A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Byron, George Anson
BYRON, Lord. (Captain, 1814. f-p., 15; h-p., 32.)
The Right Honourable George Anson, Lord Byron, born 8 March, 1789, is eldest son of Capt. Geo. Anson Byron, R.N., who died in 1793, by Charlotte Henrietta, daughter of Robt. Dallas, Esq., of Dallas Castle, Jamaica; grandson of Admiral Hon. John Byron, a Midshipman under Lord Anson in his voyage round the world, who died in 1786; first cousin of the immortal poet, whom he succeeded in the family honours and estates, 19 April, 1824; and cousin also of the late Rear-Admiral Rich. Byron, C.B., who commanded the Belvidera in her celebrated retreat from the American squadron under Coramodore Rodgers, and died in 1837.
This officer entered the Navy, in Dec. 1800, as a Volunteer, on board the Hindostan 50, Capts. Jas. Mulock and Sam. Mottley, stationed at the Cape of Good Hope; removed, as Midshipman, in March, 1801, to the Tremendous 74, Capt. John Osborn, with whom he sailed for the East Indies; and, from March, 1802, until the spring of 1807, was successively employed, on that station, in the Chiffonne 36, Capt. Henry Stuart, Centurion 50, Capt. John Spratt Rainier, Tremendous again, Capt. Osborn, and Culloden 74, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew. He then returned to England with convoy in the Concorde frigate; obtained his first commission 24 Aug. in the same year; and, in Feb. 1808, joined the Tartar 32, Capts. Geo. Edm. Byron Bettesworth and Joseph Baker. On 15 May ensuing, Lieut. Byron was present, off Bergen, when Capt. Bettesworth was killed and the Tartar severely cut up by the fire of a Norwegian armed schooner and five gun-boats. He was also, on various occasions, actively employed in the Tartar’s boats. We next find him serving from 8 Dec. 1808, until advanced to the rank of Commander, 1 Feb. 1812, in the Barfleur 98, flag-ship of Vice- Admiral Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley, on the Lisbon station. He was afterwards appointed, 24, Feb. and 6 Dec. 1813, to the Woodlark 10, and Penguin 18, on the Baltic and Channel stations; and, on 7 June, 1814, was promoted to Post-rank. Lord Byron’s last appointment afloat was, 5 June, 1824, to the command of the Blonde 42, in which frigate he conveyed from this country the remains of the late King and Queen of the Sandwich Islands.[1] While there he had the satisfaction of erecting a monument to the memory of the great circumnavigator, Cook, near the very spot where he lost his life. The Blonde returned home and was paid off 15 Dec. 1826.
Lord Byron, who is a Lord in Waiting on Her Majesty, married, 18 March, 1816, Elizabeth Mary, daughter of the late, and sister of the present, Sacheverel Chandos Pole, of Radborne, co. Dorset, by whom he has issue four sons and two daughters. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ For a full account of thia interesting mission we refer our reader to the ‘Voyage of H.M.S. Blonde to the Sandwich Islands in 1824 and 1825,’ published by Lord Byron in 1836.