69
BELCHES—BELGRAVE—BELL.
Voyage round the World, performed in H.M.S. Sulphur, during the years 1836-42,’ will fully develop the nature of his very important services during the period the volume embraces. To this officer we have also to ascribe the authorship of a ‘Treatise on Nautical Surveying.’ He married, 11 Sept. 1830, Diana Jolliffe, granddaughter of Colonel Simpson, of Plean House, Falkirk, and stepdaughter of the late gallant Capt. Peter Heywood, R.N., who was in the unfortunate mutiny on board the Bounty. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.
BELCHES. (Lieutenant, 1827.)
Peter Belches entered the Navy 2 Feb. 1812. While serving as Master’s Mate on board the Primrose 18, Capt. Chas. Geo. Rodney Phillott, he was severely wounded in a mistaken encounter with a British packet, 12 March, 1814, and was for some time, in consequence, confined to Plymouth Hospital. He passed his examination in 1818; was promoted, 17 April, 1827, into the Volage 28, Capts. Robt. Tait and Michael Seymour; and since March, 1828, has been on half-pay. He holds, at present, the appointment of Harbour Master of the port of Albany, in Western Australia. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.
BELGRAVE. (Lieut., 1843. f-p., 16; h-p., 1.)
Thomas Belgrave is eldest son of the Rev. Thos. Belgrave, Rector of North Kilworth, co. Leicester.
This officer entered the Navy, 19 March, 1830, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Curlew 10, Capts. Geo. Woollcombe and Henry Dundas Trotter, employed in suppressing the slave-trade on the west coast of Africa, where he witnessed the capture, in 1833, of the piratical schooner Panda. He next served, as Midshipman, in the Flamer steam-vessel, Lieut.-Commander Chas. Wm. Griffith Griffin, in the West Indies, Harrier 18, Capt. Wm. Henry Hallowell Carew, in South America, and North Star 18, Capt. Ootavius Vernon Harcourt, on the same station; passed his examination 2 Nov. 1836; and was subsequently employed as Mate, on the South American, Home, and Mediterranean stations, of the Samarang 28, Capt. Wm. Broughton, Dublin 50, Capt. Robt. Tait, Excellent gunnery-ship, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings, Rodney 92, Capt. Robt. Maunsell, and Lizard steamer, Lieut.-Commanders Walter Grimstone Bucknall Estcourt and Chas. Jas. Postle. He was in the Rodney at the blockade of Alexandria in 1840, and on board the Lizard when run down and sunk by the French steamer Véloce, 24 July, 1843. His appointments, since his promotion, which took place on 1 Nov. in the latter year, have been – 6 Dec. 1843, again to the Excellent – 30 Aug. 1844, as Additional-Lieutenant, to the Eclair steam-sloop, Capt. W. G. B. Estcourt, on the coast of Africa – 7 Jan. 1845, in a similar capacity, to the Vindictive 50, flag-ship in North America and the West Indies of Sir Fras. Wm. Austen – and, 14 Aug. 1845, to the President 50, as Flag-Lieutenant to his father-in-law, Rear-Admiral Jas. Rich. Dacres, at the Cape of Good Hope.
Lieut. Belgrave married, 24 Sept. 1845, Charlotte, daughter of Rear-Admiral Dacres.
BELL. (Commander, 1830. f-p., 16; h-p., 17.)
Charles Bell died in 1844. He was second son of the late Matthew Bell, Esq., of Woolsington, High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1797, by Sarah Frances, daughter of Chas. J. Brandling, Esq., of Gosforth House, in that co., formerly M.P. for Newcastle-upon-Tyne; next brother of the present Matthew Bell, Esq., of Woolsington, M.P. for the southern division of Northumberland, and a Deputy-Lieutenant; and brother-in-law of Sir John Jas. Walsham, Bart., of Knill Court, co. Hereford.
