Joseph Grote, the brother of George Grote Esq., M.P. for the City of London and an eminent banker, was born in 1801 and entered the Navy as a Third Class Volunteer on the Eurotas on 1 April 1814. During 1815 he was employed as one of Napoleon's guards during his detention at Plymouth, and then served on various ships including H.M.S.Drake which was wrecked near Cape Race on 22 June 1822. For his conduct at the wreck, from which he was the senior surviving officer, he was promoted Lieutenant and then went on to serve with distinction during the Burmese War of 1825-26. He did not serve at sea again after 1827 and is not recorded with any rank higher than his 1823 Lieutenancy.