he brought the Duke of Kent home from Gibraltar; and, on his return to the Mediterranean, so distinguished himself on several occasions, particularly by his spirited conduct in chasing a French frigate into Toulon, that he excited the admiration and secured the friendship of the immortal Nelson; with whom, in 1805, we find him pursuing the combined squadrons to the West Indies and back. Previously to the latter event Capt. Parker had had the fortune, 16 July, 1803, to effect the capture of Le Félix privateer of 16 guns and 96 men. He afterwards, 12 Sept. 1805, took the Principe de la Paz Spanish privateer, mounting 24 9-pounders and 4 brass swivels, with a complement of 160 men; and on 13 March, 1806, he signalized himself by his meritorious and gallant behaviour throughout a long running fight, which terminated in the surrender to the London 98, and to the Amazon, whose loss extended to 4 men killed and 5 wounded, of the Marengo 80, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Linois, and 40-gun frigate Belle Poule.[1] In the summer of 1809, Capt. Parker was employed in active co-operation with the patriots on the coast of Galicia, especially at Ferrol, where he landed at the head of a party of seamen.[2] On 23 March, 1811, he captured Le Cupidon French privateer of 14 guns and 82 men. Quitting the Amazon in Feb. 1812, he was next, 11 Oct. 1827, appointed to the Warspite 76; from which ship, stationed in the Mediterranean, he was transferred, 29 Dec. 1828, to the Prince Regent yacht. On 1 May, 1831, Rear-Admiral Parker (who had attained Flag rank 22 July, 1830, and been nominated a C.B. 4 June, 1815) was invested with the chief command on the Lisbon station, which he continued to hold – occasionally commanding an experimental squadron – until 11 July, 1834.[3] On 16 of that month he was created a K.C.B. He became, 10 days later, a Lord of the Admiralty; and on resigning that appointment was constituted, 12 May, 1841, Naval Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies; whither he sailed with his flag in the Cornwallis 72. As a reward for the brilliancy and importance of his ensuing services in China, where he superintended all the operations from the taking of Amoy in Aug. 1841 to the pacification of Nanking in 1842,[4] and was often personally engaged both afloat and on shore, he was nominated a G.C.B. 2 Dec. 1842, and raised, on his return to England in 1844, to the dignity of a Baronet. Since 27 Feb. 1845, Sir Wm. Parker (he had become a Vice-Admiral 23 Nov. 1841) has been in chief command on the Mediterranean station with his flag in the Hibernia 104. He was awarded the Good Service pension of 300l. per annum 26 April, 1844; and appointed, 19 Dec. 1846, First and Principal Aide-de-Camp to the Queen.
He married, 7 June, 1810, Frances Anne, youngest daughter of Sir Theophilus Biddulph, Bart., by whom he has issue.
PARKER. (Lieutenant, 1801.)
William Parker entered the Navy, in March, 1793, as A.B., on board the Diadem 64, Capt. Andw. Sutherland, with whom, after witnessing, as Midshipman, the occupation of Toulon, he removed, in Aug. 1794, to the Berwick 74. On leaving that ship, which for a time was commanded by Capt. Chas. Tyler, he successively joined the St. George 98, Brittania 100, and Goliath 74, all under the orders, the two former as flag-ships of Sir Hyde Parker, of Capt. Thos. Foley. In the St. George he fought in Hotham’s two actions with the French fleet in 1795; he took part, in the Britannia, in the battle off Cape St. Vincent, 14 Feb. 1797; and in the Goliath he shared in the glories of the Nile 1 Aug. 1798. He was confirmed a Lieutenant (after having acted for 12 months as such) in the Druid 32, Capt. Chas. Apthorp, 16 March, 1801; and he was subsequently (having first obtained the Turkish gold medal for his services during the campaign in Egypt) appointed – 2 Nov. 1801, to the Champion 24, Capt. Lord Wm. Stuart, attached to the force in the Mediterranean, whence he returned in Sept. 1802 – 16 Nov. 1803, and 13 Sept. 1806, to the command of the Cleveland and Neptune hired vessels, in which he served in the Channel until Dec. 1809 – 16 May, 1810, for four months, to the Savage sloop, Capt. Wm. Ferrie, on the West India station – 18 March, 1811, to the Hebe hired armed ship, commanded at first by Capt. Edw. Elliott, next by himself, and then again by Capt. Elliott, in the North Sea and Baltic – 17 Dec. 1812, to the charge, which he retained until May, 1814, of a Signal-station on the north coa«t of Ireland – 3 July, 1817, to the command of the Neptune, for the purpose of superintending a division of the Plymouth Ordinary – in 1824, to the office of Agent for Transports Afloat – 25 April, 1834, again to the Ordinary at Plymouth, where he became, 1 Aug. 1836, Senior of the San Josef 110, Capts. Rich. Thomas and John Hancock – and, towards the close of 1837, to an Admiralty Agency on board a contract mail steam-vessel. He has held an appointment, since 26 Nov. 1838, in the R.N. Hospital at Haslar.
