A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Cavendish, George John
CAVENDISH. (Capt., 1830. f-p., 16; h-p., 21.)
The Honourable George John Cavendish is third son of Richard, second Baron Waterpark, by Juliana, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Thos. Cooper, Esq., of Cooper’s Hill and Mullimast Castle, co. Kildare; brother of the present Lord Waterpark, Colonel of the Derbyshire Militia, and of the Hon. Fred. Cavendish, a Captain in the Army; and brother-in-law of the Right. Rev. Thos. Musgrave, D.D., Lord Bishop of Hereford.
This officer entered the Navy, 23 June, 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Elizabeth 74, Capts. Hon. Henry Curzon, Thos. Searle, and Edw. Leveson Gower, employed on the Home station; became, 26 July, 1811 [errata 1], Midshipman of the Poictiers 74, Capt. Sir John Poo Beresford, with whom, on proceeding to North America, he assisted at the capture, among other vessels, of the ships-of-war Wasp and Frolic; joined next, in 1814 [errata 2], the Tonnant 80, Capt. Alex. Skene, Goliath a cut-down 74, Capt. Fred. Lewis Maitland, and Leander 60, Capt. Sir Geo. Ralph Collier, in which he aided in taking several American privateers; was afterwards transferred, in succession, to the Prince 98, and Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ships of Sir Edw. Thornbrough at Portsmouth, Jupiter 50, Capt. Henry Meynell, fitting out at Plymouth, and Newcastle 60, bearing the flag of Sir Pulteney Malcolm at St. Helena; passed his examination in 1816; came home, early in 1817, as Acting-Lieutenant of the Icarus 10, Capt. Thos. Barker Devon; and after a further attachment to the Ister 36, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Hamilton, and Carnation 18, Capt. Hon. John Gordon, at Newfoundland, was there promoted, 14 July, 1818, into the Egeria 24, Capt. Robt. Rowley. He was next appointed – 21 Nov. 1818, to the Tamar 26, Capt. Hon. John Gordon, on the latter station – and, 29 July, 1821, to the Tees 26, Capts. Thos. Coe and Fred. Marryat, in which he served during a part of the Burmese war. He attained the rank of Commander 7 Aug. 1826; became Second Captain, in the Winchester 52, to Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys, Commander-in-Chief in the West Indies, 3 Oct. 1829; was posted 25 Nov. 1830; then returned home a passenger in the Victor 18; and has not since been afloat.
Capt. Cavendish married, 14 Aug. 1838, Caroline, youngest sister of Chas. Prideaux Prune, Esq., of Prideaux Place, Cornwall, by whom he has issue three children.