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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/A’Court, Edward Henry

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1624069A Naval Biographical Dictionary — A’Court, Edward HenryWilliam Richard O'Byrne

A’COURT. (Captain, 1811. f-p., 17; h-p., 34.)

Edward Henry A’Court, born 10 Dec. 1783, is second son of the late Col. Sir Wm. Pierce Ashe A’Court, Bart., M.P., by his second wife, Letitia, daughter of Henry Wyndham, Esq., of Salisbury; brother of Lord Heytesbury, late Viceroy of Ireland, and of Col. Chas. Ashe A’Court, K.H., one of the Poor-law Commissioners; brother-in-law of the Earl of St. Germans, and of the Hon. Philip Pleydell Bouverie, the brother of the Earl of Radnor and of Rear-Admiral Bouverie; and uncle of the Hon. W. H. A. A. Holmes, M.P. for the Isle of Wight.

This officer entered the Royal Naval Academy in Jan. 1796, and embarked, in Jan. 1800, as Midshipman, on board the Clyde 38, Capt. Chas. Cunningham. After serving for some time in the Channel and off the Western Islands, he became successively attached to the Endymion 40, Capt. Henry Garrett, lying at Portsmouth – Falcon sloop, Capt. Henry Manaton Ommanney, off Newfoundland – and Pluto, Capt. Henry Barwell, on the same station. In Jan. 1803, he was appointed Master’s Mate of the Isis 50, Capt. Wm. GrenviUe Lobb, in the North Sea – then, of the Britannia 100, Capt. Lord Northesk, at Portsmouth – and, in June of the same year, of the Blanche 36, Capt. Zachary Mudge. In Nov. following he acquired great distinction by a gallant exploit off St. Domingo, where, in command of a boat with only five hands, he succeeded, after a severe struggle, in capturing a French schooner, with a detachment on board, besides other passengers, of between thirty and forty soldiers. Being shortly after that event appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the Theseus 74, Capts. John Bligh and Edw. Hawker, the subject of this memoir, in conjunction with Lieut. Rich. Henry Muddle, took command, 31 Jan. 1804, of a body of seamen who were landed at Curaçoa, and participated in the gallant but unsuccessful attack on that island. His promotion meeting with official sanction 13 Feb. following, he subsequently joined, 9 Oct. 1805, 15 July, 1806, and 21 Jan. 1808, the Mediator 44, Capts. John Seaton and Wm. Furlong Wise, Veteran 64, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Jas. Rich. Daeres, and, as Lieut.-Commander, the Sandwich schooner – all on the Jamaica station, where he was confirmed in the command, 10 June, 1808, of the Shark sloop. In Oct. of the same year he removed to the Pelican 18; and in Oct. 1810, he next joined the Harpy 18, at the Cape of Good Hope; whence, on his advancement to Post-rank, 29 March, 1811, he returned home in temporary command of the Owen Glendower 36. He afterwards officiated as Captain, from Feb. 1813 to Sept. 1815, of the Perseus 22 on the Mediterranean, Newfoundland, and Halifax stations. Since the latter date, with the exception of a brief command, in 1835, of the Jupiter 38, he has been unemployed.

Capt. A’Court, in 1820, was returned to Parliament as member for Heytesbury, which he continued to represent until 1831. He has sat, since 1837, for the borough of Tamworth, in conjunction with Sir Robert Peel. On 30 Nov. 1841, he was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to the Queen.