A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Aldridge, John Williams
ALDRIDGE. (Capt., 1841. f-p., 22; h-p,. 20.)
John Williams Aldridge entered the Navy 27 Sept. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Arethusa 38, Capts. Sir Chas. Brisbane and Robt. Mends, and in that ship, when in company with the Anson 44, he assisted, as Midshipman, at the captme and destruction, 23 Aug. 1806, after a hard-fought action of 35 minutes, in which the Arethusa had 2 men killed and 32 wounded, of a Spanish frigate, the Pomona, of 38 guns and 347 men, a flotilla of 10 gun-boats, carrying each a long 24-pounder, with 60 or 70 men, and a battery, mounting 11 long 36-pounders, within pistol-shot distance on the island of Cuba. The subject of this memoir, who also co-operated in the memorable reduction of Curaçoa in 1807, afterwards served, from Oct. 1808, to May, 1813, in the Blake 74, Capts. Sir C. Brisbane and Edw. Codrington, under the latter of whom we find him attending the expedition to Flushing, employed for two years in the gun-boat service at the defence of Cadiz, and participating in all the operations on the coast of Catalonia. On next joining the Rippon 74, Capt. Sir Christopher Cole, he contributed, as Master’s Mate, to the capture, 21 Oct. 1813, of Le Weser, French frigate, of 44 guns and 340 men. While afterwards serving in the Prince 98, flagship of Sir Rich. Bickerton at Spithead, Mr. Aldridge obtained a commission, dated 4 Feb. 1815. His subsequent appointments, in the capacity of Lieutenant, were – in the course of the latter year, to the Royal Sovereign 100, and Tonnant 80, flag-ships on the Channel and Irish stations of Sir R. Bickerton and Sir Benj. Hallowell – 29 June, 1821, to the Bulwark 74, as Flag Lieutenant to the last-named officer at the Nore – 3 Oct. 1821, to the Genoa 74, Capt. Sir Thos. Livingstone, stationed at Sheerness – 9 Dec. 1822, to the Prince Regent 120, fitting at Chatham for the flag of Sir B. Hallowell and 6 June, 1831, as Senior, to the Rattlesnake 28, Capt. Chas. Graham, on the South America station. Attaining the rank of Commander, 18 Nov. 1833, he next officiated, from 26 March, 1836, until 1840, as Second Captain of the Pembroke 74, Capt. Fairfax Moresby, on the Mediterranean station. He was advanced to Post-rank 23 Nov. 1841, but has not since been afloat.
Capt. Aldridge married, 5 Jan. 1841, Ann, daughter of the late C. Knight, Esq.