A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Robinson, Thomas Pitt
ROBINSON. (Commander, 1828. f-p.,18; h-p., 25.)
Thomas Pitt Robinson, born 19 June, 1792, is only son of the late Mark Robinson, Esq., Admiral of the White; [1] grandson of the late Rear-Admiral Mark Robinson;[2] nephew of the present Commander Chas. Robinson, R.N.; and first-cousin of Capt. Chas. Robinson Miller, R.M., and First-Lieut. Henry Miller, R.M., sons of the late Major-General John Miller, R.M.
This officer entered the Navy, in 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Swiftsure 74, commanded by his father, at first as flag-ship to Sir John Orde off Cadiz, and afterwards as part of the Mediterranean fleet under Lord Nelson. In May, 1805, he removed with his father, in the capacity of Midshipman, to the Royal Sovereign 100; in which ship, commanded also by Capts. John Conn, Edw. Rotherara, and Fras. Pender, he fought under the flag of Vice-Admiral Collingwood in the action off Cape Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805. From March, 1806, until July, 1811, he was actively employed off Cadiz and in various parts of the Mediterranean in the Ocean 98, Capt. F. Pender, Queen 98, bearing the flag of Rear-Admirals John Child Purvis, John Knight, and Geo. Martin, and Success 32, Capt. John Ayscough. While attached to the Success he was often engaged with the enemy on the coast of Italy, served in the boats at the capture of several privateers, assisted at the reduction of the islands of Ischia and Procida, and contributed to the defence of Sicily when threatened with an invasion by Joachim Murat at the head of 40,000 troops. On 12 Feb. 1812, a few weeks after he had joined, on promotion, the Dragon 74, bearing the flag of Sir Fras. Laforey in the West Indies, he,was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of that ship. He was confirmed, 21 March, 1812, into the Peruvian 18, Capts. Dickinson and Amos Freeman Westropp, also in the West Indies, whence he returned in the following Aug.; and he was subsequently appointed – 16 Oct. 1813 and 22 Sept. 1815, to the Tigris 36, Capt. Robt. Henderson, and Tonnant 80, flag-ship of Sir Benj. Hallowell, both on the Irish station, where he remained until paid off in Nov. 1818 – and 14 Oct. 1825, as Second-Lieutenant, to the Genoa 74, Capts. Walter Bathurst and Hon. Chas. Leonard Irby. In the latter ship, which was put out of commission in Dec. 1827, he served on the Lisbon station, and enacted a part at the battle of Navarin. In consideration of the “long, active, and faithful services” of his father and grandfather, he was advanced, 26 Aug. 1828, to the rank of Commander. His last appointment was to the Coast Guard, in which he remained from 29 March, 1837, until April, 1840.
Commander Robinson married, 23 April, 1818, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the late Capt. Thos. Andrews, of H.M. 84th Regt.
- ↑ Admiral Mark Robinson attained the ranlc of Commander prior to the conclusion of the first American war; and after serving in that capacity on board the Trimmer sloop was advanced to Post-rank 21 Sept. 1790. He commanded the Brilliant frigate at the reduction of Calvi, in Corsica, in 794; the Arethusa 38, in Sir John Borlase Warren’s expedition against Quiberon in 1795; the Swiftsure 74, alluded to in our Memoir of his son; the Royal Sovereign 100, as Flag-Captain to Sir Rich. Bickerton in the Mediterranean during Lord Nelson’s pursuit of the combined squadrons to the West Indies; and subsequently the Gibraltar 80. He became a Rear-Admiral 28 April, 1808, a Vice-Admiral 12 Aug. 1818, and a full Admiral 27 May, 1825. He died 21 Feb. 1834, at Freshfield, near Bath, aged 80.
- ↑ Rear-Admiral Mark Robinson held command, between 1767 and 1783, of the Fury, Worcester 64, and Shrewsbury 74. During that period he very frequently distinguished himself. He five times, in the Shrewsbury, led the British fleet into action. In the affair between Rear-Admiral Graves and the Comte de Grasse, off Cape Henry, 5 Sept. 1781, he lost a leg. He was the earliest friend in the service of the immortal Nelson, and was the chief instrument of the hero obtaining his first step, the latter being placed with him as Acting-Lieutenant on board the Worcester in Dec. 1776. He died in Nov. 1799.