A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Bird, Edward Joseph
BIRD. (Captain, 1843. f-p., 22; h-p., 13.)
Edward Joseph Bird entered the Navy, 9 Sept. 1812, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Boyne 98, Capt. Chas. Jones, bearing the flag off Brest of Rear-Admiral Sir Harry Neale, with whom he afterwards served as Midshipman in the Ville-de-Paris 110. He next, in Aug. 1814, joined the Queen 74, flagship of Rear-Admiral Charles Vinicombe Penrose, in the Mediterranean, where, during a subsequent attachment, from Dec. 1815 until May, 1819, to the Albion 74, Capt. John Coode, he assisted, 27 Aug. 1816, at the bombardment of Algiers, and, on 5 Oct. 1818, passed his examination. On 28 Feb. 1821, Mr. Bird was transferred from the Ramillies 74, Capt. Aiskew Paffard Hollis, lying at Portsmouth, to a Mateship in the Hecla bomb, Capt. Geo. Fras. Lyon, under whom he continued to be employed nntil Nov. 1823; after which he served, from Jan. 1824, until Nov. 1825, in the Fury bomb, Capt. Henry Parkyns Hoppner, and, from 1826 until Nov. 1827, again in the Hecla, Capt. Wm. Edw. Parry. During the three epochs just alluded to, Mr. Bird (who appears to have been attached throughout the summer of 1826 to the Ganges 84, Capt. Sam. Hood Inglefield, lying in Portsmouth Harbour) accompanied Capt. Parry in his expeditions to the Arctic Seas, and, on the last occasion, was with him in the boats in his attempt to reach the Pole. He was in consequence, on his return to England, advanced to the rank of Lieutenant, by commission dated 7 Nov. 1827; and was afterwards appointed, 14 May, 1831, to the Galatea 36, Capt. Sir Chas. Napier, employed on the Home station and off the Western Islands – 16 Oct. 1833, to the Thunderer 84, Capt. Wm. Furlong Wise, lying at Sheerness – 13 Feb. 1834, as First, to the Medea steam-vessel, Capt. Horatio Thos. Austin, stationed in the Mediterranean, where he remained for nearly two years and a half – and, 9 April, 1839, in a similar capacity, to the Erebus bomb, Capt. Jas. Clark Ross, whom he attended in all the dangers and hardships of the Antarctic expedition, until its return home in Sept. 1843. During his absence he had been awarded a Commander's commission, dated 16 Aug. 1841; and on his arrival home he was immediately, 4 Oct. 1843, advanced to Post-rank. He is at present on halfpay. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.