A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Eden, Henry (a)
EDEN. (Captain, 1827. f-p., 20; h-p., 16.)
Henry Eden is fourth son of the late Thos. Eden, Esq., of Wimbledon, co. Surrey, Deputy-Auditor of Greenwich Hospital, by Mariana, daughter of Arthur Jones, Esq.; brother of John Eden, Esq., a Major in the Army, and of Arthur Eden, Esq., Assistant-Comptroller of the Exchequer; brother-in-law of Lord Brougham, and of the late Admiral Sir Graham Moore, G.C.B.; nephew of Sir Robt. Eden, Bart., who was Governor of the province of Maryland in 1776, as also of the late Lord Auckland; and cousin of Capt. Chas. Eden, R.N. This officer entered the Navy, 15 June, 1811, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Acasta 40, Capt. Alex. Robt. Kerr, with whom he cruized most actively on the Home and North American stations, latterly as Midshipman, until Aug. 1815. In Nov. following, after an intermediate attachment to the Namur 74, and Tonnant 80, flag-ships at the Nore and at Cork of Sir Chas. Rowley and Sir Benj. Hallowell, he joined the Alceste 38, Capt. Murray Maxwell, and soon afterwards sailed with Lord Amherst on an embassy to China – while on bis return from which country, in Feb. 1817, he suffered shipwreck in the Straits of Gaspar. Obtaining his first commission on 20 Oct. in the same year, Mr. Eden was next appointed – 22 June, 1818, to the Liffey 50, Capt. Hon. Henry Duncan, under whom he cruized for some time off Lisbon – and, 28 March, 1820, to the Rochfort 80, as Flag-Lieutenant to Sir Graham Moore, Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean. He there assumed the successive command, 23 Oct. 1821, and 19 July, 1822, of the Chanticleer and Martin sloops, and in both those vessels was very efficiently occupied during the revolution in Greece. On the paying off of the Martin, in Feb. 1825, Capt. Eden was presented with a handsome sword as a “tribute of respect” from his ship’s company. He attained Post-rank, while in command of the Herald yacht, 30 April, 1827, and subsequently joined, 17 Feb. 1832, the Conway 28, in which frigate, after being very actively employed in the North Sea during the interruption of our friendly relations with the Dutch, and also as senior officer in the Tagus under Sir Wm. Parker in 1832-3, he proceeded to South America, where he continued until his return to England, in Oct. 1835. We next find him officiating, in the Impregnable 104, and Caledonia 120, as Flag-Captain, from 30 April, 1839, until April, 1842, to Sir Graham Moore, then Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth. His last appointment afloat was, 7 May, 1844, to the Collingwood 80, fitting for the flag of Sir Geo. Eras. Seymour, from which ship, however, his health obliged him to invalid in the following Aug.
Capt. Eden has held the office of Private Secretary, since July, 1846, to his relative Lord Auckland, First Lord of the Admiralty. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.