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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Senhouse, Edward Hooper

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1938672A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Senhouse, Edward HooperWilliam Richard O'Byrne

SENHOUSE. (Commander, 1843. f-p., 13; h-p., 34.)

Edward Hooper Senhouse is fifth son of Lieut. Wm. Senhouse, R.N., Surveyor-General of Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands, who died in 1800, by Elizabeth, daughter of Samson Wood, Esq., of Barbadoes. Speaker of the House of Assembly; and brother of Commander Wm. Wood Senhouse, R.N., who died in 1800, of the late gallant Capt. Sir Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, R.N., Kt., K.C.H.,[1] and of Lieut. Geo. Septimus Senhouse, R.N., who died in 1808. His uncle, Sir Joseph Senhouse, Kt., was an officer in the Hon.E.I.Co.’s naval service: his grandfather, Humphrey Senhouse, Esq., of Netherhall, co. Cumberland (married to Mary, daughter and co-heir of Sir Geo. Fleming, Bart., of Rydal, Bishop of Carlisle), founded the present flourishing town of Maryport.

This officer entered the Navy, 28 Jan. 1800, as Midshipman, on board the Prince of Wales 98, Capt. Adrian Renou, bearing the flag in the West Indies of Lord Hugh Seymour, whom he followed, in the ensuing spring, into the Sans Pareil 80. He continued employed on the same station in the Carnatic 74, Capt. Chas. Vinicombe Penrose, until June, 1802; and he next – deducting a few months passed, between March and August, 1806, in the Malabar 74, Capt. Geo. Scott – served (from 28 Jan. 1803 until made Lieutenant 23 May, 1807, into the Hero 74, Capt. John Poo Beresford) in the Fortunée 36, Capt. Henry Yansittart, in the North Sea, at Jamaica, and in the Channel. His subsequent appointments were – 16 June, 1807, to the Clio brig, Capt. Thos. Folliott Baugh, on the Leith station – 29 June, 1809, to the command, during the siege of Flushing, of gun-boat No. 13 – 3 Nov. following to the Peacock 18, Capt. Thos. Ladd Peake, at Plymouth – 25 Dec. 1811, 25 Nov. 1812, and 18 Jan. 1813, to the Dragon 74, Tribune 36, and Grampus 50, flag-ships of Sir Francis Laforey in the West Indies – 24 May, 1813, to the acting-command there of the Heron 16 – 4 July ensuing again to the Grampus – and, 1 Aug. in the same year, to the command of the Liberty 14, also on the West India station, whence, in June, 1814, he returned to England. He attained his present rank 20 Jan. 1843.

Commander Senhouse is Provost-Marshal at Barbadoes. He married, in 1815, Elizabeth Bishop, daughter of John Spooner, Esq., of that island, by whom he has issue. Agents – Burnett and Holmes.


  1. Sir Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, while yet a Midshipman, was made the bearer, by Lord Hugh Seymour, of his despatches to the Admiralty, announcing the capture of Surinam in 1799. He obtained his first commission 9 April, 1802; and after having assisted, and displayed much ability, at the debarkation of the troops during the attack upon Martinique, was promoted to the rank of Commander 2 June, 1809. During the war with the United States he served with great activity, and on 29 July, 1813, being in command of the Martin of 18 guns, he defended that sloop, aground in Delaware Bay, in a very gallant manner against a powerful flotilla, consisting of eight gun-boats and two block vessels. He made prize, in the same vessel, of the Snap-dragon privateer, of 6 guns and 80 men, assisted in taking possession of Moose Island, in Passamaquoddy Bay, and was ultimately sent home with despatches from Sir Alexander Cochrane, announcing the successful result of an expedition against Castine, in the province of Maine. His promotion to Post-rank took place 12 Oct. 1814. From 25 Feb. 1831 until 1834 he served in the St. Vincent 120, the chief part of the time as Flag-Captain to Vice-Admiral Hon. Sir Hen. Hotham, K.C.B., G.C.M.G., Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean; and from 9 April, 1839, until the date of his death, 14 June, 1841, he commanded the Blenheim 72, and distinguished himself by the high importance of his services during the war in China. He was nominated a K.C.H. 13 April, 1832, and invested with the honour of Knighthood 5 June, 1834.