Riou family papers and pictorial material, 1789-1808

fonds

1789-1808

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Drawings, Objects, Prints

105376

Textual Records
Drawings
Objects
Prints
Textual Records - (printed)

Edward Riou was born in 1762 at Mount Ephraim, near Favisham in Kent, England. From 1774 to 1788 he saw varied service in the Royal Navy, sailing with Captain Cook on his third voyage and serving in the West Indies and on the Newfoundland station.
In April 1789 he was appointed to command the 'Guardian', a 44 gun ship, on a voyage to New South Wales with a cargo of stores, seedlings, livestock and convicts desperately needed by the infant colony. On 24 December 1789 the ship struck an iceberg in the southern Indian Ocean and was badly holed. Some of the crew abandoned the ship but Riou, against all odds, managed to sail her back to the Cape of Good Hope. On his return to England he was promoted to the rank of commander, and in 1791 was made a captain. From 1793 to 1795 he served in the West Indies but ill health forced his return to England where he was placed in command of the royal yacht 'Princess Augusta'. In 1799 he was given command of the frigate 'Amazon' which was attached to the Baltic fleet. During the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 he was killed by a cannon-shot.

Collection includes papers and pictorial material relating to Rious' account of the voyage on board the `Guardian'.

SERIES 01
Papers concerning Edward Riou, 1789-1808

SERIES 02
Pictorial material and realia relating to the Guardian frigate and Lieutenant Edward Riou, 1789-1791