Sir James John Gordon Bremer (26 September 1786 – 14 February 1850) was a British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

officer. He served in the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

against France, the

First Anglo-Burmese War The First Anglo-Burmese War (; ; 5 March 1824 – 24 February 1826), also known as the First Burma War in English language accounts and First English Invasion War () in Burmese language accounts, was the first of three wars fought between the ...

in Burma, and the

First Opium War The First Opium War ( zh, t=第一次鴉片戰爭, p=Dìyīcì yāpiàn zhànzhēng), also known as the Anglo-Chinese War, was a series of military engagements fought between the British Empire and the Chinese Qing dynasty between 1839 and 1 ...

in China. Born in Portsea, Portsmouth, Bremer joined the

Royal Naval College Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, ...

as a student in 1797. He became a

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...

in 1802, serving in the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...

, then qualified as a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

in 1805. The first ship he commanded was in 1807, stationed in the

East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies) is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The ''Indies'' broadly referred to various lands in Eastern world, the East or the Eastern Hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainl ...

. He was promoted to

post captain Post-captain or post captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy. The term "post-captain" was descriptive only; it was never used as a title in the form "Post-Captain John Smith". The term served to di ...

in 1814. After becoming commander of HMS ''Tamar'', in 1824 he was sent to Melville Island, Australia, to establish a colony. Under his leadership, the north coast of Australia from 129° to 135° longitude was claimed as British territory. The colony was abandoned in 1828. He led British forces at the Battle of Berbera in 1827, a successful raid against tribes in the

Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...

. As a commodore, Bremer was the temporary commander-in-chief of British forces in the First Opium War, for two periods between 1839 and 1841. In 1841, he took possession of

Hong Kong Island Hong Kong Island () is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong. The island, known originally and on road signs simply as "Hong Kong", had a population of 1,289,500 and a population density of , . It is the second largest island in Hong Kon ...

for the United Kingdom. From 1846 to 1848, he was joint commander (with Francis Augustus Collier) of the Channel Squadron and superintendent of

Woolwich Dockyard Woolwich Dockyard (formally H.M. Dockyard, Woolwich, also known as The King's Yard, Woolwich) was an English Royal Navy Dockyard, naval dockyard along the river Thames at Woolwich - originally in north-west Kent, now in southeast London - whe ...

. He retired in 1848, with the rank of

rear admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

, and died in 1850.

Early career

Bremer was born on 26 September 1786 in Portsea, Hampshire, England. Laughton, J. K.; Lambert, Andrew, rev. "Bremer, Sir James John Gordon (1786–1850)". ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. 21 May 2009. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 8 August 2018. . He was the only son of

Lieutenant James Bremer (who went missing in the

East Indiaman East Indiamen were merchant ships that operated under charter or licence for European trading companies which traded with the East Indies between the 17th and 19th centuries. The term was commonly used to refer to vessels belonging to the Bri ...

''Halswell'' off the coast of

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

, England, on 6 January 1786) and his wife Ann, daughter of Captain James Norman. In 1794 at around 12 years old he joined the Royal Navy as a first-class volunteer on board HMS ''Sandwich'', the

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

of Rear-Admiral Skeffington Lutwidge, at the

Nore The Nore is a long sandbank, bank of sand and silt running along the south-centre of the final narrowing of the Thames Estuary, England. Its south-west is the very narrow Nore Sand. Just short of the Nore's easternmost point where it fades int ...

, from which he was discharged in June 1795. On 8 October 1797, he became a student of the

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

, and re-embarked on 2 April 1802 as a midshipman on board HMS ''Endymion'' under Captain Philip Durham. Until July 1805, Bremer served in the flagship of Vice-Admiral James Gambier and Rear-Admiral Edward Thornbrough, HMS ''Isis'', on the

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

and

stations. Shortly after passing his examination, he was appointed sub-lieutenant of the gun-brig HMS ''Rapid''. On 3 August 1805, he became a lieutenant on board HMS ''Captain'' as part of William Cornwallis' force pursuing a French fleet at Brest. On 9 May 1806, Bremer was appointed to HMS ''Diana'' commanded by Captain Thomas James Maling in the

Mediterranean Station The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a military formation, formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vita ...

, from where he proceeded to the

Davis Strait The Davis Strait (Danish language, Danish: ''Davisstrædet'') is a southern arm of the Arctic Ocean that lies north of the Labrador Sea. It lies between mid-western Greenland and Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada. To the north is Baffin Bay. The ...

. On 6 October, he served on board HMS ''Imogen'', commanded by Captain Thomas Garth in the Mediterranean. On 28 May 1807, he was appointed to HMS ''Psyché'' commanded by Captain William Wooldridge in the

, where he became commander of HMS ''Rattlesnake'' on 13 October. He became a

on 7 June 1814. On 4 June 1815, he was nominated a Companion of the Most Honourable Military

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

(CB).

