Bonaventure Marie Rohu 1761 - 1822
Bonaventure Marie Rohu came to England in 1795 after the disastrous defeat of the Royalist invasion which was intended to make common cause with the Chouans, at Quiberon, Brittany. The Comte D’Artois, who led the Émigrés, aided by the English, had attempted to unseat Napoleon and restore the French monarchy. The invasion was met with superior French Republican forces and the Comte made his escape to England. D’Artois was the youngest brother of Louis 16th. He afterwards became King as Charles 10th. It was he who appointed Michel, one of Bonaventure’s brothers, Admiral to the Emigree fleet.
The circumstances which led to Bonaventure’s exile in England were as follows:
Being Mayor of Plouharnel, Morbihan, he was ex-officio, chief officer of the port (syndic l’inscription). In his official capacity he paid a visit to the Medusa, an English warship which had put in to Quiberon Bay for the purpose of evacuating D’Artois to England. During the course of Bonaventure’s visit the Comte D’Artois, who was on board, enquired who Bonaventure was. This led to an interview in which the Comte asked if Bonaventure was a relative of Lieutenant Colonel Jean Rohu, second in command to General Georges Cadoudal, the Chouan leader. On hearing that he was, the Comte asked the English Captain to detain Rohu, as he would be invaluable to the Royalist emigrees in the invasion which was to follow, for Rohu had a comprehensive knowledge of the Breton coast. Rohu was brought to London and was placed in a hotel under strict surveillance. He was otherwise well cared for. Soon after, the Royalist expedition set out. Rohu, as pilot, was put aboard the Minerva and told he would be shot if he led the fleet into any ambush.
History relates how the Royalists were defeated. On the return to England of the ill-fated expedition, Rohu was detained and thus forfeited his inheritance of extensive property in Brittany. In return, he is said to have received from the English Government a life pension of a guinea a day. That this pension died with him, if he ever received it, is probable, since his widow and children are known thereafter to have been in very reduced circumstances. This is proved by the nature of the application made by Bonaventure’s widow to have the children received into the Greenwich Asylum which had been founded to provide for the care and education of the children of Navy personnel in reduced circumstances.
The circumstances which led to Bonaventure’s exile in England were as follows:
Being Mayor of Plouharnel, Morbihan, he was ex-officio, chief officer of the port (syndic l’inscription). In his official capacity he paid a visit to the Medusa, an English warship which had put in to Quiberon Bay for the purpose of evacuating D’Artois to England. During the course of Bonaventure’s visit the Comte D’Artois, who was on board, enquired who Bonaventure was. This led to an interview in which the Comte asked if Bonaventure was a relative of Lieutenant Colonel Jean Rohu, second in command to General Georges Cadoudal, the Chouan leader. On hearing that he was, the Comte asked the English Captain to detain Rohu, as he would be invaluable to the Royalist emigrees in the invasion which was to follow, for Rohu had a comprehensive knowledge of the Breton coast. Rohu was brought to London and was placed in a hotel under strict surveillance. He was otherwise well cared for. Soon after, the Royalist expedition set out. Rohu, as pilot, was put aboard the Minerva and told he would be shot if he led the fleet into any ambush.
History relates how the Royalists were defeated. On the return to England of the ill-fated expedition, Rohu was detained and thus forfeited his inheritance of extensive property in Brittany. In return, he is said to have received from the English Government a life pension of a guinea a day. That this pension died with him, if he ever received it, is probable, since his widow and children are known thereafter to have been in very reduced circumstances. This is proved by the nature of the application made by Bonaventure’s widow to have the children received into the Greenwich Asylum which had been founded to provide for the care and education of the children of Navy personnel in reduced circumstances.