Spithead, in 1830, Mr. Symons towed his ex-Majesty to Cowes, and afterwards conveyed his family and retinue to Poole – a service for which he was presented with a gold box, and his crew with the sum of 10l. The Meteor was subsequently employed by Sir Henry Hotham and Sir Pulteney Malcolm in reference to the settlement of affairs in Greece and at Constantinople. In May, 1834, Mr. Symons, at the request of Sir Jas. Graham, First Lord of the Admiralty, fitted out and manned the Spitfire steamer for the officer appointed to her, who was at the time absent from England. He made one voyage in her to Corfu with mails; and was then, in Sept. 1834, placed on half-pay. He has not been since afloat. His promotion to the rank he now holds took place 28 March, 18-12.
Commander Symons married, first, in Dec. 181 6, Harriet, daughter of Peter Symons, Esq., by whom, who died in Feb. 1832, he had four children; and secondly, 14 June, 1834, Mary Anne, eldest daughter of the late Lieut. Wm. Taylor,[1] R.N. By the latter lady he has one son. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
SYMONS. (Lieutenant, 1841.)
William Henry Symons (b) entered the Navy 2 Nov. 1832; passed his examination 26 Sept. 1839; and after having served as Mate of the Blenheim 72, Capt. Sir Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, at the capture of the Bogue Forts, and as Acting-Lieutenant of the Blonde 42, Capt. Thos. Bourchier, in the attack upon Canton, was promoted by the Admiralty to his present rank 8 Oct. 1841. He was appointed, 3 June, 1842, to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings; and from 5 June, 1843, until the spring of 1844, was employed in the Tyne 26, Capt. Wm. Nugent Glascock, in the Mediterranean.
SYMONS. (Retired Commander, 1837. f-p., 16; h-p., 41.)
William Joseph Symons died 22 Jan. 1845. This officer entered the Navy, 19 Aug. 1788, as A.B., on board the Impregnable 98, Capt. Thos. Byard, bearing the flag of Admiral Graves at Plymouth. In Feb. 1789 he removed to the Echo sloop, Capt. Drew, stationed at Newfoundland; he served next as Midshipman from June, 1790, until Sept. 1791, in the Winchelsea 32, Capts. Hon. Chas. Carpenter and Rich. Fisher, and Roebuck 44, Capt. Jas. May, in the Channel and at Spithead; and from May, 1792, until Nov. 1801, he was employed on the coast of North America and in the North Sea in the Hussar 28, Capts. Rupert George, Chas. Rowley, and John Poo Beresford, Resolution 74, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Robt. Murray, and Thisbe 28 and Assistance 50, Capts. John Okes Hardy, Robt. Hall, and Rich. Lee. He was nominated an Acting-Lieutenant of the Thisbe 26 Aug. 1795; and was confirmed to that ship 23 June, 1796. He was in her at the capture of the 36-gun frigate Elizabeth. In the Assistance he served for nearly three years and a half. His last appointments were – 2 May, 1804, for three months, to the Pheasant 18, Capt. Henry Carew, in the Channel – 20 March, 1806, to the Princess Royal 98, Capt. Robt. Carthew Reynolds, with whom he continued employed on the same station until April, 1807 – and, in April, 1813, to the Transport Service in the Mediterranean, where he remained until Feb. 1815. He accepted the rank of Commander on the Retired List 30 Aug. 1837.
SYNGE. (Lieutenant, 1841.)
Robert Synge, born 8 July, 1812, is third son of the late Sir Edw. Synge, Bart., by Mary Helena, eldest daughter of Robt. Welsh, Esq., of the Irish bar; brother of the present Sir Edw. Synge, Bart, (a Magistrate for King’s County and a Deputy- Lieutenant for co. Cork, who served as High-Sheriff of the latter in 1844) and of Lieut. Henry Millington Henry Synge, R.E.; and nephew of the Rev. Robt. Synge, M.A., who married a sister of the late Right Hon. Sir Wm. Webb Follett, M.P., H.M. Attorney-General.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 April, 1825; passed his examination 2 Oct. 1833; and since 6 Dec. 1839 has been employed in the Coast Guard. He was advanced to his present rank 23 Nov. 1841.
Lieut. Synge married Jessie, daughter of ___ Robyns, Esq., which lady died, leaving a daughter.
T.
TAIT. (Commander, 1825. f-p., 14; h-p., 27.)
Alexander Tait entered the Navy, 15 Feb. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Lynx sloop, Capt. John Willoughby Marshall. After serving for upwards of three years in that vessel in the North Sea and Baltic, he removed, in March, 1809, as Midshipman (a rating he had attained in March, 1808) to the Nymphen 36, Capts. Keith Maxwell and John Hancock; under the former of whom he accompanied the expedition to the Walcheren, and assisted in forcing the passage between the batteries of Flushing and Cadsand. From Dec. 1810 until Dec. 1812 he was again employed in the Baltic, part of the time as Master’s Mate, in the Reynard sloop, Capts. Hew Steuart, Geo. Brine, and David Latimer St. Clair; and in Jan. 1813 he joined the Daedalus 38, Capt. Murray Maxwell, fitting for the East Indies; where he was wrecked, 2 July following, near the island of Ceylon. He was then received on board the Minden 74, bearing the flag of Sir Sam. Hood, who nominated him, 2 Oct. in the same year, Acting-Lieutenant of the Africaine 38, Capt. Hon. Edw. Rodney. In that frigate, to which he was confirmed 1 June, 1814, he continued until Feb. 1816. His next and last appointment was, 1 Nov. 1821, to the Andromache 42. In her he served for upwards of three years at the Cape of Good Hope under the broad pendants of Commodores Joseph Nourse and Constantine Rich. Moorsom. On being paid off he was promoted to his present rank 9 July, 1825.
TAIT. (Rear-Admiral of the Blue, 1841. f-p., 20; h-p., 43.)
James Haldane Tait died 7 Aug. 1845. He was son of the late Wm. Tait, Esq., of Glasgow, by Margaret, sister of the late Admiral Lord Viscount Duncan, and aunt of the present Earl of Camperdown.
This officer entered the Navy, 18 April, 1783, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Edgar 74; in which ship and the Ganges 74 (the former commanded by his uncle, then Capt. Adam Duncan) he continued employed, chiefly at Portsmouth, until April, 1787; when, with a view to greater activity, he joined the maritime service of the Hon.E.I.Company. On the prospect of a rupture with Spain, he again, in Sept. 1790, entered the Navy, and was received as Midshipman on board the Defence 74, Capt. Hon. Geo. Murray; but the dispute with that country being settled without recourse to hostilities he was, in Dec. of the same year, discharged. In Oct. 1793 he was a second time placed under the command of the Hon. G. Murray, whose broad pendant was at the time flying on board the Duke 98. After serving for rather more than five months with the latter officer as Master’s Mate in the Glory 98 on the Channel station, he followed him in April, 1794, on his promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral, into the Resolution 74, and sailed for
- ↑ Lieut. Taylor was Midshipman of the Queen 98, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Alan Gardner, and was severely hurt in the back at his quarters in the maintop, in Lord Howe’s action 1 June, 1794. For his conduct he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 24 July following. During the mutiny in 1797 lie was First of the Unicorn 32; and in such esteem was he held by the erew, that they not only refused to join their refractory brethren, but actually presented him with a sword and belt. Ill health obliged him some time afterwards to retire from active service. He was admitted, 27 April, 1818, mto the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, where he died in 1835.
