Sir Jacob Wheate

Sir Jacob Wheate c1745-1783. He was the second son of Sir George Wheate, the 3rd Baronet of Glympton, Oxfordshire, and of his wife, Avice Ackworth, the daughter of the Surveyor of the Navy from 1715-49, Sir Jacob Acworth. The family settled in Holborn, London, and...

John Williamson

John Williamson @1746- 1798. He was apparently of Irish extraction. Williamson joined the navy in 1759 aboard the Dorsetshire 70, Captain Peter Denis, which ship fought at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November. In 1760 he transferred with this officer to the newly...

Hon. Robert Boyle Walsingham

Hon. Robert Boyle Walsingham 1736-1780. Born in March 1736, he was the fifth son of the eminent Irish politician Henry Boyle, 1st Earl of Shannon, and of his wife Lady Henrietta Boyle, the youngest daughter of Charles, 2nd Earl of Burlington in the English peerage and...

George Robinson Walters

George Robinson Walters Died 1789. 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. He was posted captain on 2 September 1773, joining the...

James Watt

James Watt c1733-82. He was commissioned lieutenant on 24 June 1762 and saw duty aboard the Pearl 32, Captain Charles Saxton, being her senior lieutenant when she was paid off in 1766 after service on the Newfoundland station. During the winter of 1776-7 Watt was a...

William Peere Williams – Freeman

William Peere Williams-Freeman 1742-1832. He was born on 6 January 1742 in the Episcopal Palace at Peterborough, the son of the Rev. Dr Frederick Williams, prebendary of Peterborough, and the grandson of William Peere Williams, a politician and law reporter of repute....

John Wheelock

John Wheelock 1720-1779. He was born in 1720, the son of Bryan Wheelock, the deputy secretary to the Board of Trade and Plantations. Having undertaken an education at the Royal Naval Academy in the early 1730’s, Wheelock was commissioned lieutenant on 26 June 1741,...

Hon. Thomas Windsor

Hon. Thomas Windsor 1752-1832. He was born on 19 May 1752 in Cardiff, the second son of Other Lewis Windsor, the 4th Earl of Plymouth, and of his wife, Hon. Catherine Archer. Windsor saw early service in North American waters, but although promoted lieutenant on March...

Andrew Wilkinson

Andrew Wilkinson Died 1787. He was of Yorkshire descent, being the third son of Andrew Wilkinson, the M.P. for Aldborough in the Duke of Newcastle?s interest from 1735-65 and 1768-72, and of his wife, Barbara Jessop, the sister of Lord D?Arcy of Navan.Commissioned...

Sir James Wallace

Sir James Wallace 1731-1803. He was born in Loddon, Norfolk, the younger son of Thomas Wallace and his wife Mary Beamish. In 1746 Wallace was enrolled at the Royal Naval Academy at Portsmouth, and after serving in the Syren 24, Vigilant 64, and Intrepid 64 he passed...

William Williams

William Williams c1735-78. He was the father of Admiral Sir Thomas Williams. Williams was commissioned lieutenant on 10 February 1757, serving aboard the Southampton 32, Captain James Gilchrist, and was promoted commander on 2 March 1759. He joined the fireship...