1897739A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Reid, AndrewWilliam Richard O'Byrne

REID. (Lieut., 1820. f-p., 15; h-p., 24.)

Andrew Reid, born 15 March, 1788, at Edinburgh, is third son of John Reid, Esq., of Glasgow.

This officer (who had previously served as a Midshipman and Mate in the Hon.E.I.Co.’s service) entered the Navy, 26 Dec. 1808, as Ordinary, on board the Mercurius 18, Capt. Thos. Renwick, employed at first off the coast of Spain, and next in the Baltic; where, from Aug. 1809 until April, 1812, he served in the Erebus 18, Capt. Wm. Antridge. He then removed to the Chatham 74, Capt. Graham Moore, but, rejoining the Erebus in a few weeks, continued attached to that vessel under Capts. Antridge, Henry Jas. Lyford, John Forbes, David Ewen Bartholomew, and Fras. Le Hunte, until Sept. 1815. In 1814 he accompanied, and was wounded in, the brilliant expedition against Alexandria. He also took part in the attacks made upon Baltimore and New Orleans. After serving for nearly two years as Admiralty-Midshipman in the Tonnant 80, flagship of Sir Benj. Hallowell at Cork, he joined in that capacity, in Jan. 1818, the Trent hired brig, Lieut.-Commander John Franklin, and soon afterwards sailed, in company with the Dorothea, Capt. David Buchan, on a perilous voyage of discovery to the neighbourhood of Spitzbergen. On his return towards the close of the same year he was received on board the Bulwark 74, flag-ship of Sir John Gore in the river Medway. In the spring of 1819 he again, in the Griper brig, Lieut.-Commander Matthew Liddon, proceeded, with an expedition under the present Sir Edw. Parry, to the polar regions, where he penetrated to long. 113° 54' 43" W. within the Arctic circle, and became thereby entitled to a portion of a parliamentary reward of 5000l. He returned to England in Nov. 1820, and on 26 of the following month was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. His last appointment was, 1 Jan. 1821, to the Fury bomb, commanded by Capt. Parry himself, with whom he made a fresh voyage to the frozen seas in search of a north-west passage. Since his arrival home in Nov. 1823 he has been on half-pay.

Lieut. Reid married, 29 Jan. 1821, Jean Anne, daughter of Charles Adamson, Esq., of North Kirkhill, co. Kmcardine. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.