A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Croft, William
CROFT. (Rear-Admiral of the White, 1841. f-p., 12; h-p., 40.)
William Croft, born in April, 1782, is second son of the late Stephen Croft, Esq., of Stillington Hall, co. York; and brother of Col. Harry Croft, now of Stillington, a magistrate and deputy-lieutenant for that county.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Sept. 1795, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Amazon 36, Capt. Robt. Carthew Reynolds. In April, 1796, he assisted, in company with the Indefatigable 46, Capt. Sir Edw. Pellew, at the capture of L’Unité, of 38, and La Virginie, of 44 guns; and, on 14 Jan. 1797, he was wrecked and taken prisoner, near Isle Bas, at the close of a gallant action of 10 hours with Les Droits de l’Homme 74, on which occasion the Amazon, whose consort in the engagement had again been the Indefatigable, sustained a loss of 3 men killed and 15 wounded. On being released Mr. Croft, in 1797, joined, as Midshipman, the Centaur 74, Capt. John Markham, under whom he took part in the reduction of Minorca, in Nov. 1798. Becoming subsequently attached to the Foudroyant 80, bearing the flag of Lord Keith, he attended the expedition of 1801 to Egypt, where he served on shore with the naval brigade, and was present at the capitulation of Alexandria. He was confirmed, 22 Dec. in the same year, to a Lieutenantcy in the Success 32, Capt. Geo. Burlton; and being paid off at the peace, was next successively appointed, in the course of 1803, to the Revolutionnaire 44, Capt. Walter Lock, Camel store-ship, Capt. John Ayscough, and Hercule 74, flagship of Sir John Thos. Duckworth. After witnessing the unfortunate attack on Curaçoa he was promoted to the command of the Vigilante sloop, 8 May, 1804. Invaliding, however, in the following August, he did not again go afloat until appointed, 4 Feb. 1807, to the Alacrity 18. For his services during the subsequent operations against Copenhagen, Capt. Croft was elevated to Post-rank, by commission dated 13 Oct. 1807. From Aug. 1810, until Dec. 1813, he further officiated as regulating officer at Hull. Unable to procure employment, he has since been on half-pay. His advancement to Flag-rank took place 23 Nov. 1841.
Rear-Admiral Croft is Treasurer of the North Riding of Yorkshire. He married, in March, 1805, Harriet, eldest daughter of the late Hall Plumer, Esq., of Hockton Hall, co. York, and niece of Sir Thos. Plumer, Master of the Rolls, by whom he has issue ten children. His third son, Henry, is a Lieutenant R.N.; and his youngest daughter, Marianne, the wife of Capt. Geo. Joseph Huband, late of the 8th Hussars.