command, for three months, of the Tickler gun-brig – in April, 1803, to the Impress service at Lynn, in Norfolk, where he remained until Nov. 1812 – in April, 1813, to the Experiment receiving-ship at Falmouth, Capt. Jas. Slade – and subsequently to the Ordinary at Chatham. He became a Retired Commander on the Junior List 28 Nov. 1833, and on the Senior 6 Feb. 1844.
KNIGHT. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 10; h-p., 34.)
William Knight (c) entered the Navy, in Dec. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Galgo 16, Capt. Michael Dod, stationed in the North Sea. Joining next, in Nov. 1804, the Atlas 74, Capt. Sam. Pym, he served in that ship in the action off St. Domingo 6 Feb. 1806; after which we find him employed for upwards of four years in the Channel and Mediterranean on board the Colossus 74, Capt. Jas. Nicoll Morris, and, on 28 Nov. 1810, promoted from the Ville de Paris 110, flag-ship on the latter station of Rear-Admiral Thos. Fras. Fremantle, to an Acting-Lieutenancy in the Alfred 74, commanded off Cadiz by Capt. Joshua Rowley Watson. He was confirmed in his present rank 19 Jan. 1811, and between the close of the same year and April, 1814, he endured a further servitude in the Devastation bomb, Capt. Wm. Taylor, Calliope 10, Capt. John M‘Kerlie, York 74, Capt. Alex. Wilmot Schomberg, and Rapid sloop, Capt. John Foote, chiefly on the Home station. He has since been on half-pay. Agent – J. Hinxman.
KNIGHTON. (Retired Commander, 1843. f-p., 21; h-p., 34.)
Charles Knighton is a near relative of Lieut. C. Knighton, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 28 Nov. 1792, as A.B., on board the Fury bomb, Capt. Hon. Wm. Paget, attached to the force in the Mediterranean. Removing as Midshipman, in March, 1794, to the Centurion 50, Capt. Sam. Osborne, he witnessed, we believe, the capture, 5 May following, of the French 74-gun ship Duguay Trouin off the Isle of France. He also, on 22 of the next Oct., partook of a stiff action fought in the same neighbourhood between the Centurion and Diomède 44 on the one side, and, on the other, a French squadron consisting of the 40-gun frigate Cybèle, 36-gun frigate Prudente, 20-gun corvette Jean Bart, and 14-gun brig-corvette Courier terminating in the flight of the enemy, with a loss to the Centurion of 3 men killed and 24 wounded. In 1797, after he had further contributed to the reduction of Trincomalee and of the islands of Amboyna and Banda, Mr. Knighton was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Victorious 74, Capt. Wm. Clark. He was confirmed, while officiating in a similar capacity on board the Carysfort frigate, 27 March, 1799; and was afterwards appointed – 11 Aug. 1800, and 14 July, 1803, to the Cumberlard and Leviathan 74’s, Capts. Thos. Graves and Henry Wm. Bayntun, on the Channel, West India, and Mediterranean stations – in Sept. 1805, to the Sea Fencible service in Ireland, where he continued until the corps was disbanded in May, 1810 – 24 Feb. 1813, to the command of a Signal station, which he retained until June, 1814 – and 26 March, 1823, for three years, to the Ordinary at Plymouth. He became a Retired Commander on the Senior List 7 April, 1843.
KNIGHTON. (Lieutenant, 1841.)
Charles Knighton (b) is closely related to Retired Commander Charles Knighton, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy 29 Nov. 1826; passed his examination 5 June, 1833; and at the period of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, which took place 23 Nov. 1841, was serving, on the Brazils and Cape of Good Hope station, as Mate of the Grecian 16, Capt. Wm. Smyth. His succeeding appointments were – 15 Dec. 1841, as Additional, to the Caledonia 120, flag-ship at Plymouth of Sir Graham Moore – next, to the Jaseur 16, Capt. Wm. Alex. Willis, on the Mediterranean station – 17 July, 1843, again as Additional, to the Winchester 60, bearing the flag at the Cape of Hon. Josceline Percy – and 6 March, 1844, to the Conway 26, Capt. Wm. Kelly, with whom he continued employed on the station last named until ordered home, for the purpose of being paid off, in 1847. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
KNOCKER. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)
John Bedingfield Knocker, born 1 April, 1793, at Dover, co. Kent, is brother of Lieut. Wm. Knocker, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 27 Jan. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Pompée 74, Capt. Rich. Dacres, bearing the flag in the Mediterranean of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith; and in the following July, having removed to the Aurora 28, Capt. Hon. Geo. Elliot, was present at the bombardment and capture, notwithstanding a very firm resistance, of a battery mounted on Cape Licosa, in Spain. Rejoining the Pompée soon afterwards, he served in that ship under the flag of Hon. Henry Edwin Stanhope in the expedition of 1807 to Copenhagen, whence he assisted in bringing home the Christian VII. 80, one of the Danish prizes. In Nov. of the latter year he obtained a berth on board the Diana 38, Capts. Chas. Grant and John Cramer, under whom, on his return from a visit to the Brazils, we find him, from Oct. 1809 until the commencement of 1810, employed with the advanced squadron up the Scheldt. During that particular period he was constantly absent on boat service, and on the night of 2 Dec. assisted, with much gallantry, in cutting out three schuyts, moored to the shore at Odenskirk, and provided with heavy ordnance.[1] In Nov. 1810 he participated, as Master’s Mate, in an attack made on the two French frigates Amazone and Eliza lying aground under the protection of several strong batteries in the neighbourhood of La Hogue. On 23 of the ensuing month the latter vessel (the other having effected her escape) was effectually destroyed by two of the Diana’s boats – one of them commanded by Mr. Knocker, to whom a Lieutenant’s commission was in consequence sent, but which, as he had not served his time, he was of course unable to retain. During his attachment to the Diana, he was once struck with violence by a splinter on the occasion of a vessel being driven under the fire of some batteries on the French coast; and in Aug. 1811 he was sent home in charge of a fine schooner, of which he had himself effected the capture under the walls of St. Sebastian while in command of the ship’s boats. With the exception of a few months, from Nov. 1812 to March, 1813, during which he was confined to the Naval Hospital at Port Mahon, Mr. Knocker continued to serve with Capt. Grant in the St. Alban’s 64, and Armada 74, off Cadiz and Toulon, until nominated Acting-Lieutenant, 9 April, 1813, of the Royal George 100, Capt. Thos. Fras. Chas. Mainwaring. He was confirmed to that ship 10 July following, and was lastly, in Nov. of the same year, appointed to the Hibernia 120, flag-ship of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith. He returned home from the Mediterranean and was paid off in July, 1814.
He married, 14 Oct. 1822, Elizabeth, daughter of Anthony Cox, Esq., Banker, of Harwich, co. Essex, by whom he has issue 14 children.
KNOCKER. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11; h-p., 30.)
William Knocker was born 18 Dec. 1794. He is brother of Lieut. John B. Knocker, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 23 Aug. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Glory 98, Capt. Wm. Albany Otway, employed in the Channel and off Cadiz; removed, in July, 1807, to the Niger 32, Capt. Jas. Hillyar, on the Mediterranean station; and in April, 1808, became Midshipman of the Barfleur 98, Capts. Donald M‘Leod and Sam. Hood Linzee. While in that ship we find him, after the convention of Cintra, escorting the Russian Rear-
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 2067.
