A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Best, Thomas Fletcher
BEST. (Lieutenant, 1827. f-p., 34; h-p., 5.)
Thomas Fletcher Best entered the Navy, 14 Oct. 1808, as Third-cl. Boy, on board the Caledonia 120, Capt. Wm. Bedford, flag-ship of Lord Gambler, and, if we mistake not, was present at the destruction of the French shipping in Basque Roads, in April, 1809. In Oct. 1810, he became Midshipman of the Kite 16, Capt. Benj. Crispin, with whom, after intermediately serving in the North Sea and West Indies, he removed, in July, 1812, to the Swallow 18, and, in Dec. following, to the Scout 18, commanded afterwards by Capt. Murray, both on the Mediterranean station. He passed his examination 6 Sept. 1815; joined next, as Admiralty Midshipman, the Challenger 18, Capts. Hen. Forbes and Phil. Hen. Bridges, in the East Indies, and, as Master’s Mate, the Spencer 74, Capt. Wm. Robt. Broughton, guard-ship at Plymouth; was appointed, in April, 1817, to the Pigmy, Lieut.Commanders John Little and Wentworth Parsons Croke, from which vessel he jumped overboard 1 Nov. following, and happily saved the life of a boy who had fallen into the sea; and, from May, 1818, imtil Sept. 1821, served, as Chief Mate, in the Drake revenue cruizer, Lieut.-Commanders Alf. Matthews and Gould. Mr. Best’s next appointment was, in March, 1824, again as Senior Mate, to the Hardy, another revenue vessel, Lieut.-Commanders Macdonald and Roach, with whom he successively served until advanced to the rank of Lieutenant, 28 April, 1827. Since 24 March, 1829, with one interval, from 20 June, 1836, to 13 June, 1839, when he held command of the Fox cutter, employed likewise in the service of the revenue, Mr. Best has had charge of a station in the Coast Guard. On one occasion, while belonging to the Drake, he left Plymouth in an open boat, and, after lying four days off Isle Bas, succeeded in capturing a notorious smuggler.
He married, 15 Aug. 1822, Jane, daughter of Joseph Hicks, Esq., of Newquay, Lantegloss,Cornwall, and has issue three children.