A half-length portrait to the right showing Colpoys in his admiral’s full dress uniform, 1795–1812, wearing the ribbon and star of the Bath.
John Colpoys is believed to have entered the Navy in 1756. He was at the capture of Louisbourg in 1758 and of Martinique in 1762. He was promoted lieutenant on 22 October that year and was, until made post on 25 August 1773, appointed to a succession of ships: the ‘Modeste’ in 1764, the ‘Lowestoft’ in 1765, the ‘Phoenix’ in 1768, the sloop ‘Lynx’ in 1770 and the ‘Northumberland’ in 1771, which he went on to command. There were further appointments to command the ‘Orpheus’ in 1780, the ‘Albion’ in 1782, the ‘Phaeton’ in 1783 and, following several years without service, the guardship ‘Hannibal’ at Portsmouth in 1790.
Colpoys was promoted rear-admiral of the blue on 12 April 1794 and of the white on 4 July that year. He was then made vice-admiral of the blue on 1 June the following year with his flag in the ‘London’ and saw action with Bridport off L’Orient in 1795. The ‘London’ was embroiled in the 1797 mutinies and Colpoys struck his flag 14 May, having asked to be relieved. He became vice-admiral of the red on 14 February 1799 and admiral of the blue on 1 January 1801. He was then appointed commander-in-chief at Portsmouth in 1803. He took a seat on the Board of Admiralty and was appointed treasurer of Greenwich Hospital in 1805, being made admiral of the white on 9 November that year. He was finally promoted admiral of the red on 25 October 1809. He succeeded Lord Hood as governor of Greenwich Hospital in 1816.