A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Blake, Patrick John

1637569A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Blake, Patrick JohnWilliam Richard O'Byrne

BLAKE. (Captain, 1841. r.p., 23; h-p., 11.)

Patrick John Blake is second son of the late Sir Jas. Henry Blake, Bart., by Louisa Elizabeth, daughter of General Sir Thomas Gage, the celebrated commander of the British forces during the first American war; brother of the present Sir Henry Chas. Blake, Bart., of Langham, co. Suffolk; nephew of Admiral Sir Wm. Hall Gage, G.C.H., one of the late Lords of the Admiralty; and first cousin of Viscount Gage.

This officer entered the Navy, in April, 1813, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Indus 74, commanded by his uncle, Capt. W. H. Gage, on the North Sea and Mediterranean stations; attained the rating of Midshipman in May following, and from Sept. 1814, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 19 July, 1823, served as Midshipman on the Home, West India, and South American stations, in the Eurotas 38, Capts. Robt. Bloye and Jas. Lillicrap, Ramillies, Malta, and Rivoli, all commanded by Capt. Chas. Ogle, Tigris 36, Capt. Robt. Henderson, Andromache 38, Capt. Wm. Henry Shirrefi’, Conway 26, Capt. Basil Hall, and Creole 42, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy. His next appointments were – 2 Feb. 1824, to the Tweed 28, Capt. Fred. Hunn, with whom he again sailed for South America – and, 13 Dec. 1825, to the Warspite 74, in which ship, and the Java 52, he served, a great part of the time as Flag-Lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Gage, on the East India station, until advanced to the rank of Commander, 15 Jan. 1830. On 9 March, 1837, we find Capt. Blake commissioning the Larne 18, and shortly afterwards returning to the East, where he continued for five years, and was actively employed during the campaign in China, particularly in the attack, 7 Jan. 1841, on the forts and batteries at Chuenpee, for his able support of Capts. Herbert and Scott on which occasion he was officially mentioned by Sir Gordon Bremer.[1] He attained Post-rank 6 May, 1841, and has been in command, since 3 Sept. 1845, of the Juno 26, in the Pacific. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1841, pp. 1162, 1222.