A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Williams, Hugh Lloyd

2009262A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Williams, Hugh LloydWilliam Richard O'Byrne

WILLIAMS. (Lieut., 1821. f-p., 14;[1] h-p., 26.)

Hugh Lloyd Williams was born at Lodge, near Denbigh, North Wales.

This officer entered the Navy, 24 May, 1807, as Sec.-cl. Vol., on board the Téméraire 98, Capts. Sir Chas. Hamilton, Edw. Sneyd Clay, and Edwin Henry Chamberlayne, in which ship he cruized off Brest, assisted in taking possession of an island in the Baltic, and in blockading the Russian fieet at Revel, and then visited Cadiz, where he saw some boat-service. In July, 1810, he removed as Midshipman (a rating he had attained in April, 1809) to the Haughty 14,[2] Lieut.-Commander Jas. Harvey, on the Mediterranean station; and he was next, from June, 1811, until Aug. 1814, employed in the Channel and again in the Mediterranean, part of the time as Master’s Mate, in the Belle Poule 38 and Pembroke 74, both commanded by Capt. Jas. Brisbane. He was present in the Belle Poule at the capture of a variety of the enemy’s vessels; and while attached to the Pembroke he fought in Sir Edw. Pellew’s partial action with the French Toulon fleet 5 Nov. 1813, commanded the ship’s pinnace at the capture and destruction of a convoy under the guns of Porto Maurizio 11 April, 1814, and witnessed the fall of Genoa. After serving for 15 months on the coast of Ireland (he had passed his examination 4 Aug. 1813) in the Eurydice 24, Capts. Hon. Valentine Gardner and Rich. Spencer, and Lightning 20, Capt. Geo. Rennie, he was appointed, in Dec. 1815, Admiralty-Midshipman of the Falmouth 20, Capt. Robt. Worgan Geo. Festing, on the St. Helena station, whence he returned to England at the close of 1816 in the Amphitrite 38, Capt. Jas. Hanway Plumridge, performing in that frigate the duties of Lieutenant. He was employed subsequently, as Admiralty-Midshipman – from Feb. until Dec. 1817, in the Vengeur 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander, at Portsmouth – from Dec. 1817 until Sept. 1818, in the Sybille 44, Capt. Chas. Malcolm, in the West Indies – from Nov. 1818 until Jan. 1820, in the Pheasant 20, Capt. Benedictus Marwood Kelly, and Grecian 10, Lieut.-Commander Nathaniel Martin, both vessels engaged in the suppression of smuggling – and, from Jan. 1820 until advanced to his present rank 19 July, 1821, in the Coast Blockade, with his name on the books of the Severn 50, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch. While in the latter service, and stationed on shore at Reculvers, he saved a great part of the cargo belonging to the ship Oak and for his exertions was presented by Lloyd’s with a brace of silver-mounted pocket-pistols. He has twice since his promotion had charge of a station in the Coast Guard – once on the coast of Essex, and once in Ireland. Ill health obliged him, on both occasions, to invalid.

Lieut. Williams is married, and has issue five children. Agent – Frederick Dufaur.


  1. Exclusive of the time he served in the Coast Guard.
  2. In this vessel he had charge of a watch.