A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Harris, Edward Alfred John
HARRIS, M.P. (Captain,. 1841. f-p., 13; h-p., 13.)
The Honourable Edward Alfred John Harris, born 20 May, 1808, in London, is second son of Jas. Edw., second Earl of Malmesbury, by Harriet Susan, daughter of Fras. Bateman Dashwood, Esq., of Well Vale, co. Lincoln. He is brother and heir-presumptive to the present Earl of Malmesbury; and brother of the Hon, and Rev. Chas. Amyand Harris, Prebendary of Salisbury.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College 6 Sept. 1821; and embarked, in March, 1823; as Midshipman, on board the Isis 50, Capt. Gordon Thos. Falcon, fitting for the flag of Sir Geo. Eyre, Commander-in-Chief in South America; where, until 1827, he further served with the Admiral in the Spartiate 76, and with Capts. John Macpherson Ferguson and Henry Prescott in the Mersey 26, and Aurora 46. In the course of the latter year, in the June of which he passed a distinguished examination, Mr. Harris cruised experimentally in the Pyramus 42 and Galatea 46, Capts. Geo. Rose Sartorius .and Sir Chas. Sullivan. He then rejoined the Isis, commanded at the time by Capt. Sir Thos. Staines, and, after attending an expedition against the pirates of Grabusa in the Grecian Archipelago, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 28 Feb. 1828, Between that period and the attainment of the next step in his profession 21 Nov. 1833, Mr. Harris was successively employed, on the Mediterranean, Home, and Lisbon stations, in the Ocean 80; as Flag-Lieutenant to Sir Edw. Codrington, in the Asia 84; for some time as First-Lieutenant in the Pelican 18, Capts. Wm. Alex. Baillie Hamilton and Geo. Hutchison; and in the Stag 46, Capt. Nich. Lockyer. His last appointment was to the command, 29 April, 1839, of the Racehorse 18, in which sloop he served in North America and the West Indies until March, 1841. He was advanced to the rank he now, holds on 23 Nov. in the latter year.
Capt. Harris has been in Parliament,, since 1844; as member for Christchurch. He married, 4 Aug. 1841, Emma Wylly, youngest daughter of the late Capt. Sam. Chambers, R.N., by whom he has issue two sons.