1808, and 7 Nov. 1810, to the Prince of Orange 74, and Monmouth 64, flag-ships in the Downs of Admirals G. Campbell and Thos. Foley – and 17 July and 26 Aug. 1812, 28 June, 1814, and 7 June, 1816, to the command of the Bold, Bramble, Racer, and Eagle. In the Bramble and Racer (which latter yessel was wrecked in the Gulf of Florida 10 Oct. 1814) he was employed in carrying despatches to the coasts of Spain and North America; and in the Eagle he cruized in protection of the revenue until promoted to his present rank 4 March, 1819. His last appointment was, 6 April, 1830, to the Coast Guard, in which service he continued, as an Inspecting-Commander, for nearly three years.
POLLARD. (Lieut., 1806. f-p., 27; h-p., 23.)
John Pollard was born 27 July, 1787.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Nov. 1797, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Havick 16, Capt. Philip Bartholomew; in which sloop, after having chased a large convoy and three armed vessels under the batteries of St. Maloes, and been there for some time warmly engaged with the enemy, he was wrecked, 9 Nov. 1800, in St. Aubin’s Bay, Jersey. He was then received as a Supernumerary on board the Cambridge 74, Capt. Thos. Wolley; and next, in Sept. 1801, on board the Hercule 74, Capt. Wm. Luke, with whom he cruized in the Channel until paid off in April, 1802. Joining in succession, in April, 1803, the Culloden 74 and Canopus 80, both commanded by Capt. John Conn, he sailed in the latter ship with the flag of Rear-Admiral Geo. Campbell for the Mediterranean, where, in March, 1805, he removed on promotion to the Victory 100, bearing the flag of Lord Nelson. On the return of the fleet from its pursuit of the combined squadrons to the West Indies, Mr. Pollard was afforded an opportunity of participating, as Signal-Midshipman, in the action off Cape Trafalgar. On that occasion, while standing on the poop, he was struck by a splinter on the right arm, and chanced to be the first officer who was there touched. A musket-ball next passed through the shell of his spy-glass, about a foot above the hand that held it; and a second one shattered the watch in his pocket. Some time after the Victory had been in action with the French 74-gun ship Redoutable, the officers and men around him beginning to fall fast, the attention of Mr. Pollard was arrested by a number of soldiers whom he perceived crouching in the tops of the Redoutable, and directing a destructive fire on the poop and quarter-deck of the Victory. He immediately seized a musket, and, being supplied by the Signal-Quartermaster, King, with ball-cartridges from two barrels kept on the after-part of the poop for the use of the marines (who at the time were elsewhere engaged), continued firing at the soldiers every time they rose breast-high in the tops, until not one was to be seen. In the act of handing the last parcel of ball-cartridges, the Quartermaster was shot through the forehead, and fell lifeless on the spot. When the action terminated Mr. Pollard was the only officer left alive of those who had been originally stationed on the poop; and thus, in the manner we have described, originated the belief that it was he who had shot the man who killed Lord Nelson. On leaving the Victory in Nov. 1805, he joined, first the Queen 98, and then the Dreadnought of similar force, and Hibernia 110, bearing the respective flags of Lords Collingwood, Northesk, and St. Vincent. He was made Lieutenant, 14 Nov. 1806, into the Décade 36, Capt. John Stuart, in the Channel; and was subsequently appointed – 25 Dec. 1807, to the Brunswick 74, Capt. Thos. Graves, stationed in the Baltic, where, prior to the embarkation from Nyeborg of the Spanish troops under the Marquis de la Romana, he served in the boats at the attack and capture of the Danish brig Fama of 18, and her consort the Salorman cutter (which he was among the first to board) of 12 guns – 14 June 1810, after 16 months of half-pay, to the North Star 20, Capt. Thos. Coe, with whom he cruized in the Channel until May, 1811 – 4 Jan. 1812, to the Mercurius sloop, Capt. Thos. Renwick, employed in the North Sea and Baltic – 9 May, 1814 (having left the Mercurius in the preceding Nov.), to the Woodlark 10, Capt. Wm. Cutfield, on the north coast of Spain, whence he returned sick in the following Sept. – and 19 April, 1828, for three years, to the Ordinary at Chatham. He has been in charge, since 2 Aug. 1836, of a station in the Coast Guard.
Lieut. Pollard married, in Aug. 1822, Miss Matilda Trevethan, a lady by whom he has issue six children.
POLLARD. (Lieutenant, 1843.)
Walter James Pollard is third son of the late Wm. Dutton Pollard, Esq., of Kintuck, Castle Pollard, co. Westmeath, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant, and High Sheriff for the co. in 1811, whose first wife, Frances, was third daughter of Gustavus Hume Rochfort, Esq., of Rochfort, M.P. for co. Westmeath; and whose second, Louisa Anne, was eldest daughter of the late Admiral Hon. Sir Thos. Pakenham, G.C.B.
This officer entered the Navy 21 Dec. 1830; passed his examination 7 April, 1837; and, between 1840 and the date of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 19 July, 1843, was employed as Mate on the African, Home, and North America and West India stations, in the Buzzard brigantine, Megaera steamer, and Griffon brigantine, Lieut.-Commanders Reginald Thos. John Levinge, Geo. Oldmixon, and Chas. Jenkin. his appointments have since been – 9 March, 1844, as Additional Lieutenant, to the Penelope steam-frigate, Capt. Wm. Jones, on the coast of Africa – 17 Aug. 1844, to the Larne 18, Capt. John Wm. Douglas Brisbane, on the same station – 16 April, 1845, to the Prometheus steam-sloop, of 200 horse-power, of which vessel, also stationed on the African coast, he became First-Lieutenant – 17 Nov. 1847, as Additional, to the Vindictive 50, bearing the flag of Sir Fras. Wm. Austen in North America and the West Indies – and 11 Feb. 1848, in a similar capacity, to the Havannah 19, Capt. John Elphinstone Erskine, fitting at Devonport. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
PONSONBY. (Lieutenant, 1827.)
Thomas Cabrique Ponsonby entered the Navy 1 Blarch, 1815; passed his examination in 1822; obtained his commission 30 April, 1827; and served in the Coast Guard from 9 Nov. 1831 until 1836. His appointments have since been – 10 Oct. 1840, to the Lucifer steamer, Capt. Fred. Wm. Beechey, on the coast of Ireland, where he was superseded in Feb. 1841 – 26 April, 1847, to the Poictiers 72, Capt. Sir Thos. Bourchier, lying at Chatham – and, 24 Nov. following, to the command of the Firefly steamer, of 220 horse-power, now on the coast of Africa. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
POOLE. (Lieutenant, 1825.)
Robert Poole entered the Navy 14 May, 1808; passed his examination in 1814; attained the rank of Lieutenant 10 Jan. 1825; served for three years (dating from 23 Nov. 1827) in the Coast Blockade as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Ramillies and Talavera 74’s, both commanded by Capt. Hugh Pigot; had charge of a station in the Coast Guard from 7 June, 1831, until Sept. 1847; and has since been in command of the Active and Eagle Revenue-vessels.
POOLEY. (Lieut., 1820. f-p., 19; h-p., 15.)
George Pooley entered the Navy, 1 May, 1813, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Albion 74, Capt. John Ferris Devonshire, with whom he continued to serve, as Midshipman, in the Sceptre 74, on the North American station until June, 1814. In the following Sept., after he had been for two months borne at Portsmouth as a Supernumerary on the books of the Prince 98, flag-ship of Sir Rich.
