Today on The Seventeenth Century Lady, we welcome Rob Benbow who is campaigning to get a statue of major 17th-century Admiral Benbow. According to their official Facebook page:
The aim of this campaign is to get an exhibition and statue to honor Shrewsbury’s famous son Admiral Benbow, a legend of his time who has been forgotten in his hometown of Shrewsbury and to safe guard British history for generations to come.
So, please give him a warm welcome as he gives us the background about the campaign!
Admiral Benbow by Godfrey Kneller. Image: History Today.
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rob Benbow, and I am the Canadian Coordinator for the “Admiral Benbow Campaign for an Exhibition and Statue in Shrewsbury”.
The Campaign began in 2010 by Andrew Finch, of Wattlesborough, Shropshire, UK, who, along with many others, felt that there should be a commemorative statue, in the United Kingdom, to recognize the famous 17th Century Admiral, and his exemplary dedication to Crown and Country.
Admiral Benbow was born in Shrewsbury in 1653. After rising through the Ranks within the British Royal Navy, and after many campaigns throughout the English Channel and the Mediterranean, he represented Britain and policed British interests in the West Indies. He was seriously wounded after a Mutiny by some of his subordinate Captains, in an engagement with French Admiral DuCasse. Instigators within the group were court marshalled, with some being sentenced to Jail, while others were executed for their acts of treason. As a result of the wounds inflicted in this battle, Admiral Benbow passed away in 1702, and is buried in Kingston, Jamaica.
To obtain more information about this important Admiral, the Battles fought, The Mutiny, his much disputed Ancestry, the Admiral’s Progeny and Legacy, and more, please go to www.bravebenbow.com.
A triple portrait of Thomas Phillips, John Benbow, and Sir Ralph Delavall. Image: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
The book, ‘Admiral Benbow – The Life and Times of a Naval Legend’, by Dr. Sam Willis, describes in detail Admiral Benbow’s time and service in the British Royal Navy in the 17th Century. Dr. Willis, writing for History Today, wrote “The Dark Side of Admiral Benbow.”
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John Benbow after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt. Image: National Portrait Gallery, London.
The commemoration of a statue in the Memory of the Great Admiral, a son of Shrewsbury, would not only allow the people of Shrewsbury and the surrounding areas to celebrate their History, but would also serve to increase tourism in the area, giving Shrewsbury additional exposure. The local population, as well tourists, would spend money on accommodation, transportation, food, shopping, businesses in the area, and other related activities, all benefiting the economy of the area. The campaign already has had some notable supporters, including Lord West.
If you would like to support the campaign to erect a statue of Admiral Benbow, please click here.
