|
Warmington Memorial
 Robert Warmington was Admiralty Agent and storekeeper for the port of Great Yarmouth. Although Great Yarmouth was not a naval base as such, but from the Middle Ages onwards, it had been a naval port of some importance, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars, when the fleet assembled in Yarmouth Roads and sailed from here for the Battle of Copenhagen
As an Admiralty Agent, Robert Warmington would have been the person on whom all Royal Naval ships would rely for their supplies, when they came into port or were laying offshore in the Yarmouth Roads
Any ship coming into a home port would require re-provisioning. For example, food, water, sailcloth, ropes, anchors and armaments would be provided. Armaments would be supplied from the Naval Armoury in Southtown, part of which still exists in Southtown Road. The agent would supply all other requirements from local farmers and merchants
 Ship’s captains entrusted agents to settle their salvage claims and to sell any ships that they had captured. Agents then paid the prize money into the captain’s accounts and made any re-imbursements or distributed any charitable giving on their behalf
As such an agent, Robert Warmington had contacts with Nelson. In 1800, Nelson arranged for Robert Warmington to pay monies to the town of Great Yarmouth, including five guineas to the Town Clerk, one guinea to the Mayor and £50 to feed the poor
As well as being an Admiralty Agent, Robert Warmington was the Agent for the Cuxhaven and Hamburg Packets and was also the Honourable Vice-Consul in Great Yarmouth for Prussia, Denmark, Sweden and the United States. He was the Mayor of Great Yarmouth in 1780 and 1808
 Warmington lived in a house on the north-east corner of Row 104 at the Middlegate end from 1785 and he died there in 1812. It is now the site of the Salvation Army Citadel
In 2012, a plaque commemorating Robert Warmington was unveiled by the Mayor, Councillor Barry Coleman, on the Salvation Army Citadel before which, Commander Simon Askins, RN., gave an address outlining Warmington’s achievements
Before the Second World War there was a memorial to him and his wife in St Nicholas Church
Paul Davies
Reprinted from the Great Yarmouth Mercury
Do you have a news story about yourself, church, or organisation; or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in Great Yarmouth or surrounding district?
If so, email office@networkyarmouth.co.uk with details and, if possible, a suitable picture(s)
|
|
|
|
