A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Massingberd, Vincent Amcotts

1828831A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Massingberd, Vincent AmcottsWilliam Richard O'Byrne

MASSINGBERD. (Commander, 1842. f-p., 18; h-p., 7.)

Vincent Amcotts Massingberd is a relative of Algernon Langton Massingberd, Esq., of Gunby Hall, co. Lincoln, whose maternal grandfather, Henry Massingberd, Esq., was a son (with Capt. Thos. Massingberd, R.N., of Candlesby House, co. Lincoln) of Thos. Massingberd, Esq., by Elizabeth Emerson, sister of Sir Walter Amcotts, Bart.

This officer entered the Navy, 21 June, 1822, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Ariadne 28, Capt. Coustantine Rich. Moorsom, and sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, where, in 1824, he exchanged, with the same Captain, into the Andromache 46. In Sept. 1825, having returned to England, he followed Capt. Moorsom, as Midshipman, into the Prince Regent 120, bearing the flag of Sir Robt. Moorsom at Chatham. In the summer of 1826 he was discharged into the Jasper 10, fitting for the Mediterranean, on which station he continued employed, under Capts. Henry Martin Blackwood and Leonard Chas. Rook, until wrecked, off Santa Maura, 11 Oct. 1828. Mr. Massingberd had been previously, 11 Oct. 1827, wounded in a boat-engagement with pirates. Having passed his examination 20 June, 1828, he was successively nominated Mate – in Feb. 1829, of the Prince Regent, flag-ship at the time of Hon. Sir Henry Blackwood at Chatham – in Nov. 1829 of the Volage 28, Capt. Lord Colchester, under whom he escorted the ex-Emperor and Empress of Brazil to Cherbourg, and was employed during the winter of 1832 in enforcing the Dutch embargo – in Feb. 1834 (he had been on shore since Jan. 1833) of the Salamander steamer, Capt. Wm. Langford Castle, engaged on Home service – and in Sept. 1835 (six months after the latter vessel had been paid off), of the Rodney 92, Capt. Hyde Parker, stationed in the Mediterranean, whence he invalided in June, 1836. Being at length promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 10 Jan. 1837, Mr. Massingberd, on 21 of the same month, obtained an appointment in that capacity to the Pelorus 16, Capt. Fras. Harding; which vessel, after a very useful career in the East Indies, had the misfortune to be wrecked, at Port Essington, 25 Nov. 1839. For his subsequent services in China, as Senior-Lieutenant of the Blenheim 72, Capt. Sir Thos. Herbert, Mr. Massingberd, who remained in that ship from 20 June, 1841, until paid off in March, 1843, was promoted to the rank of Commander by commission dated 23 Dec. 1842.[1] He has been in command, since 17 Nov. 1846, of the Alecto steam-sloop, of 200 horse-power, on the south-east coast of America.

He married, 3 Sept. 1844, Julia, eldest daughter of Moses Gutteres, Esq., of Belmont, near Sidmouth, Devon. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1843, p. 2950.