Australia

On 18 September 1823, just before his 37th birthday, Bremer was appointed commander of HMS ''Tamar''. In February 1824, he was sent to Melville Island, Australia, to establish a colony. The site was intended as a military settlement to secure British trade in the region. It was hoped that a market would open to British merchants in the

Malay Archipelago The Malay Archipelago is the archipelago between Mainland Southeast Asia and Australia, and is also called Insulindia or the Indo-Australian Archipelago. The name was taken from the 19th-century European concept of a Malay race, later based ...

.Scott, Ernest (1988) 933 ''Australia: The Cambridge History of the British Empire''. Volume 7. Part 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 129–130. . In June 1824, Bremer arrived in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

where he spent a month collecting troops and stores.Bach, J (1966).
Bremer, Sir James John Gordon (1786–1850)
. ''Australian Dictionary of Biography''. Retrieved 7 June 2011. On 24 August 1824, he left

Port Jackson Port Jackson, commonly known as Sydney Harbour, is a natural harbour on the east coast of Australia, around which Sydney was built. It consists of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta ...

, Sydney,Melville Island – Culture and History
. ''The Sydney Morning Herald''. 25 November 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2011. on board ''Tamar'', accompanied by and ''Lady Nelson''.Cameron, James (1989). In Satham, Pamela, ed. ''The Origin of Australia's Capital Cities''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 276. . The ships transported

Royal Marines The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...

and 44 convicts guarded by the 3rd Regiment. After sailing through the

Torres Strait The Torres Strait (), also known as Zenadh Kes ( Kalaw Lagaw Ya#Phonology 2, �zen̪ad̪ kes, is a strait between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, ...

, he arrived in

Port Essington Port Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory. It was the site of an early attempt at British settlement, but now exists only as a remot ...

on 20 September. The north coast of Australia from 129° to 135° longitude was declared British territory. Bremer rejected Port Essington as a settlement due to its lack of fresh drinking water. On 26 September, the party landed at King Cove in Melville Island to build a settlement, which was named

Fort Dundas Fort Dundas was a short-lived British settlement on Melville Island between 1824 and 1828 in what is now the Northern Territory of Australia. It was the first of four British settlement attempts in northern Australia before Goyder's survey an ...

on 21 October. However, the site was unhealthy, expensive to maintain, and did not develop into an advantageous commercial trading post. In November 1828, orders were given to abandon the post. In November 1824, Bremer sailed for India where he served in the

. On 25 January 1836, he was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order (KCH). In 1837, Port Essington was again selected as a possible trading station by Baron Glenelg. Bremer, who commanded the ''

Alligator An alligator, or colloquially gator, is a large reptile in the genus ''Alligator'' of the Family (biology), family Alligatoridae in the Order (biology), order Crocodilia. The two Extant taxon, extant species are the American alligator (''A. mis ...

'' and '' Britomart'', was again given charge of the expedition. He established a new post in October 1838, calling it Port Victoria. The port was active until 1843 and by 1849, Port Essington was abandoned after it had no commercial or military value. Under the encouragement of New South Wales Governor

George Gipps Sir George Gipps (23 December 1790 – 28 February 1847) was the Governor of New South Wales, Governor of the British Colony of New South Wales for eight years, between 1838 and 1846. His governorship oversaw a tumultuous period where the rights ...

, Bremer left Port Essington for China in June 1839, with the ships under his command, after news of trouble in the Chinese city of Canton.

China

Rear-Admiral

Frederick Maitland General Frederick Maitland (3 September 1763 – 27 January 1848) was a British Army officer who fought during the American War of Independence, the Peninsular War and later served as Lieutenant Governor of Dominica. Life The youngest son ...

, commander of the

East Indies and China Station The Commander-in-Chief, East Indies and China was a formation of the Royal Navy from 1831 to 1865. Its naval area of responsibility was the Indian Ocean and the coasts of China and its navigable rivers. The Commander-in-Chief was appointed in 18 ...

, died in November 1839. As the senior naval officer, Bremer took over as commander-in-chief of British forces in the First Anglo-Chinese War as commodore. He was replaced by Rear-Admiral George Elliot in July 1840, but after Elliot's return home in November 1840, Bremer again assumed the post until the arrival of Sir William Parker in August 1841. Bremer commanded the capture of Chusan (5–6 July 1840), Second Battle of Chuenpi (7 January 1841), Battle of the Bogue (23–26 February),No. 19984
. ''The London Gazette''. 3 June 1841. p. 1426.

Battle of First Bar The Battle of First Bar was fought between British and Chinese forces at First Bar Island and its surrounding area in the Pearl River, Guangdong province, China, on 27 February 1841 during the First Opium War. Background On 21 February 1841 ...

(27 February),

Battle of Whampoa The Battle of Whampoa was fought between British and Chinese forces at Whampoa Island (modern-day Pazhou Island) on the Pearl River near the city of Canton (Guangzhou), Guangdong, China, on 2March 1841 during the First Opium War.Ouchterlony 1 ...

