Robert Man was born in 1721 and baptised at St Mary's, Chatham on 2 July of that year. He is listed in three ships commanded by his father, Captain Robert Man (1675-1745), these being a mixture of the usual fiction and fact. His passing certificate is dated 12 March 1739.[1] Man officially joined the Royal Navy on 17 September 1740.[2] Promoted to post-captain on 22 June 1745, he took command of the fifth-rateHMS Launceston in June 1745, the fifth-rate HMS Lynn in June 1746 and the fourth-rateHMS Anson in February 1755.[2] He went on to command the third-rateHMS Prince Frederick in 1758 and the third-rate HMS Lancaster later that year.[2] He commanded Lancaster at the siege of Louisbourg in June 1758 during the French and Indian War.[2] He then transferred to the command of the third-rate HMS Cornwall in 1760.[2]
Whilst in command of Cornwall, he took on board the orphaned son of his cousin, another Captain Robert Man (1720-1762), and did much to promote his career. The boy, later Admiral Robert Man (1745-1813), was described by Nelson as 'a good man in every sense of the word'.[3]
^Daphne Austin & Barry Jolly: "'A Man's a Man for A' That: A clarification of the identity of each Robert Man" Topmasts No. 27, The Quarterly Newsletter of The Society for Nautical Research, August 2018