THOMAS HOLBROOK, Esq.
[Commander.]
A son of Mr. William Holbrook, an eminent solicitor of Ledbury, co. Hereford, and brother to Lieutenant Charles Holbrook, the only commissioned officer now employed on the Lakes of Canada.
The subject of this memoir was born at Ledbury, in Dec. 1792; and entered the royal navy in Feb. 1800, as midshipman on board the Ocean 98, Captain Francis Pender, fitting out for the flag of Lord Collingwood, commander-in-chief on the Mediterranean station, whom he followed into the Ville de Paris, first rate, in 1809. He subsequently served under Captains J. R. Lumley and Robert Barrie, in the Hind and Pomone frigates. In the latter ship, he was present at the capture of the French privateer Dubourdieu, of 14 guns and 93 men, Jan. 18th, 1811; and at the destruction of l’Etourdie, a national brig of 18 guns and 200 men, in Mar. following.
On the 1st May, 1811, the Pomone, in company with l’Unité frigate, and the Scout sloop, effected the destruction of two large French store-ships, an armed merchantman, a martello tower, and a 4-gun battery in Sagone Bay, island of Corsica, after an action of ninety minutes[1]. At various other times, the boats of the Pomone captured and destroyed forty-two vessels, including three French privateers, mounting altogether 23 guns, and having on board 168 men.
Mr. Holbrook continued in the Pomone until that ship was wrecked near the Needles Point, Oct. 14th, 1811. We next find him in the Alcmene frigate. Captain Edwards Lloyd Graham, employed in the Adriatic, where, in less than twelve months, he was at least ten times engaged with the enemy, either in boats or on shore. In May 1812, he was appointed acting lieutenant of that ship; and on the 23d Sept. following, promoted into a death vacancy on board the Eagle 74, Captain (now Sir Charles) Rowley. In April 1813, he assisted at the capture and destruction of six armed vessels, as will be seen by the following official letter:–
“Sir,– I have the honor to inform you, the bouts of the Elizabeth and Eagle fell in, off Goro, with seven armed merchant vessels, laden with oil. Four of them were captured, and the other three ran on shore into a tremendous surf, under the protection of a two-gun battery, two schooners, and three settee gun-boats, who opened a most galling fire. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, one of the vessels was brought off, and another destroyed, much to the credit of Messrs. Roberts and Greenaway, senior lieutenants of the Elizabeth and Eagle, under whose directions this arduous service was performed. They speak highly of Lieutenant Holbrook, of the Eagle, who was also there, and of all the petty officers and men employed on this service. I am happy to add, no person was hurt. I have the honor to be, &c.
“To Rear-Admiral Fremantle.”
On the 8th June, 1813, the marines of the Elizabeth and Eagle drove the enemy out of the town of Omago, on the coast of Istria, while the boats of those ships destroyed a two-gun battery, and brought off four vessels, loaded with wine, that had been scuttled. Between this period and the spring of 1814, when the Eagle was ordered home. Lieutenant Holbrook appears to have been present at the capture of Fiume, Trieste, Boca Ré, and nearly all the towns and forts on the coast of Istria and at the mouths of the Po; likewise at the capture and destruction of about 150 sail of the enemy’s vessels[2].
On the 25th July, 1814, Mr. Holbrook was appointed to the Wanderer 20; and subsequently to the Fly sloop, in which vessel he served for three years and a half, as senior lieutenant, on the West India and Irish stations, where he assisted at the capture of several contraband traders. In 1825, we find him first of the Dryad 42, and three times at sea in command of that ship, during the protracted illness of her captain, the late Hon. Robert Rodney, under whose successor, the Hon. George A. Crofton, he continued to serve until promoted to his present rank, by commission dated May 6th, 1828.
After the demise of Captain Rodney, the Dryad proceeded to the Irish station, where Lieutenant Holbrook again had charge of her, during a cruise on the western coast. In July 1827, having then just returned to Plymouth, from Gibraltar, she was inspected by his present majesty, who fully approved of the arrangements throughout the ship. She subsequently joined the squadron under Sir Edward Codrington, off Navarino, from whence she was unfortunately detached to Smyrna, just before the battle of Oct. 20th, for which honors and rewards were so unprecedently bestowed. In Dec. 1827, she proceeded to the Dardanelles to embark Mr. Stratford Canning, H.M. ambassador at Constantinople, whom she conveyed with his suite to Vorla, Corfu, and Ancona. On his return to England, that diplomatist represented the services of Lieutenant Holbrook in such a way to the Lord High Admiral that he was immediately promoted. In the summer of 1829, he commenced a course of studies at the Royal Naval College, where he continued until the end of Dec. 1831.
Commander Holbrook’s eldest brother is an attorney-at-law: his only surviving sister is the wife of Captain James Wallace Gabriel, R.N.