A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gibbons, William
GIBBONS. (Retired Commander, 1836. f-p., 16; h-p., 42.)
William Gibbons is second son of the late Sir Wm. Gibbons, Bart., LL.D., by Rebecca, eldest daughter of Vice-Admiral Chas. Watson (who died Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies, 15 July, 1757); brother of Capt. Geo. Gibbons, who fell at Albuera, 16 May, 1811; grand-uncle of Sir John Gibbons, Bart., of Stanwell Place, co. Middlesex; and first-cousin of Sir Chas. Wager Watson, Bart., of Falmer, co. Bucks.
This officer entered the Navy, in 1789, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Pegasus 28, Capt. Herbert Sawyer, off Newfoundland, and during the six following years served as Midshipman, chiefly on the Home station, in the Porcupine, Capt. Geo. Martin, Spitfire, Capts. Geo. Woodley and Philip Chas. Durham, Magicienne, Capt. G. Martin, Hind, Capt. P. C. Durham, Santa Margarita, Capt. Elias Harvey, and Victory, flag-ship of Lord Hood. Attaining the rank of Lieutenant 9 Feb. 1796, he became attached in succession to the Jason, Capt. Chas. Stirling, and Diana, Capt. Jonathan Faulkner, and commanded at intervals between the years 1799 and 1803, the Queen, Drake, and Joseph cutters, in the latter of which he took, 8 Sept. 1803, L’Espoir privateer, of 6 guns and 52 men. His last employment was as Commander, from March, 1808, to Oct. 1811, of the Alphea schooner, in the English Channel. He became a Retired Commander on the junior list 5 April, 1831; and on the senior 23 Nov. 1836.