A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Williams, Edward Richard

2009259A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Williams, Edward RichardWilliam Richard O'Byrne

WILLIAMS. (Captain, 1827. f-p., 14; h-p., 29.)

Edward Richard Williams entered the Navy, in May, 1804, as a Volunteer, on board the Neptune 98, Capt. Sir Thos. Williams, in which ship he was for 12 months employed in the Channel. He joined next, in June, 1808, the Bellona 74, Capt. John Erskine Douglas, on the coast of North America; and at the close of 1809, after having been for some months stationed in the Mediterranean in the Thames 32, Capt. Hon. Granville Geo. Waldegrave, he sailed in the Bucephalus 36, Capt. Chas. Pelly, for the East Indies, whence in 1811 he returned to England as Midshipman, a rating he had already attained, in the Diomede 50. On his arrival he was received in succession on board the Elephant 74, Capt. Fras. Wm. Austen, and Royal George 100, flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Sir T. Williams and Benj. Hallowell. Accompanying the latter officer to the Mediterranean, he there, in Dec. 1811, joined the Alcmène 38, Capt. Edwards Lloyd Graham, with whom he continued to serve until made Lieutenant, 14 Dec. 1813, into the America 74, Capt. Josias Rowley. After assisting at the reduction of Genoa he went back, about May, 1814, to the Alcmène, commanded then by Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan. On his return to England with Capt. Sam. Campbell Rowley in the Impregnable 104, he was promoted, 15 Dec. 1815, to the rank of Commander. He was appointed, 4 Feb. 1825, to the Zebra 18, again in the Mediterranean; was advanced to Post-rank 28 April, 1827; and from 7 Feb. 1833, until April, 1836, was employed in the Victory 104 and Britannia 120, as Flag-Captain to Sir Thos. Williams at Portsmouth. He has since been on half-pay.

Capt. Williams married, first, in 1837, Charlotte, daughter of the late J. Taylor, Esq., and niece of the late Admiral Taylor, of Maize Hill, Greenwich; and that lady dying 3 July, 1839, secondly, 22 June, 1844, Sarah, daughter of the late James Forbes, Esq., of Hutton Hall, Essex, and Kingairlock, Argyleshire. He was again left a widower 1 May, 1849.