by Richard Hiscocks | Dec 14, 2016
Thomas Burnett 1724- 83. He was born in New York, the second son of the Dutch-born colonial administrator William Burnet FRS, and of his second wife Anna Mary Van Horne. Both of his parents died at a young age, and he was left in the care of an uncle. Burnett joined...
by Richard Hiscocks | Nov 17, 2016
Nathaniel Bateman @1723- Bateman entered the service as a common seaman and probably earned his promotion to officer rank through bravery in action. By the time he was commissioned lieutenant on 5 July 1756 he had already served aboard a dozen ships, either as a...
by Richard Hiscocks | Oct 29, 2016
Andrew Barkley c1741-90. He was the youngest son of James Barkley from Banff, Cromarty, and of his wife, Jean Morrison, although his parent’s names were also spelled ‘Barclay’ and ‘Morison’. Barkley was commissioned lieutenant on 27...
by Richard Hiscocks | Jul 13, 2016
James Burney 1750-1821. He was born in London on 13 June 1750, the eldest son of the classical critic and musician, Dr Charles Burney, and of his first wife, Esther Sleepe. He was the brother of the novelist Fanny, Madame d?Arblay, and the classical scholar, Charles...
by Richard Hiscocks | Jul 12, 2016
William Bligh 1754-1817. He was born at Plymouth, Devon, on 9 September 1754, the only son of Francis Bligh of Tinten Manor, St. Tudy, Cornwall, who was a Plymouth customs officer from a long-established Cornish family, and of his second wife, Jane Pearce, a widow who...
by Richard Hiscocks | Jun 29, 2016
James Brine Died 1814. He was the father of Rear-Admiral Augustus Brine and Captain George Brine. Brine was commissioned lieutenant on 1 July 1766, in which rank he commanded the storeship Prince Frederick, going out to Madeira in September 1766. He was first...
by Richard Hiscocks | May 24, 2016
Henry Bryne Died 1780. Bryne was commissioned lieutenant on 14 September 1762 and promoted commander of the Pomona 18 on 21 January 1771, serving out of Lough Swilly and in home waters. During April 1773 he went out to the Mediterranean and after sending in reports...
by Richard Hiscocks | May 19, 2016
William Brereton 1728-c1800 Brereton was evidently something of a contradiction: a proficient seaman who was well regarded by some of the greatest officers of the age, but also a controversial officer repeatedly accused of failure in battle. William Brereton, from a...
by Richard Hiscocks | Apr 24, 2016
William Bayne 1730-82. Born on 4 November 1730 in Edinburgh, he was the second of three sons of Professor Alexander Bayne, an Edinburgh lawyer who moved to London before returning to Scotland, and of his wife, Mary Carstairs. His elder sister married the painter Allan...
by Richard Hiscocks | Apr 11, 2016
Viscount Bridport Please see Sir Alexander Hood. 1st Viscount...
by Richard Hiscocks | Apr 9, 2016
Philip Boteler c1731-87. It is believed that he originated from a wealthy and long-established Hertfordshire family. Boteler entered the Navy as a captain’s servant in 1743, joining the Harwich 50, Captain Philip Carteret, and going out to the East Indies. He was...
by Richard Hiscocks | Apr 7, 2016
Sir Albemarle Bertie 1755-1824. He was born on 20 January 1755, the illegitimate son of General Peregrine Bertie, the 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. Having been commissioned lieutenant on 20 December 1777, Bertie served at the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778 as...
by Richard Hiscocks | Apr 5, 2016
Hon. Sir George Cranfield Berkeley 1753-1818. He was born on 10 August 1753, the second surviving son of Augustus, the 4th Earl of Berkeley, and of his wife Elizabeth Drax. He was the grandson of a previous First Lord of the Admiralty, Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, and...
by Richard Hiscocks | Apr 4, 2016
Lord Barham Please go to Charles...
by Richard Hiscocks | Mar 24, 2016
Robert Biggs Died 1803. Having passed his lieutenant’s examination on 17 February 1759, Biggs was eventually commissioned lieutenant on 7 August 1761. From 27 January 1768 he commanded the cutter Folkestone 6, serving in home waters, and thereafter he had the cutter...
by Richard Hiscocks | Mar 19, 2016
Sir William Chaloner Burnaby *During the American Revolutionary War the newspapers carried many reports of Sir William’s captures, but there are a significant number that I have been unable to substantiate. I have listed these at the bottom of the biography whilst...
