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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Crane, Poynter

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1667312A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Crane, PoynterWilliam Richard O'Byrne

CRANE. (Retired Commander, 1843. f-p., 19; h-p., 30.)

Poynter Crane, born 5 June, 1786, is son of the late Edw. Crane, Esq., Coroner for the city of Norwich.

This officer entered the Navy, 1 Feb. 1798, as Midshipman, on board the Repulse 64, Capt. Jas. Alms, in which he beheld the capture, in 1799, of three French frigates by a part of the Mediterranean squadron under Lord Keith, and was wrecked, near Ushant, 10 March, 1800. After a short imprisonment in France, he joined Capt. Rich. Goodwin Keats in the Boadicea 38; and, continuing to serve with that officer until Oct. 1805 in the Superb 74, took a warm part in the victory gained by Sir Jas. Saumarez over the Franco-Spanish squadron, near Cadiz, 12 July, 1801, and accompanied Lord Nelson in his pursuit of the combined fleets to the West Indies during the summer of 1805. He next served for some months in the North Sea and Baltic, on board the Roebuck 44, Capt. Geo. M‘Kinley, and Alert 18, Capt. Robt. Williams; was appointed, 31 Oct. 1806, Acting Sub-Lieutenant of the Havock gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Wm. Rich. Bamber, in which he escorted Major-General Claxton on a visit of inspection to the different ports of Prussia; and on 12 July, 1807; was officially promoted to the full rank of Lieutenant, and appointed to the Resolution 74, Capt. Geo. Burlton. After a brief attachment to the Forester 18, Capt. R. Richards, the subject of this notice assumed command, 13 Aug. 1808, of the Irresistible prison-ship in the river Medway, where he remained until Jan. 1812. In March following he joined the Reynard 18, Capts. Hew Steuart, Geo. Brine, and David St. Clair; in which vessel he served at the defence of Riga, and conveyed, as Acting-Commander, the despatches announcing the eventual discomfiture of the French to Rear-Admiral Morris, off Carlscrona. He was subsequently, on 12 May, 1813, while in command of a prize, driven by a gale into Frederickstad, in Norway, where he was detained a prisoner for some months. In Sept. following he joined, as Senior Lieutenant, the Brisk 18, Capt. Henry Higman, and in that vessel and the Ariel 18, Capt. Dan. Ross, appears to have been actively employed on the Irish and African coasts until Dec. 1814. Mr. Crane was next appointed, 6 Nov. 1815, to the Bulwark 74, flag-ship at the Nore of Sir Chas. Rowley – and, 14 March, 1817, to the command of the Asp Revenue-cutter. He was paid off in April, 1818; and invested with his present rank 6 April, 1843.

Commander Crane married, 2 May, 1809, Urania Hoare, daughter of E. Weekes, Esq., of the Hon.E.I.Co’s, service, by whom he has issue six sons and two daughters. One of the former, Benjamin Henry, is a Midshipman in the Indian Navy.