A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Robinson, Charles Gepp
ROBINSON. (Captain, 1846. h-p., 28; h-p., 0.)
Charles Gepp Robinson was born 3 Dec. 1805 at Appledore House, co. Devon.
This officer entered the Navy, 13 May, 1819, on board the Hasty, on the North Sea station. From 1821 until 1826 he was employed, in the Leven 24, Capt. Wm. Fitzwilliam Owen, on a survey of the east and west coasts of Africa. He was one of a very few in the expedition who ever returned to England. On 30 Sept. 1826 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, and in the course of the following year he again, in the Eden 26, sailed with Capt. Owen for the coast of Africa, for the purpose of forming a settlement at Fernando Po, in the Bight of Biafra, where every gun-room officer but himself fell a victim to the climate. While on this service he was chiefly employed in a tender in cruizing after slavers, three vessels of which description he succeeded in capturing. The “prompt zeal” he displayed on one occasion in proceeding to sea under peculiar circumstances in the Horatio schooner had the effect of procuring him, in Jan. 1828, the thanks of the Government of Sierra Leone.[1] Since 25 March, 1829, he has been employed, almost uninterruptedly, in the Surveying Department of the Navy. Until April, 1835, he served (with his name on the books of the Caledonia, Foudroyant, and San Josef), as Assistant to Capt. Henry Mangles Denham, on the coast of Wales. He was then placed in charge of the Survey on the Welsh coast, whence he afterwards repaired to the coast of Scotland. Having attained the rank of Commander 28 June, 1838, he was appointed in that capacity, 13 Dec. 1842, to the Gleaner steam-vessel, fitting at Woolwich. From 31 Jan. 1843 until paid off at the close of 1847 he commanded the Shearwater steamer of 160 horsepower, again on the coast of Scotland. He was employed during that period in attendance on the Queen on the occasion of one of Her Majesty’s visits. He attained his present rank 9 Nov. 1846; and was appointed, 14 Feb. 1848, Additional-Captain of the San Josef 110. Agents – Case and Loudonsack.
- ↑ See ‘Owen’s African Voyage,’ by H. B. Robinson, Esq. (brother of Capt. Robinson).