This officer entered the Navy, 2 May, 1812, as Third-cl. Vol., on board the Bulwark 74, Capt. Jas. Andrew Worth, bearing the flag in Basque Roads of Sir Philip Chas. Durham; served, from Dec. 1813, to March, 1814, latterly as Midshipman, in the Porcupine 24, and Surveillante 38, both commanded by Capt. Robt. Elliott, on the north coast of Spain; afterwards joined the Eurotas 38, Capts. Robt. Bloye and Jas. Lillicrap, cruizing off Cork; was next, between July, 1815, and Jan. 1818, transferred, in succession, to the Severn 40, Capt. Joseph Nourse, Malta 80, Capt. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, and Tigris 36, Capt. Robt. Henderson, on the Home station; and then sailed for the East Indies in the Liverpool 40, Capt. Fras. Augustus Collier, under whom we find him, in Jan. 1820, actively employed against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, where Ras-al-Khyma, their principal resort and head-quarters, was taken, the fortifications destroyed, all their vessels burnt or sunk, and a large quantity of treasure seized. In May, 1821, Mr. Bell returned home, as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Alligator, Capt. Jas. Wilkie; and, on 9 Nov. following, he was officially promoted. He subsequently joined the Revenge 76, flag-ship in the Mediterranean of Sir Harry Burrard Neale, 20 March, 1823; served from 16 Nov. 1826, until Oct. 1827, on board the Ariadne 26, Capt. Adolphus FitzClarence, on the same station; then removed to the Cambrian 48, Capt. Gawen Wm. Hamilton, in time to act a part in the battle of Navarin; and was finally wrecked, 31 Jan. 1828. He obtained a second promotal commission 23 July, 1830; and, from 29 Sept. 1841, until the period of his death, commanded the Hazard 18, on the East India station.
Commander Bell married, first, his cousin, Mary, youngest daughter of the Rev. Ralph Henry Brandling, of Gosforth House, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for the cos. of York (W.R.), Northumberland, and Durham; and, secondly, another cousin, Rachel, fourth daughter of Robt. Wm. Brandling, Esq., of Low Gosforth, barrister-at-law. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
BELL, C.B. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 16; h-p., 35.)
Christopher Bell is brother-in-law of Lieut. Chas. Cotesworth, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, in June, 1796, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Clyde 38, Capt. Chas. Cunningham. He continued to serve in that frigate, in the Channel, North Sea, and off the Western Islands, for the space of six years, and on 20 Aug. 1799, when off the Cordovan light-house, assisted at the capture, after a gallant engagement of nearly two hours, of the French frigate La Vestale, of 36 guns and 230 men, of whom 10 were killed and 22 wounded, – the British losing only 2 killed and 3 wounded. He passed his examination in April, 1802; sailed in July following for the Jamaica station in the Chichester store-ship, Capt. Stevens; was there promoted, 20 Oct. in the same year, from the Leviathan 74, bearing the flag of Sir John Thos. Duckworth, into the Shark 18, Capt. J. B. Herring; and afterwards joined, 5 Oct. 1803, and 16 Sept. 1804, the Magnanime 18, Capt. Edw. Hawker, and La Pique 36, Capt. Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross. In command of the tender belonging to the latter ship, Lieut. Bell, on 26 March, 1806, aided in taking the two French 16-gun brigs Phaeton and Voltigeur; and, on 1 Nov. ensuing, as First of La Pique, with her barge and two other boats under his orders, he succeeded, without the loss of a man, in cutting out from the harbour of Cabaret, Porto Rico, a fine new Spanish brig, pierced for 12 guns, and completely destroying a 3-gun battery at its entrance.[1] While subsequently employed ashore on the south side of St. Domingo, he received a severe wound in an attack made by the natives on his party, and in consequence, we believe, was presented with a gratuity rom the Patriotic Fund. We next find him appointed, 13 March, 1807, to the acting-command of the Shark receiving-ship at Port Royal, from which he was confirmed, 1 April, 1808, into the 14-gun brig Phipps. On 16 Nov. 1810, Capt. Bell, who had previously chased a lugger-privateer close under Calais, fell in with two others, one of which,
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1807, p. 156.
