A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Festing, Robert Worgan George
FESTING, C.B. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 16; h-p., 32.)
Robert Worgan George Festing is second son of Commander Henry Festing, R.N. (who died in 1807), by Mary, only daughter of the Rev. Thos. Morton Colson, of Dorchester, co. Dorset; brother of Commanders B. M. and C. Festing, and of Lieut. T. C. Festing, R.N.; and nephew of Vice-Admiral Sir Rich. Grindall, K.C.B., who bore a distinguished part, as Captain of the Irresistible 74, in Lord Bridport’s action, afterwards commanded the Prince 98, at Trafalgar, and died 23 May, 1820, aged 70 years. Capt. Festing’s eldest brother, Henry, a Captain in the Royal Artillery, now deceased, served throughout the Peninsular war and at Waterloo.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 Feb. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Ramillies 74, commanded in the Channel by his uncle, Capt. R. Grindall, whom he accompanied, as Midshipman, in Jan. 1801, into the Formidable 98. During the peace of Amiens he became successively attached, on the West India station, to the Saturn 74, flagship of Rear-Admiral Thos. Totty, Andromeda frigate, Capt. Chas. Feilding, and Excellent 74, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Robt. Stopford. He then rejoined his uncle on board the Prince 98, and, after being lent for three months to the Endymion 40, Capt. Hon. Chas. Paget, sailed for the East Indies in the Culloden 74, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew, by whom he was appointed Acting-Lieutenant, 20 March, 1805, of the Tremendous 74, Commodore John Osborn. Being confirmed by the Admiralty 14 Aug. 1806, and re-transferred to the Culloden, Mr. Festing, as Flag-Lieutenant of that ship, contributed to the capture and destruction, 27 Nov. following, of a Dutch frigate, seven brigs-of-war, and about 20 armed and other merchant-vessels, in Batavia roads, and to the further annihilation, 11 Dec. 1807, of the dockyard and stores at Griessee, in the island of Java, and of all the men-of-war remaining to Holland in the East Indies. On 14 Aug. 1808, he was promoted to the command of the Dasher sloop, in which he continued until appointed Acting-Captain, 1 April, 1811, of the Illustrious 74, Commodore Wm. Broughton. After the conquest of Java, where he was on shore with the army, and assisted Capt. Sayer in command of the batteries, at the surrender of Batavia,[1] Capt. Festing, who was officially posted, 9 Oct. 1811, assumed command of the Psyche 32, and returned to England, where he arrived aboat Aug. 1812. From 26 Sept. 1815, until 5 Aug. 1817, he next served on the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena stations in the Falmouth 20, and Racoon sloop. His last appointment was, 18 March, 1836, to the Cornwallis 74, from which ship he was superseded in the following June. He accepted Flag-rank 1 Oct. 1846. Rear-Admiral Festing was nominated a C.B. 20 July, 1838. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1811, p. 2404.