Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/1309

Rh WILLIAMS. 

is second son of the late Sir Jas. Hamlyn Williams, Bart., of Clovelly Court, co. Devon, and Edwinsford, co. Carmarthen, by Diana Anne, daughter of Abraham Whitaker, Esq., of Stratford, co. Essex. He is brother-in-law of the late Lord Barham, and of Sir Arthur Chichester, Bart.

This officer entered the Navy in Aug. 1803; obtained his first commission 24 April, 1811; served for some time under the flag of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith; was advanced to the rank of Commander 27 Aug. 1814; and was appointed, 21 Sept. 1830 and 31 Jan. 1832, to the 18 and  18, both on the West India station. He paid the latter vessel off 23 June, 1832; and as a reward for the important services he had rendered at Jamaica during the insurrection of the slaves, particularly for the manner in which he had succeeded by his active and judicious measures in restoring confidence in the town of Montego Bay, and in saving it from the rebels, who intended fully to burn it, was promoted to his present rank 4 July following. His last appointment was, 24 May, 1838, to the 24, which ship he lost, near Tarragona, on the coast of Spain, 28 Nov. 1839. He returned to England with his officers and crew on board the 72, and on his arrival had the satisfaction of being honourably acquitted of all blame on account of the disaster.

Capt. Williams married, 15 Aug. 1833, Harriet, youngest daughter of the late Sir Nelson Rycroft, Bart. – Hallett and Robinson.

 WILLIAMS. 

entered the Navy, in May, 1804, as a Volunteer, on board the 98, Capt. Sir Thos. Williams, in which ship he was for 12 months employed in the Channel. He joined next, in June, 1808, the 74, Capt. John Erskine Douglas, on the coast of North America; and at the close of 1809, after having been for some months stationed in the Mediterranean in the  32, Capt. Hon. Granville Geo. Waldegrave, he sailed in the 36, Capt. Chas. Pelly, for the East Indies, whence in 1811 he returned to England as Midshipman, a rating he had already attained, in the 50. On his arrival he was received in succession on board the 74, Capt. Fras. Wm. Austen, and 100, flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Sir T. Williams and Benj. Hallowell. Accompanying the latter officer to the Mediterranean, he there, in Dec. 1811, joined the 38, Capt. Edwards Lloyd Graham, with whom he continued to serve until made Lieutenant, 14 Dec. 1813, into the  74, Capt. Josias Rowley. After assisting at the reduction of Genoa he went back, about May, 1814, to the, commanded then by Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan. On his return to England with Capt. Sam. Campbell Rowley in the 104, he was promoted, 15 Dec. 1815, to the rank of Commander. He was appointed, 4 Feb. 1825, to the 18, again in the Mediterranean; was advanced to Post-rank 28 April, 1827; and from 7 Feb. 1833, until April, 1836, was employed in the  104 and  120, as Flag-Captain to Sir Thos. Williams at Portsmouth. He has since been on half-pay.

Capt. Williams married, first, in 1837, Charlotte, daughter of the late J. Taylor, Esq., and niece of the late Admiral Taylor, of Maize Hill, Greenwich; and that lady dying 3 July, 1839, secondly, 22 June, 1844, Sarah, daughter of the late James Forbes, Esq., of Hutton Hall, Essex, and Kingairlock, Argyleshire. He was again left a widower 1 May, 1849.

 WILLIAMS. 

entered the Navy 1 Sept. 1819; passed his examination in 1827; and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 26 May, 1831. His succeeding appointments were, chiefly on Surveying service – 6 Dec. 1831, to the 10, Capt. Wm. Hewett, in the North Sea – 28 Aug. 1834, to the steamer, Capt. Horatio Thos. Austin, in the Mediterranean – 4 July, 1836 (after four months of half-pay), to the 8, Lieut.-Commander Thos. Graves, on the same station, where he was superseded in, Nov. 1839 – 7 Feb. 1843, as Additional, to the steamer, Capt. Fred. Wm. Beechey, on the coast of Ireland – and, 17 Nov. 1843, in a similar capacity, to the yacht, Capts. Sir Watkin Owen Pell and Gordon Thos. Falcon, at Pembroke. He was advanced to his present rank 2 July, 1846, and still continues employed on Surveying-service with his name on the books of the.

 WILLIAMS. 

entered the Navy, 13 July, 1821, as a Volunteer, on board the 74, Capt. Chas. Dashwood. Being a Midshipman of that ship when Don John took refuge on board of her during a popular commotion at Lisbon, he was by the latter presented, as were the other officers of the ship, with the Order of the Tower and Sword. He continued to serve in the at Plymouth under the command of Capts. Hugh Downmanand Edw. Durnford King, until Feb. 1826. Joining then the 50, Capt. Hon. Jas. Ashley Maude, he sailed for the Mediterranean. He fought, while there, at the battle of Navarin, and assisted in the boats at the cutting-out of several piratical vessels at the island of Hydra. He returned to England in Sept. 1828; passed his examination 7 Jan. 1829; and was employed as Mate – from 12 May, 1829, until 19 March, 1830, in the 78, Capt. John Ferris Devonshire, again at Plymouth – from 20 March, 1830, until Nov. 1833, in the  46, on the North America and West India station – next, for a few months, in the  steam-packet, Lieut.-Commander Horatio James – from Nov. 1836 until Jan. 1840, in the  74, Capt. Wm. Bowen Mends, 16, Capt. Lord Fras. John Russell, and again, Capt. Mends, in the Mediterranean – and in the  6, Capt. Jas. Hanway Plumridge, at Falmouth. While on her passage through the West Indies, to join the Admiral, Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys, at Halifax, the was caught in a hurricane, and for 18 hours was so pressed down upon her beam-ends as to be altogether unmanageable. On reaching her destination under a jury-rig it was found necessary to subject her to nearly a thorough refit, including even a new bowsprit and new lower masts. During the insurrection of 1831-2 on the north side of the island of Jamaica, Mr. Williams was for several weeks employed on shore with a detachment of seamen and marines for the purpose of co-operating with the military and militia, and of affording protection to the town of Montego Bay. While he was so engaged several ineffectual attempts were made by the insurgents to pass the outposts, set fire to the town, and destroy the magazines. His appointments, since his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, which took place 3 July, 1840, have been – 13 Aug. 1840, to the 16, Capt. Fred. Moore Boultbee, on the coast of Spain – 25 Aug. 1841, to the 44, Capt. Sir John Marshall, fitting at Chatham – 16 Nov. following, to the  50, Capt. John Toup Nicolas, with whom he circumnavigated the globe – 11 Dec. 1844 (five months after he had left the ) and 24 July, 1845, as First, to the  10 and  16, Capts. Thos. Fras. Birch and Chas. Jas. Franklin Newton, both on the coast of Africa, whence he returned in July, 1847 – and 8 Feb. 1848, to the Coast Guard, In which service he continues.

 WILLIAMS. 

was born at Lodge, near Denbigh, North Wales.

This officer entered the Navy, 24 May, 1807, as Sec.-cl. Vol., on board the 98, Capts.