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 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 South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

Forelands.The Penny Magazine. 19 September 1835. pp.365
/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 polici ...

. His most notable action was his defeat by

Prince Rupert Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 (O.S.) / 27 December (N.S.) – 29 November 1682 (O.S.)) was an English army officer, admiral, scientist and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist caval ...

at the relief of Newark in early 1644. He also directed the successful construction of a firing platform in Gosport during the Siege of Portsmouth. On 20 August 1644 his forces defeated royalist cavalry force numbering about 2500 at the Battle of Ormskirk. He was killed during the Great Siege of Scarborough Castle.

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