(2 March), and Battle of Canton (18 March). After Plenipotentiary

Charles Elliot Admiral Sir Charles Elliot (15 August 1801 – 9 September 1875) was a British Royal Navy officer, diplomat, and colonial administrator. He became the first Administrator of Hong Kong in 1841 while serving as both Plenipotentiary and Chief Su ...

declared the cession of

to the United Kingdom on 20 January 1841,
The Chinese Repository
'. Volume 10. London: Canton. 1841. pp. 63–64. Bremer reported on 26 January that he "proceeded to Hong Kong, and took formal possession of the island in Her Majesty's name, and hoisted the colours on it, with the usual salutes and ceremonies." This area became known as Possession Point, and this date is considered as the modern foundation of Hong Kong. On 1 February, he issued a joint proclamation with Elliot to the inhabitants, declaring the island British territory. On 24 August, he left China aboard the ''Atlanta'' with Elliot. For his services, Bremer received a vote of thanks from both houses of parliament, and on 29 July, he was made a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Military

(KCB).

Later career

On 30 April 1846, Bremer was appointed, jointly with Sir Francis Augustus Collier, to the command of the Channel Squadron, with his

broad pennant A broad pennant is a triangular swallow-tailed naval pennant flown from the masthead of a warship afloat or a naval headquarters ashore to indicate the presence of either: (a) a Royal Navy officer in the rank of Commodore, or (b) a U.S. Navy ...

on board HMS ''Queen''. In November 1842, he became commodore-superintendent of the

, where he commanded the yacht ''

William and Mary William and Mary often refers to: * The joint reign of William III of England (II of Scotland) and Mary II of England (and Scotland) * William and Mary style, a furniture design common from 1700 to 1725 named for the couple William and Mary may al ...

''. He retired from the dockyard on 13 November 1848. On 15 September 1849, Bremer was appointed to

Rear-Admiral of the Blue Rear-Admiral of the Blue was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Rear-Admiral of the White. Royal Navy officers currently holding the ranks of commodore, rear admiral, vice admiral and admira ...

. He served as a magistrate in

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

shire. He died of

diabetes mellitus Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained hyperglycemia, high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or th ...

on 14 February 1850 at

Tunbridge Wells Royal Tunbridge Wells (formerly, until 1909, and still commonly Tunbridge Wells) is a town in Kent, England, southeast of Central London. It lies close to the border with East Sussex on the northern edge of the High Weald, whose sandstone ...

, Kent, England.

Family

On 27 March 1811, Bremer married Harriet, daughter of Royal Marines officer Thomas Wheeler and widow of Reverend George Glasse. They had two sons and four daughters: *Emma Margaret (c. 1815 – 19 July 1877); married Royal Navy officer Augustus Kuper on 20 June 1837 *Isabel Harriet Ann (c. 1816 – 13 April 1866); married British Army officer Henry Sabine Browne on 26 February 1840 and have one daughter. After Browne's death in 1843, Isabel married Frederick George William Fearon on 29 December 1849 at Westminster, London and have one daughter. *Emily (c. 1817 – 21 December 1869); married Alfred Howard on 5 April 1838 *Ellen Susan (born c. 1818); married British Army officer Collingwood Fenwick at Plymouth on 15 October 1844 *Edward Gordon (18 September 1819 – 7 April 1847); Royal Navy officer *John de Courcy (17 February 1822 – 6 January 1891 in Rose Bay, Sydney, Australia) After Harriet's death in 1846, Bremer married Jemima Mary Harriet (1801–1879), the eldest daughter of Royal Navy officer

James Brisbane Captain (Royal Navy), Captain Sir James Brisbane, Order of the Bath, CB (1774 – 19 December 1826) was a British Royal Navy officer of the French Revolutionary Wars, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Although never engaged in any majo ...

, on 8 February 1848 at

Namesakes

* Bremer River, Queensland, Australia; first named Bremer's Creek by explorer

John Oxley John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (1784 – 25 May 1828) was an English List of explorers, explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He served as Surveyor General of New South Wales and is perhaps bes ...

in 1828 * Bremer River, South Australia; originally the Hindmarsh River, renamed the Bremer River in 1839 * Bremer Bay, Western Australia; named by explorer John Septimus Roe, who served under Bremer on board the ''Tamar'' from 1824 to 1827 * Bremer Range and its highest peak, Mount Gordon, Western Australia; named by Roe * Bremer Island, Northern Territory, Australia *Bremer Street,

Griffith Griffith may refer to: People * Griffith (name) * Griffith (surname) * Griffith (given name) Places Antarctica * Mount Griffith, Ross Dependency * Griffith Peak (Antarctica), Marie Byrd Land * Griffith Glacier, Marie Byrd Land * Griffith Ridge, ...

, Canberra, Australia *Mount Bremer; renamed

Braemar Hill Braemar Hill () is a hill with a height of south of Tsat Tsz Mui, Braemar Point on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The hill was likely named after the Scottish village of Braemar by British officials. Contrary to popular belief, the peak of Braem ...

, Hong KongYanne, Andrew; Heller, Gillis (2009). ''Signs of a Colonial Era''. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. p. 41. .

References

External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Bremer, James 1786 births 1850 deaths British military personnel of the First Anglo-Burmese War Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Royal Navy rear admirals Royal Navy personnel of the First Opium War Royal Navy personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars Royal Navy personnel of the Napoleonic Wars People from Portsea, Portsmouth Deaths from diabetes in the United Kingdom