A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gardner, James Anthony
GARDNER. (Retired Commander, 1832. f-p., 27; h-p., 38.)
James Anthony Gardner died 24 Sept. 1846, in his 76th year. He was son of Capt. Fras. Geary Gardner, R.N., who died at St. Lucie in Sept. 1780; brother of the late Capt. Gardner, R.M.; and cousin of Sir Fras. Geary Gardner Lee, who died Senior Lieutenant-Colonel R.M.
This officer entered the Navy, in May, 1782, as Ordinary, on board the Panther 60, Capts. Thos. Piercy and Robt. Swinnerton; in which ship he assisted in saving a portion of the crew of the Royal George, and took part, after the relief of Gibraltar, in Lord Howe’s action with the combined fleets of France and Spain, 20 Oct. 1782. During the ensuing peace he served, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, on the Newfoundland and Home stations, of the Salisbury 50, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral John Campbell, Orestes 18, Capt. Manley Dixon, Edgar 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Hon. John Leveson Gower and John Peyton, Barfleur 98, bearing the successive flags of Admirals Roddam, Hon. Sam. Barrington, Sir John Jervis, Elliot, and Jonathan Faulknor, and Queen 98, Capt. John Hutt. After a further attachment of nearly two years, chiefly in the Mediterranean, to the Berwick 74, Capts. Sir John Collins, Wm. Shield, Geo. Campbell, and Geo. Henry Towry, Gorgon 44, Capt. Jas. Wallis, and Victory 100, Capt. John Knight, he was promoted to a Lieutenancy, 12 Jan. 1795, in the Hind 28, Capts. Rich. Lee and John Bazely, in which vessel he visited North America, and then proceeded to the Irish station, whence, in Jan. 1797, he was sent into Plymouth in charge of La Favorite privateer, of 8 guns and 60 men.[1] His next appointments were – 8 March, 1798, to the Blonde 32, Capt. Daniel Dobree, under whom he assisted in conveying troops to Holland during the expedition against Holland in Aug. 1799 – 13 April, 1801, to the Brunswick 74, Capt. Geo. Hopewell Stephens, in which ship he returned home from the West Indies, and was paid off, in July, 1802 – and, 29 Jan. 1806, to the command of the Signal-station at Fairlight in Sussex, where he continued until 7 Dec. 1814. Having been on half-pay since that period, he at length accepted rank as a Retired Commander on the Junior List, 26 Nov. 1830. His promotion to the Senior List took place 31 July, 1832.
Commander Gardner married, first, 11 Dec. 1798, the daughter of Wm. Pugh, Esq., of the city of London; and, secondly, in 1834, Ellen Mary, only daughter of S. Johnson, Esq., of Marlborough-place, Kent-road. By his former marriage he has left issue six children. Agents – Case and Loudonsack.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1797, p. 52.