403
GODFREY—GODWIN—GOLDFINCH—GOLDlE.
Jas. Nicoll Morris, and, on 3 Sept. 1814, was appointed Senior of the Aquilon 32, Capts. Thos. Burton and Rich. Budd Vincent, on the Mediterranean station. He went on half-pay 30 April, 1816; and was not afterwards employed.
The subject of this memoir, who obtained the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 9 Jan. 1843, suffered much in the service of his country. He was often under the enemy’s fire, was much battered in his person from the effects of numerous wounds, and had the misfortune to be deprived in action of the faculty of hearing. He married a Miss Swayer.
GODFREY. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 22; h-p., 22.)
John Race Godfrey, born 11 March, 1790, is son of the late John Godfrey, Esq., of Bath, by Sarah, daughter of the late Wm. Wigget, Esq., and sister of the late General Bulwer, of Heydon Hall, co. Norfolk.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 June, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Prince of Wales 98, bearing the flags in succession of Admirals Sir Robt. Calder, Sir Jas. Saumarez, Edw. Thornbrough, and Lord Gambier; while in which ship he took part, as Midshipman, in the action of 22 July, 1805, and served on shore throughout the operations connected with the attack on Copenhagen. After the latter event he served, until his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 15 March, 1815, in the Sultan 74, Capt. Edw. Griffith, Lavinia 44, Capt. John Hancock, Thames 32, Capt. Hon. Granville Geo. Waldegrave, President 58, Capt. Sam. Warren, and Acasta 40, Capt. Alex. Robt. Kerr. During the four years of his continuance in the latter ship, Mr. Godfrey, who had previously visited the Mediterranean and Cape of Good Hope, assisted at the re-capture of the 20-gun ship Levant, and also at the taking of five privateers, carrying in the whole 61 guns and 439 men. In 1820 he obtained an appointment in the Coast Guard; after 12 years’ retention of which he was placed on half-pay. He has not since had any official occupation.
Lieut. Godfrey married, 7 July, 1817, Augusta Maria, daughter of the late John Marsh, Esq., of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, by whom he has issue six children.
GODFREY. (Lieutenant, 1841.)
Peter M‘Kenzie Godfrey is nearly related, we believe, to Edw. Godfrey, Esq., of Old Hall, co. Suffolk, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for that county.
This officer entered the Navy 4 June, 1831; passed his examination 26 Oct. 1838; and, during the latter period of his servitude as Mate, was employed in the Mediterranean on board the Powerful 84, Capt. Geo. Mansel. Obtaining his commission 30 Aug. 1841, he was afterwards appointed, on the same station – 6 Oct. 1841, to the Snake 16, Capt. Hon. Wm. Bourchier Devereux – .11 June, 1842, to the Vanguard 80, Capt. Sir David Dunn – and, 23 Oct. 1843, to the Warspite 50, Capt. Provo Wm. Parry Wallis. He returned to England in 1846; and, since 28 Dec. in that year, has been employed in the Penelope steam-frigate, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Chas. Hotham, on the coast of Africa. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
GODWIN. (Rear-Admiral of the Red, 1840. f-p., 18; h-p., 49.)
Matthew Godwin was born 25 Dec. 1766.
This officer entered the Navy, 17 May, 1780, as a Volunteer, on board the Foudroyant 84, Capt. John Jervis, and, on 21 April, 1782, assisted, as Midshipman, at the capture, after a gallant action of nearly an hour, attended, however, with no casualty to the British, of the French 74-gun ship Pégase, whoso loss, besides being seriously damaged, amounted, out of a crew of 700 men, to 80 killed and wounded. From May in the same year, until the receipt of his first commission, 1 Aug. 1794, Mr. Godwin, with intervals, served, on the West India and Home stations, in the Pigmy brig, Capt. Wm. Mitchel, Triumph 74, Capt. Rich. Onslow, Flirt brig, Capt. Jas. Norman, Prudente 38, Capt. Henry Trollope, Active frigate, Capt. Edm. Nagle, and Royal George 100, flag-ship of Lord Bridport. He then joined the Bellerophon 74, Capts. Wm. Hope and Lord Cranstoun, and was afterwards appointed to the Commerce de Marseilles, Capt. Child, and to the Prince George, Glory, Thunderer, and Tremendous, flag-ships, latterly at the Cape of Good Hope and in the East Indies, of Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian. In the capacity of Commander, a rank he attained 15 Jan. 1802, Capt. Godwin next, on 23 June, 1803, joined the Trompeuse sloop, in which he cruized off the south-west coast of Ireland until 30 Sept. 1804. Having been promoted to Post-rank on 8 of the preceding May, he was then superseded; and since that period he has not been employed. He became a Flag-Officer 17 Aug. 1840. Agents – Messrs. Chard.
GOLDFINCH. (Commander, 1846.)
George Goldfinch entered the Navy 26 June, 1807; and passed his examination in 1815. He afterwards, as Acting-Lieutenant of the Sophie 18, Capt. Geo. Fred. Ryves, contributed by his zealous exertions and cool intrepidity to the successful result of various operations undertaken by the British during the Burmese war. On 7 Oct. 1824 he appears to have been highly spoken of by Capt. Chads for his conduct in a brilliant and decisive attack on the village of Than-ta-bain. He also, on 4 Dec. following, proved himself a valuable officer, and worthy of the highest praise, for the gallant part he took in an attack made by the boats under Lieut. Augustus Henry Kellett upon an enemy’s flotilla; on which occasion he succeeded in personally capturing the vessel which carried the flag of the Burman chief.[1] His conduct, in the course of the same month, was again most conspicuous during the investment by the enemy of the strong fortress of Kemmerdine; and on the 15th he was once more recommended in consequence of the spirit he displayed in an action fought between a small British force and 200 of the enemy’s boats on the Lyne river, which terminated in the latter being defeated with great loss. On 6 Feb. 1825 we find his name mentioned in connection with the capture of a large 36-gun stockade at Than-ta-bain;[2] and at all times do we observe him spoken of in the strongest terms.[3] As a reward for these services, he was confirmed to a Lieutenancy, 25 July, 1825, in the Larne 20, Capt. Wm. Burdett Dobson; but, his health soon obliging him to invalid, he returned home and remained unemployed until 17 April, 1831, when he joined for a few months the Pearl 20, Capt. Robt. Gordon, then engaged on Particular Service. His succeeding appointments were – 18 Dec. 1838, to the Ganges 84, Capt. Barrington Reynolds, in the Mediterranean – 10 Dec. 1842, as First, to the Warspite 50, Capt. Provo Wm. Parry Wallis, off Lisbon – 25 Feb. 1845, as Senior, to the Superb 80, Capt. Armar Lowry Corry, part of the Channel squadron – and, 6 July, 1846, in the capacity of Additional-Lieutenant, to the Caledonia 120, Capt. Manley Hall Dixon, lying at Devonport. He attained his present rank 9 Nov. 1846; and is now on half-pay.
GOLDIE. (Commander, 1839. f-p., 18; h-p., 5.)
Alexander Taubman Goldie, born 24 Jan. 1811, is third son of General Alex. John Goldie, of the Nunnery, Isle of Man.
This officer entered the Navy, 28 Dec. 1824, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Brazen 26, Capt. Geo. Wickens Willes, in which frigate, and in the Ganges 84, and Druid 46, Capts. Sam. Hood Inglefield and Gawen Wm. Hamilton, he served the whole of his time on the African and South American stations. He obtained his first commission 30 May, 1832; was
