Sir John Meldrum ( – died 1645) was a soldier of Scottish origin who spent 36 years in the service of the
Stuart kings of Scotland and England,
James VI and I
James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...
and
Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
. In 1636, Meldrum was granted by
letters-patent
Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) (plurale tantum, always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, genera ...
from the king licence to continue and renew the lighthouses erected by Charles I on the
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north ...
and
South Forelands.
[The Penny Magazine. 19 September 1835. pp.365](_blank)
/ref> In 1642, he found himself opposed to the policies of Charles' government and supported the Parliamentarian cause in the Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
. His most notable action was his defeat by Prince Rupert at the relief of Newark
The Relief of Newark (21 March 1644) was a Royalist victory during the First English Civil War. It was a personal victory for Prince Rupert and it resulted in the Royalists holding Newark-on-Trent until very near the end of the war.
Back ...
in early 1644. He also directed the successful construction of a firing platform in Gosport during the Siege of Portsmouth
The siege of Portsmouth was the siege of a Royalist garrison in Portsmouth by a Parliamentarian force conducted in the early part of the First English Civil War. The siege resulted in Portsmouth falling to Parliament after a little under a ...
. On 20 August 1644 his forces defeated royalist cavalry force numbering about 2500 at the Battle of Ormskirk
The Battle of Ormskirk was fought on 20 August 1644 during the First English Civil War. It was a decisive victory for the Parliamentarian force commanded by Major-General Sir John Meldrum over the Royalist force commanded by Lord Byron.
Ba ...
. He was killed during the Great Siege of Scarborough Castle
The Great Siege of Scarborough Castle was a major conflict for control of one of England's most important stone fortresses during the First English Civil War fought between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists loyal to King Charles I. In Feb ...
.
References
*
Notes
External links
Biography of John Meldrum
British Civil Wars and Commonwealth website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meldrum, John
16th-century births
1645 deaths
Burials at St Margaret's, Westminster
People killed in the English Civil War
Scottish soldiers
Parliamentarian military personnel of the English Civil War