by Richard Hiscocks | Feb 23, 2016
John Butchart Died 1795. It would appear that Butchart was commissioned lieutenant on 18 April 1778 of the Albion 74, Captain William Blair, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral Hon. John Byron, and transferring with both officers to the Princess Royal 90 in early May...
by Richard Hiscocks | Feb 21, 2016
George Balfour Died 1794. He was of Scottish ancestry. Balfour was commissioned lieutenant on 5 May 1745 and promoted commander on 15 November 1756 of the fireship Aetna for service in the Downs and North Sea. He also undertook, convoy duty to Portsmouth with this...
by Richard Hiscocks | Feb 21, 2016
William Blair 1741-1782. He was the son of Daniel Blair of Edinburgh. Having served in the merchant marine and then been employed at various times in the Navy as a servant, able seaman and midshipman, Blair was commissioned lieutenant on 9 October 1760, some five...
by Richard Hiscocks | Feb 8, 2016
Richard Rodney Bligh 1737-1821. Baptised at Gosport on 8 November 1737, he was the son of Richard Bligh and of his wife, Anne Page. His father came from a family long established in Looe, Cornwall, and served as a lieutenant under his patron, Captain George Brydges...
by Richard Hiscocks | Feb 5, 2016
Sir Richard Bickerton 1st Baronet 1727-92. He was born on 23 June 1727, the third son of a captain in the 4th Dragoon Guards, Henry Bickerton of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, and of his wife Mary Dowdall of Carrickfergus, County Antrim. He was the father of Admiral Sir...
by Richard Hiscocks | Jan 28, 2016
Hon. John Byron 1723-86. He was born on 8 November 1723, the second son of William, 4th Lord Byron, and his wife, Hon. Frances Berkeley, the daughter of the 4th Lord Berkeley. He was the grandfather of the poet Lord Byron. In September 1740 Byron sailed as a...
by Richard Hiscocks | Jan 24, 2016
John Bazely 1741-1809. He was born in March 1741 at Dover, Kent, the son of Captain John Bazely and his wife Margaret Barber. He was the father of Rear-Admiral John Bazely and Captain Henry Bazely. After two years in the merchant service Bazely entered the Navy in...
by Richard Hiscocks | Jan 18, 2016
Henry Bellew c1729-91. He was the second son of Henry Bellew of Stockleigh Court, Stockleigh English, Devon, and of his wife, Frances Barbor of Lary and Raleigh, Devon. Bellew was commissioned lieutenant on 23 June 1756, having passed his examination five years...
by Richard Hiscocks | Jan 6, 2016
John Brisbane 1735-1807. He was descended from a long-established Renfrewshire family and was the son of Thomas Brisbane and of his wife, Isabel Nicholson. Brisbane was commissioned lieutenant on 5 August 1757 and promoted commander of the Virgin 12 at Barbados on 17...
by Richard Hiscocks | Jan 5, 2016
Sir George Bowyer 1740-1800. He was born at Denham, Buckinghamshire, the third son of Sir William Bowyer 3rd Baronet, and of his wife Anne Stonehouse, who was also the daughter of a baronet. On 13 February 1758 Bowyer was commissioned lieutenant, and on 4 May 1761 was...
by Richard Hiscocks | Dec 20, 2015
Richard Braithwaite @1728-1805. He was born to an influential Westmoreland family.Braithwaite first served in 1743 when he went out to Jamaica under the patronage of his kinsman, Vice-Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle, the commander-in-chief.He was commissioned lieutenant on...
by Richard Hiscocks | Dec 20, 2015
John Brown 1751-1808. Christened on 23 April 1751 at Stowe, Buckinghamshire, he was the third son of the renowned landscape architect Lancelot ?Capability? Brown and his wife, Bridget Wayet. His elder brothers both predeceased him, the second as an infant. Having been...
by Richard Hiscocks | Dec 20, 2015
Francis Banks 1727- 77. Baptised on 17 November 1727, he was the third of four sons of Robert Banks and his wife, Ann Horsley. His only sister, Mary Banks, bore an illegitimate daughter, Jean-Mary, through her relationship with Charles Powlett, the 5th Duke of Bolton....
by Richard Hiscocks | Nov 15, 2015
Hon. Samuel Barrington 1729-1800. Born on 15 February 1729, he was the fourth son of John Shute, the lawyer and first Viscount Barrington in the Irish peerage and of his wife Anne Daines, daughter of Sir William Daines M.P, the Mayor of Bristol. He was the younger...
