On the 19th Feb. 1809, Commander Thicknesse captured a French ship laden with wheat, and was conducting her to Guernsey when she suddenly went down head foremost, and all on board, except one man, perished. The persons lost on this occasion were Mr. William Hubbard, master of the Sheldrake; a midshipman, name unknown; nine British, and two French seamen.
Commander Thicknesse married, in 1806, the daughter of Angus Eraser, Esq. of the royal invalids, quartered in Plymouth citadel.
JOHN HENRY MARTIN, Esq.
[Commander.]
Was promoted to the command of the Xenophon armed ship, on the North Sea station, Feb. 17th, 1802; and removed to the Explosion bomb, in Jan. 1801. The latter vessel was attached to Nelson’s division at the battle of Copenhagen. Commander Martin died in 1823.
JAMES NASMYTH MARSHALL, Esq.
[Commander.]
Was made a lieutenant in Nov. 1790; promoted to the command of la Renommée 44, armed en flûte, Mar. 18th, 1800; subsequently appointed to the Lynx sloop; and granted the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital, Oct. 14th, 1824. He died in 1830, after a long protracted illness.
ROBERT WILLIAMS, Esq.
[Commander.]
A son of the late Lieutenant Richard Williams, R.N. and brother to the late Lieutenant-General Richard Williams, colonel-commandant of the Portsmouth division of royal marines, from April 1814 until July 1821.
This officer was born at Devonport, Feb 10th, 1764 ; and entered the navy as a youngster on board the Bienfaisant 64, Captain (afterwards Admiral) John Macbride, in 1774. He subsequently joined the Torbay 74, Captain the Hon. Henry
