A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Beckett, Flowers
BECKETT. (Lieut., 1805. f-p., 3; h-p., 21.)
Flowers Beckett entered the Navy, in Dec. 1795, as Midshipman, on board the Adventure, Capt. Wm. Gordon Rutherford, stationed in the West Indies, where he afterwards joined the Dictator 64, commanded by the same Captain, the Brunswick 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Rich. {{sc|Rodney Bligh, and, 11 Sept. 1798, as Acting-Master, the Trent 36, Capt. Robt. Waller Otway. In the course of 1800 he was successively transferred with the latter officer, as Master’s Mate, to the Royal George 100, and London 98, bearing each the flag of Sir Hyde Parker. After serving in the launch of the last-mentioned ship at the battle of Copenhagen, 2 April, 1801, and a further attachment with Capt. Otway to the Edgar 74, on the West India station, whence he came home at the peace of Amiens, Mr. Beckett joined, in March, 1803, the Spartiate 74, Capt. Sir Fras. Laforey, under whom he again visited the West Indies, and, on his return with Lord Nelson in pursuit of the combined fleets of France and Spain, fought at Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805. He was promoted, in consequence, to the rank of Lieutenant 24 Dee. following, and, after serving four years longer in the Spartiate, was subsequently appointed, – 6 Dec. 1809, to the Dreadnought 98, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Thos. Sotheby, in the Channel – 23 July, 1812, to the Bittern, sloop, Capt. Geo. Augustus Hire, employed at Plymouth and Liverpool – and, 2 Nov. 1812, to the Chatham 74, as Flag-Lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Matt. Henry Scott, in the North Sea. Lieut. Beckett, who was paid off 27 Oct. 1814, and was next employed, from April to Aug. 1815, in raising volunteers at Manchester, afterwards served in the Ordinary at Sheerness from 1821 to 1824, and from 25 April, 1834, until 1837. Since 17 Oct. 1839, he has been in command of the Semaphore station at Putney.