John Lambertus Romer
Encyclopedia
John Lambertus Romer was a British
military engineer
. He was the son of Wolfgang William Romer
, a Dutch engineer who came to England with William of Orange
in the "Glorious Revolution
" of 1688.
John Romer served in the artillery in Flanders
, Spain, and on several expeditions, and in 1708 was an ensign
in Brigadier Rooke's regiment. On 28 August 1708 he was appointed, by royal warrant
, as assistant engineer to his father at Portsmouth
, and was employed on works for protecting the shore near the Blockhouse, from the sea. On 4 April 1713 he was promoted to lieutenant
in the 4th Foot
. In 1715 he was placed on half-pay from his regiment, and on 20 April was appointed engineer at Sheerness
, his district comprising the defences of the Rivers Thames
and Medway
. He was employed at Portsmouth at the end of 1716, but returned to Sheerness on 7 April of the following year. At the end of July 1719, he joined the expedition to Vigo
, Spain, under Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham
, and took part in the capture of the citadel, which surrendered on 10 October.
On his return home, Romer was appointed engineer in charge of the northern district and Scotland,
and arrived in Edinburgh
on 19 March 1720. In Scotland he had under his charge the erection of barracks in the Highlands
, as proposed by Field Marshal George Wade
, at Inversnaid
, Ruthven
, Bernera
, and Killiwhimen (Fort Augustus
). He was involved in defence work at Fort William
, and Fort George
. On 24 September 1722, he was promoted to engineer-in-ordinary, and on 30 October he went to the office of the Board of Ordnance
in London, whence he carried out the administration of the Scottish and northern engineer districts for many years. In the 1730s, Romer was responsible for the design of improved artillery defences and bastion
s on the north and west sides of Edinburgh Castle
, which were built by William Adam, and include the Argyle Battery, Mills Mount Battery, the Low Defences and the Western Defences. He was promoted to be sub-director of engineers on 1 April 1730, captain-lieutenant on 22 December 1738, and captain in the 4th Foot (Barrell's Regiment) on 19 January 1739. In 1742 he became director of engineers. During 1745 and 1746 he served under the Duke of Cumberland in the suppression of the Jacobite rebellion
, and was wounded at Culloden
, on 16 April 1746.
Romer retired from service in 1751. He married, in 1711, Mary Hammond, by whom he had a son John (1713–1775), many of whose descendants entered the army, and distinguished themselves in active service. Among drawings by John Lambertus Romer, now held by the British Museum
, are plans of Fort Augustus, Scotland, and the fortifications of Portsmouth in 1725. He was buried in St. Margaret's, Westminster
.
Attribution
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
military engineer
Military engineer
In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
. He was the son of Wolfgang William Romer
Wolfgang William Romer
Wolfgang William Romer was a Dutch military engineer, born at The Hague. He was the third son, in a family of six sons and five daughters, of Mathias Romer of Düsseldorf and Anna Duppengiezeer. Mathias was ambassador to Holland from the Elector Palatine, who stood godfather to Wolfgang at his...
, a Dutch engineer who came to England with William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
in the "Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
" of 1688.
John Romer served in the artillery in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, Spain, and on several expeditions, and in 1708 was an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in Brigadier Rooke's regiment. On 28 August 1708 he was appointed, by royal warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
, as assistant engineer to his father at Portsmouth
HMNB Portsmouth
Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the British Royal Navy...
, and was employed on works for protecting the shore near the Blockhouse, from the sea. On 4 April 1713 he was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 4th Foot
King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
The King's Own Royal Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, which served under various titles from 1680 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.-History:...
. In 1715 he was placed on half-pay from his regiment, and on 20 April was appointed engineer at Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
, his district comprising the defences of the Rivers Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
and Medway
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
. He was employed at Portsmouth at the end of 1716, but returned to Sheerness on 7 April of the following year. At the end of July 1719, he joined the expedition to Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
, Spain, under Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham
Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham
Field Marshal Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham PC was a British soldier and Whig politician. He was known for his ownership of and modifications to the estate at Stowe and for serving as a political mentor to the young William Pitt.-Early life:Temple was the son of Sir Richard Temple, 3rd...
, and took part in the capture of the citadel, which surrendered on 10 October.
On his return home, Romer was appointed engineer in charge of the northern district and Scotland,
and arrived in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on 19 March 1720. In Scotland he had under his charge the erection of barracks in the Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
, as proposed by Field Marshal George Wade
George Wade
Field Marshal George Wade served as a British military commander and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.-Early career:Wade, born in Kilavally, Westmeath in Ireland, was commissioned into the Earl of Bath's Regiment in 1690 and served in Flanders in 1692, during the Nine Years War, earning a...
, at Inversnaid
Inversnaid
Inversnaid is a village on the east bank of Loch Lomond in Scotland, near the north end of the loch. It has a pier and a hotel, and the West Highland Way passes through the village. A small passenger ferry runs from Inversnaid to Inveruglas on the opposite shore of the loch. To reach Inversnaid by...
, Ruthven
Ruthven Barracks
Ruthven Barracks near Ruthven, Highland in Scotland are the smallest but best preserved of the four barracks built in 1719 after the 1715 Jacobite rising, set on an old castle mound. It comprises two large three-storey blocks occupying two sides of the enclosure each with two rooms per floor...
, Bernera
Bernera Barracks
Bernera Barracks is located in Glenelg in the West Highlands of Scotland. The barracks were constructed between 1717 and 1723 as part of a campaign by the British government to subdue the local population which had risen up in arms in the Jacobite Rising of 1715, and which would do so again in 1745...
, and Killiwhimen (Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus is a settlement in the Scottish Highlands, at the south west end of Loch Ness. The village has a population of around 646 ; its economy is heavily reliant on tourism....
). He was involved in defence work at Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
, and Fort George
Fort George, Highland
Fort George , is a large 18th century fortress near Ardersier, to the north-east of Inverness in the Highland council area of Scotland. It was built to pacify the Scottish Highlands in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745, replacing an earlier Fort George built with the same aim after the...
. On 24 September 1722, he was promoted to engineer-in-ordinary, and on 30 October he went to the office of the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
in London, whence he carried out the administration of the Scottish and northern engineer districts for many years. In the 1730s, Romer was responsible for the design of improved artillery defences and bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s on the north and west sides of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
, which were built by William Adam, and include the Argyle Battery, Mills Mount Battery, the Low Defences and the Western Defences. He was promoted to be sub-director of engineers on 1 April 1730, captain-lieutenant on 22 December 1738, and captain in the 4th Foot (Barrell's Regiment) on 19 January 1739. In 1742 he became director of engineers. During 1745 and 1746 he served under the Duke of Cumberland in the suppression of the Jacobite rebellion
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
, and was wounded at Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
, on 16 April 1746.
Romer retired from service in 1751. He married, in 1711, Mary Hammond, by whom he had a son John (1713–1775), many of whose descendants entered the army, and distinguished themselves in active service. Among drawings by John Lambertus Romer, now held by the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, are plans of Fort Augustus, Scotland, and the fortifications of Portsmouth in 1725. He was buried in St. Margaret's, Westminster
St. Margaret's, Westminster
The Anglican church of St. Margaret, Westminster Abbey is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, and is the parish church of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London...
.
External links
- Maps and plans by John Lambertus Romer, in the collection of the National Library of ScotlandNational Library of ScotlandThe National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter...
Attribution