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The following obituary for Robert Henry More Molyneux appeared in the Times newspaper.
| Obituary in the Times newspaper | |
| Date | Obituary |
| 5 March 1904 | ADMIRAL SIR ROBERT MORE MOLYNEUX. We regret to announce the death of Admiral Sir Robert Henry More Molyneux, G.C.B., which occurred suddenly on February 29 at Cairo, where he was on a visit.Sir Robert More Molyneux was a member of an old Surrey family, being the youngest son of the late Mr. James More Molyneux, of Loseley-park, Guildford. He was born on August 6, 1838, and after receiving a private education entered the Royal Navy in 1852. Eighteen months later he first saw active service, when as a midshipman of the Sans Pareil, in the Black Sea, he was present at the bombardment of Odessa, and in October of the same year at the attack on Sevastopol. In 1855, having been appointed to the Russell, he served in the Baltic; and at the end of the war with Russia he received the Crimean, Baltic, and Turkish medals, with the Sevastopol clasp. As a mate of the Vesuvius he was employed on the West Coast of Africa in 1859 in the suppression of the slave trade, and was mentioned in despatches for service in command of a colonial gunboat in an expedition up the Great Scarcies river. In the same year he was given his commission as lieutenant for the capture of an armed slaver brig off the Congo, he being at the time in charge of a couple of boats from the Vesuvius and Pluto. He was promoted to be a commander December 18, 1865, and while holding this rank was specially thanked by the Admiralty and the French Government for valuable services in connexion with the French transport Gironde, wrecked in a most dangerous position off Jamaica, and for other services rendered after the great hurricane at St. Thomas in 1867. His commission as captain was dated February 6, 1872, and during the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78 he commanded the Ruby in the Levant. His next service was on the East Indies Station; and then, on July 11, 1682, he commanded the Invincible at the bombardment of Alexandria and during the Egyptian war. For his services in Egypt he was made a Companion of the Bath, and received the medal with Alexandria clasp, Khedive's bronze star, and Osmanieh of the third class. On May 7, 1884, he was appointed commodore commanding the ships in the Red Sea, charged with the protection of Suakin until the arrival of Sir Gerald Graham’s expedition in the following year. A special reference to this matter was made by the Secretary of the Admiralty in the House of Commons, who said:— "At Suakin the prolonged defence has been a trying service for the naval force under Commodore Molyneux." Mention was also made in despatches of his services both by the Commander-in-Chief and by Lord Wolseley. He received the K.C.B. and clasps for Suakin and the Nile, and in March, 1885, was made an A.D.C. to Queen Victoria. Sir Robert More Molyneux was next employed as Captain-Superintendent of Sheerness Dockyard, a post which he held until his advancement to flag rank on May 1, 1888. His further service was of an administrative or advisory character, and he only went afloat as an umpire during manoeuvres. He was one of the British representatives at the International Marine Conference held in Washington in 1889, and he served on several committees. From August, 1891, until August, 1894, he was Admiral-Superintendent of Devonport Dockyard, and from October, 1900, to November, 1902, president of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. His commission as Vice-Admiral was dated May 28, 1894, and that as Admiral July 13, 1899. He received the G.C.B. in November, 1902, and was placed on the retired list in August last. Sir Robert More Molyneux married, in 1874, Annie Carew, a daughter of the late Captain Forster, R.N,, who died in 1898. |
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