Lieut. Parker is married, and has issue. One of his daughters, Mary, is the wife of John Brickwood, Esq., Purser and Paymaster R.N. (1840), now serving on board the Odin steam-frigate of 560 horsepower.
PARKER. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11; h-p., 29.)
William Frederick Parker entered the Navy, 27 July, 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Royal George 100, Capt. Rich. Dalling Dunn, bearing the flag in the Channel of Vice-Admiral Sir John Thos. Duckworth. From March, 1809, until March, 1814, he served, on the Mediterranean, West India, and Home stations, chiefly in the capacities of Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Spidee, Lieut.-Commander Wm. Sandford Oliver, Pylades 18, Capt. Geo. Ferguson, Spider again (commanded at first by Lieut. Oliver, and next by Capt. Frank Gore Willock), Elizabeth, Lieut.-Commander Dwyer, Demerara, Capt. Wm. Henry Smith, and Cressy and Egmont 74’s, Capts. Chas. Dashwood and Joseph Bingham. Being then nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Porcupine 22, Capt. John Coode, he took part in the ensuing operations on the Gironde, where he witnessed the destruction of a French line-of-battle ship, 3 brigs of war, several smaller vessels, and of all the forts and batteries on the north side of the river. After again serving as Master’s Mate in the Egmont, and also in the Queen 74, the flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Chas. Vinicombe Penrose, he took up, in June, 1815, a commission hearing date 3 of the preceding March. His succeeding appointments were – 6 July, 1816, to the Hecla bomb, Capt. Wm. Popham, whom he accompanied in the ensuing expedition against Algiers – 2 Nov. following, and 3 July, 1817, to the Conqueror 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Robt. Plampin, and, as First-Lieutenant, to the Griffon 16, Capt. Wm. Elliot Wright, both on the St. Helena station, whence he returned in Sept. 1818 – and, in July, 1824, for a short period, to the Beaver 10, Capt. John Jas. Onslow, attached to the force in the West Indies. Since he left the latter vessel he has been on half-pay. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
PARKER, Bart. (Captain, 1814. f-p., 14; h-p., 39.)
Sir William George Parker was born 19 Aug. 1787, and died 24 March, 1848, at Plymouth. He was eldest son of the late Vice-Admiral Sir Wm. Parker, Bart.,[5] by Jane, eldest daughter of Edw.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1806.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1040.
- ↑ His flag, during the period, was flying in the Asia 84.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1842, passim.
- ↑ Sir Wm. Parker was born in Kent in 1743. Prior to 1778, in which year he was advanced to Post-rank, he served, we believe, under Lord Shuldham and Admiral Byron. During the war with America he commanded the Deal Castle, Maidstone, and Iphigenia frigates; as he subsequently did the Dictator 64, Jupiter 50, Formidable 98, and Audacious 74. In the Jupiter he was for three years Commodore and Commander-in-Chief on the Leeward Island station; and in
