John Phillimore

This article is about the Royal Navy officer. For the barrister, jurist and politician, see John George Phillimore. For the British classical scholar, translator and poet, see John Swinnerton Phillimore.

John Phillimore
Born18 January 1781
Died21 March 1840
The Ray, near Maidenhead
AllegianceUnited Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland
Service / branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1794 – 1840
RankCaptain
CommandsHMS Cormorant
HMS Belette
HMS Marlborough
HMS Diadem
HMS Eurotas
HMS William and Mary
HMS Thetis
Battles / wars
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
RelationsHenry Bourchier Phillimore (son)
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Sir John Phillimore CB (18 January 1781 – 21 March 1840) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was involved in several notable actions during his active career, taking part in both Battles of Copenhagen, sending Sir Hyde Parker's famous signal to Nelson in the first, and fighting off Danish gunboats in the second. He went on to win a hard-fought victory over a French frigate in 1814 and reaped the rewards. He was at times a controversial figure, causing a scandal when he thrashed the naval historian William James with a stick for apparently badly representing Phillimore's conduct, and on another occasion inviting rebuke from the Navy Board for his request for more paint for his ship. He nevertheless became an aide-de-camp to the young Queen Victoria, and took important steps to reform how the lower ranks and ordinary seamen were treated in the Navy.