A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hockings, Robert
HOCKINGS. (Captain, 1821. f-p., 19; h-p., 38.)
Robert Hockings, born 1 May, 1776, at Gibraltar, is eldest son of the late Thos. Hockings, Esq., a gentleman who held an appointment for nearly fifty years in the Civil department of the Ordnance at that place, and was severely wounded during its siege. He is nephew of Major Rich. Hockings, who died of yellow fever at Trinidad while commanding the Royal Engineers; brother of Lieut. Geo. Hockings, of the 10th Regt., who lost a leg in Egypt under Sir Ralph Abercromby, and ultimately died of fever at Gibraltar; and uncle of Robt. Hockings, Esq., First-Lieutenant R.M., of Hockings, Esq., of the 40th Regt., and of Thos. Hockings, Esq., Purser and Paymaster R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 26 Oct. 1790, as A.B. (under the auspices of H.R.H. the late Duke of Kent), on board the Ambuscade 32, Capt. Robt. Devereux Fancourt, stationed in the Mediterranean, where, until Feb. 1793, he further served, part of the time as Midshipman, in the Eurydice 24, Capt. Geo. Lunisdaine, Zebra 18, Capt. Wm. Brown, Pearl 32, Capt. Geo. Wm. Augustus Courtenay, Mutine cutter, Lieut.-Commander Henry West, and Romney 50, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Sam. Cranston Goodall. During the next four years he was employed in the Channel, and agun in the Mediterranean, on board the Lapwing 28, and Pallas 32, both commanded by Capt. Hon. Henry Curzon, under whom, in the latter frigate, he shared in Cornwallis’ celebrated retreat of 16 and 17 June, 1795. The Pallas having on one occasion captured a merchant-brig, Mr. Hockings wad sent with her as Prize-Master to Elba. While on his way thither, and when in the Piombino Passage, he was attacked by two large row-boats containing about 50 or 60 men, whom, however, he beat off after a conflict of an hour, although he had but 5 hands on board, and only 2 rusty 4-pounder guns. This achievement was considered so gallant that on reaching Porto Ferrajo, where lay the Blanche frigate, Capt. Hon. Henry Hotham, he was highly complimented by that officer, and recommended by him to Earl St. Vincent, the Commander-in-Chief, by whom he was received on board his flag-ship the Ville de Paris 110, and at once appointed, 29 April, 1797, First-Lieutenant of the Hamadryad 36, Capt. Thos. Elphinstone – an act which the Admiralty confirmed by a commission dated on 10 of the following June. Being wrecked on 25 Dec. in the same year during a violent gale in the Bay of Algiers, Mr. Hockings, who on the occurrence of the catastrophe was so seriously bruised that he still feels the efi’eots, became First of the Aurora 28, Capts. Henry Digby, Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, and Micajah Malbon. With those officers he served uninterruptedly on the Lisbon, Mediterranean, and Newfoundland stations until March, 1803; participating intermediately in the capture of many privateers, also in several cutting-out affairs (in one of which he was slightly wounded), in the destruction, too, of the French 20-gun ship Egalité, and in the land-operations at the reduction of Minorca. On 12 June, 1803, he was appointed Senior of the Phaeton 38, Capts. Geo. Cockburn and John Wood, and ordered to North America in escort of Mr. Merry, the British Minister Plenipotentiary. He then proceeded to the East Indies, and, while on a subsequent cruize in the China Seas, he shared in an action with the French frigate Sémillante, and in the capture of a ship of immense value on her annual passage from Manilla to Lima. In Jan. 1807 Mr. Bookings’ health compelled him to invalid, and he in consequence returned home, where, in May and Aug. 1808, he successively became Signal-Lieutenant to Lord Gambier in the Ville de Paris 110, and Caledonia 120. As a reward for his subsequent conduct in command of a fire-ship during the celebrated attack made by the gallant Cochrane on the enemy’s shipping in Basque Roads, he was presented with a second promotal commission dated 11 April, 1809 – previously to which period, as has been seen, he had been for nearly ten years First-Lieutenant of a frigate. Although not included in the list of the wounded on the last-mentioned occasion, Capt. Hockings was severely hurt by the explosion of his vessel. Not wishing to remain idle on shore, he obtained permission soon after his promotion to rejoin the Caledonia, then the flag-ship of his friend Sir Harry Neale, with whom he served as a volunteer until the close of 1810. From 25 May, 1811, until driven home by the effects of the yellow fever in Oct. 1812, we find him in command of the Dominica 14, in the Channel and West Indies, and on 11 Sept. in the latter year effecting the capture of the Providence American privateer schooner, of 4 guns (pierced for 12) and 60 men. Capt. Hockings’ next and last appointment was, 26 Dec. 1820, to the Medina 20, in which sloop he appears to have afforded protection to the European consuls and merchants at Smyrna during the fearful outrages which were there perpetrated by the populace in June, 1821. He was advanced to Post-rank on 19 of the following month; and on 1 Oct. 1846, awarded, at his own request, the half-pay of Retirement.
Capt. Hockings married, 13 March, 1821, Magdalena, eldest daughter of the late Gerard Montagu, Esq., formerly of Burlingham, co. Norfolk, grandniece of Admiral John Montagu, and a relative of the Duke of Manchester. By that lady he has issue two daughters. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.