A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Harding, Francis
HARDING. (Capt., 1841. f-p., 20; h-p., 15.)
Francis Harding, born 28 April, 1799, is fifth son of the late Wm. Harding, Esq., of Baraset House, Stratford-on-Avon, co. Warwick, a gentleman of the Privy Chamber to George III.; and brother-in-law of Capt. Geo. Baker, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 24 Jan. 1812, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Amazon 38, commanded in the Channel by his patron, the present Sir Wm. Parker. Removing, in a few weeks, to the Northumberland 74, Capt. Hon. Henry Hotham, he assisted, on 22 May in the same year, at the destruction, near L’Orient, of the 40-gun frigates L’Arienne and L’Andromaque, and 16-gun brig Mamelouck, whose united fire, conjointly with that of a heavy battery, killed 5 and wounded 28 of the British. On being afterwards ordered to the Mediterranean, in the Pembroke 74, Capt. Jas. Brisbane, he shared, 5 Nov. 1813, in a partial action, with the Toulon fleet, and, in the course of the next April, was present at the capture of a large convoy under the guns of Porto Maurizio, and also at the surrender of Genoa. Between Aug. 1814 and Aug. 1821, Mr. Harding (who passed his examination in 1818) was successively employed, as Midshipman and Mate, on the South American, Home, Newfoundland, and East India stations, in the Valiant 74, flag-ship of Sir Manley Dixon, Albion 74, Capts. Philip Somerville and Jas. Walker, Perseus 22, and Tamar 28, both commanded by Capt. Thos. Rich. Toker, Dauntless 26, Capt. Hon. Valentine Gardner, Liverpool 50,, Capt. Fras. Augustus Collier, and Leander 50, bearing the flag of Hon. Sir Henry Blackwood. He then became Acting-Lieutenant of the Topaze 46, Capts. Chas. Richardson and Price Blackwood, and in that vessel (being confirmed to her by commission dated on 30 of the following March) he continued to serve until Oct. 1822. His next appointment was, 7 April, 1824, to the Griper discovery-ship, Capt. Geo. Fras. Lyon, whom he accompanied in the same year in a disastrous attempt made to reach Repulse Bay, an enterprise, the harassing and distressing nature of which nearly ruined the constitutions of all those who were connected with it. He went on half-pay at the close of 1824, and remained thenceforward unemployed until 22 May, 1827, when he joined the Espoir 10, Capt. Henry Fras. Greville, and sailed for the Cape of Good Hope. In Nov. 1829 [errata 1] he assumed the acting command of the Hecla surveying-vessel, vacant by the death of Capt. Thos. Boteler, who, with the greater part of his crew, had been swept away by African fever. Immediately on his arrival home in the latter vessel, with such hands as had been left to navigate her, Capt. Harding was confirmed, 23 July, 1831, into the Jaseur 18, in which sloop he returned to the Cape. He was transferred, 16 Sept. following, to the Second-Captaincy of the Warspite 76, bearing .the flag in South America of Sir Thos. Baker, with whom he remained until paid off in March, 1833. He was lastly, from 21 Jan. 1837 until Aug. 1839, employed in command of the Pelorus 16, on the East India station; during which period we find his services eliciting the thanks of the Governor-General in Council, also of Sir Jas. Stirling, the Governor of Western Australia, and of Sir John Franklin, the Governor of Van Diemen’s Land. At the expiration of the above period, nine months whereof he had acted as Senior naval officer in the Australian colonies, Capt. Harding’s health obliged him to seek a temporary cessation from the active duties of his profession. He acquired his present rank 23 Nov. 1841.
Capt. Harding married, 23 Oct. 1833, Davidona Eleanor, daughter of Gen. Chas. Dallas, Governor of St. Helena, by whom he has issue one son and one daughter.