A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Fisher, Peter

1712814A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Fisher, PeterWilliam Richard O'Byrne

FISHER. (Commander, 1841.)

Peter Fisher is son of the late Capt. Peter Fisher, R.N., a veteran officer of distinction, who, at the period of his death, which took place 28 Aug. 1844, held the appointments of Superintendent of Sheerness Dockyard, Captain of Sandown Castle, and Magistrate both for the Cinque Ports and for co. Kent.[1] He is brother of Commander Thos. Fisher, R.N., and has two other brothers Lieutenants in the Army.

This officer entered the Navy 21 Dec. 1828; passed his examination in 1833; obtained his first commission 28 June, 1838; served for nearly three years in the Herald 26, Capt. Joseph Nias, by whom he was mentioned in the highest terms for his conduct, as Senior-Lieutenant of that ship, during the operations which led to the fall oi Canton, in May, 1841;[2] and, on 8 of the following June, was in consequence promoted to the rank he now holds. He has been employed, since 20 March, 1846, as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard.

He married, 19 March, 1846, Catherine Alicia, daughter of the late Thos. Backhouse, Esq., of Caldbeck, co. Cumberland.


  1. Capt. Fisher, whose servitude afloat embraced the long period of between 30 and 40 years, was present in four general actions at sea, and in many others on shore, was at the reduction of three large fortresses, assisted at the capture, besides innumerable smaller vessels, of fifteen line-of-battle ships, and received four wounds, from one of which he never perfectly recovered. During the peace he successively commanded the Wye 26, Ranger 28, Southampton 52, Calcutta 84, and Ocean 80. He died, as above, at the age of 63.
  2. Vide Gaz. 1841, p. 2510.