A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hole, Lewis
HOLE. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 17; h-p., 37.)
Lewis Hole, born 16 Jan. 1779, at Strodeley, in Devonshire, is son of the late Rev. W. Hole, of Kuscott Hill, Surrogate of Barnstaple, by a lady descended from Sir John Berry, Knt., who was a Captain in the R.N. in 1665 He is brother of Capt. Henry Hole, R.N. (1812), who died in 1838; and of Commander Chas. Hole, R.N. (1812), a very excellent officer, who died 8 Sept. 1844, in his 64th year. One of his nephews, Wm. Hole, is a Lieutenant R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, at the commencement of 1793, as A.B., on board the Sampson 64, Capt. Geo. Montagu; and was soon afterwards ordered to Quebec in the Severn 44, Capt. Paul Minchin. Being next, on his return, appointed Midshipman of the Belliqueux 64, Capt. Jas. Brine, he assisted in that ship at the capture of Port-au-Prince, 4 June, 1794; after which event, and until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 6 July, 1798, he served on the Home station in the Sandwich, Capt. Moss, Camilla 20, Capts. Dacres, Rotheram, and Poyntz, Astraea frigate, Capt. R. Dacres, and Kent 74, Capt. Wm. Johnstone Hope. He was then employed for two years on board the Explosion bomb, in the Channel; and at the expiration of that time he joined the Ramillies 74, Capts. Rich. Grindall, John Wm. Taylor Dixon, Sam. Osborn, and Henry Nicholls, bearing the flag for some time of Sir Chas. Morice Pole. Continuing in the latter ship until 1802, he accompanied the expedition sent in 1801 to act against the Northern Confederacy. Previously to the attack made upon the Danish line of defence before Copenhagen, he had the fortune to be placed in command of a dvision of boats attached to Lord Nelson’s squadron; and on the memorable 2 April he served as a volunteer on board the Polyphemus 64. Mr. Hole’s next appointments were, 9 March, 1804, and 18 April, 1805, to the Trusty, 50, and Revenge 74, Capts. Geo. Argles and Robt. Moorsom. In the former ship he cruized off Boulogne; and in the Revenge he was fiercely engaged, as First-Lieutenant, at Trafalgar; for his conduct on which occasion he was promoted to the rank of Commander 24 Dec. 1805. The ships he last joined were – 2 Dec. 1807, the Hindostan 50, lying at Plymouth – 10 March, 1 808, the Egeria, in which sloop he served on the Channel and Leith stations until Aug. 1812 – and 21 April, 1813, the Bacchus 16, on the coast of Ireland. While in the Egeria, he captured the Naesois privateer, of 10 guns and 26 men, the Aalborg cutter, of 6 guns and 25 men, and the Alvor privateer, of 14 guns and 38 men. He became a Post-Captain 4 Dec. 1813; left the Bacchus in the following Feb.; and assumed his present rank 1 Oct. 1846.
Rear-Admiral Hole married a daughter of the late Wm. Finch, Esq., Barrister-at-Law, and Master of the Grocers Company, by whom he has issue.