A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Harvey, Thomas
HARVEY. (Commander, 1840. f-p. 17; h-p., 8.)
Thomas Harvey, born in Dec. 1810, at Walmer, co. Kent, is eldest son of the late Vice-Admiral of the White Sir Thos. Harvey, K.C.B.,[1] by Sarah, youngest daughter of his grand-uncle Capt. John Harvey, R.N., who was mortally wonunded in command of the Brunswick 74, in the action of 1 June, 1794. He is grandson of the late Admiral Sir Henry Harvey, K.B.;[2] brother of Commander Henry Harvey, R.N.; nephew, maternally, of Capt. Edw. Harvey, R.N.; and first-cousin of Commander John Harvey, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 16 Dec. 1822, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Gloucester 74, bearing the broad pendant in the West Indies of Sir Edw. W. C. K. Owen. He continued to serve on that station, part of the time in the Tyne 28, and Helicon 10, Capts. John Walter Roberts and Wm. Robt. Dawkins, until Feb. 1824; and from the following May until Dec. 1825, he was employed as a student at the Royal Naval College. Re-embarking, then, as Midshipman, on board the Dryad 42, Capts. Hon. Robt. Rodney and Hon. Geo. Alfred Crofton, he proceeded, after cruizing for a period on the Channel and Irish stations, to the Mediterranean, where, and in South America, he further, until Dec. 1829, served on board the Isis 50, Commodore Sir Thos. Staines, Camelion 10, Capt. Christ. Wyvill, Philomel 10, Capt. Edw. Hawes, Seringapatam 46, Capt. Hon. Wm. Waldegrave, and Warspite 76, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Thos. Baker. On 24 of the month last-mentioned we find him promoted to a Lieutenancy in the Tribune 42, Capt. John Alex. Duntze, with whom he served, latterly in the North Sea, until paid off in Dec. 1831. He subsequently joined – 4 Dec. 1833, the Asia 84, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Parker, off Lisbon, whence he returned in June, 1834 – 28 July, 1835, the Russell 74, Capt. Sir Wm. Henry Dillon, employed on the latter station, and also in the Mediterranean, where, on one occasion, he took charge of the Ariadne from Malta to Alexandria, and on another was lent to the Portland 50, Capt. David Price – and, in the course of 1839, the Inconstant 36, and Winchester 50, as Flag-Lieutenant, in each ship to his father, on the North America and West India station. He was there promoted to the command, 6 Nov. 1840, of the Racer 16, in which sloop he remained until put out of commission in Oct. 1842. He has not been since afloat.
Commander Harvey married, 9 April, 1844, Christian Bargreve, eldest daughter of Wm. Bridger, Esq., of Eastry Court, co. Kent. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
- ↑ Sir Thomas Harvey served as Master’s Mate of the Ramillies 74, in Lord Howe’s action 1 June, 1794, and as Lieutenant of the Prince of Wales in Lord Bridport’s engagement 23 June, 1795. Immediately after the reduction of Trinidad, where he had commanded the Pelican sloop, he was advanced to Post-rank 27 March, 1797; subsequently to which he officiated as Captain of the Prince of Wales 98, Concorde, Lapwing, and Unité frigates, Standard 64, and Majestic, Sceptre, and Northumberland 74’s. He was present in the Prince of Wales at the attack on Puerto Rico in April, 1797; in the Lapwing in the expedition of 1799 against the Dutch colony of Surinam; in the Unité at the reduction of the Danish and Swedish islands in 1801; and in the Standard at the passage of the Dardanells in Feb. 1807. He was nominated a C.B. in 1815, a Colonel of Marines and a Rear-Admiral in 1821, a K.C.B. in 1833, and a Vice-Admiral in 1837. He died Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West India station 28 May, 1841, in his 66th year, and was buried at Bermuda.
- ↑ Sir Henry Harvey commanded the Ramillies 74, on the 1st of June, 1794; captured, in conjunction with Sir Ralph Abercromby, the Spanish island of Trinidad in Feb 1797; and died an Admiral of the White 28 Dec. 1810.