802-1812.. He was appointed High Sheriff of Dorset in 1822 and died in office.