George Robinson Walters

c1742-89. He was the son of Major William Walters and of his wife Rebecca Palliser, the elder sister of Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser.

Walters was commissioned lieutenant on 27 December 1762 and promoted commander of the sloop Martin 14 on 25 June 1773, although he does not appear to have taken her to sea.

Walters was the nephew of Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, and in a sign of the times he was selected to sit on that officer’s controversial court martial in 1779.

He was posted captain on 2 September 1773, joining the Salisbury 50 which sailed from Blackstakes to Portsmouth in mid-October. Hoisting the broad pennant of Commodore Sir Edward Hughes, she departed for the East Indies in November before returning home on 14 May 1778.

Walters was appointed to the aged but fine sailing Princess Amelia 80 on 3 December 1778, occasionally flying the flag at Portsmouth of Admiral Sir Thomas Pye. In April 1779 he controversially sat on the court-martial of his uncle, Vice-Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, to investigate that officer’s conduct at the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778, being by far the most junior member of the court and only being appointed to it when Commodore Hon. Keith Stewart, who would have been a member, was nominated as a witness for Palliser but was not then called to give evidence.

At the end of June 1778, the Princess Amelia entered harbour at Portsmouth to be fitted out for Channel service, and during the Channel Fleet retreat in the last days of August she was at anchor in Stokes Bay before sailing on 3 September to join Admiral Sir Charles Hardy at St. Helens.

On 20 November 1779 Walters left active service to become the 4th captain of Greenwich Hospital in place of the late Captain James Cook.

He died on 16 December 1789, his address at the time being given as Greenwich Hospital where his uncle was serving as the governor.

Walters married Mary Orfeur of County Wexford, Ireland, and had issue two sons as well as two daughters who did not survive childhood. His elder son, Hugh Palliser Walters, assumed Sir Hugh Palliser’s baronetcy in 1796, and his second son, William, died a lieutenant in the army at St. Vincent in 1798.