A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hotham, George Frederick
HOTHAM. (Captain, 1828. f-p., 12; h-p., 25.)
The Honourable George Frederick Hotham, born 20 Oct. 1799, is son of the late Hon. Beaumont Hotham (eldest son of the second Lord Hotham, one of the Barons of the Court of Exchequer), by Philadelphia, daughter of Sir John Dixon Dyke, Bart. Capt. Hotham, who is only brother of the present Lord Hotham, is nephew of Vice-Admiral Hon. Sir Henry Hotham, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. (who died Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean in 1833, aged 56), and of Admiral Sir John Sutton, K.C.B.; and cousin both of the present Admiral Sir Wm. Hotham, G.C.B., and of Capt. Sir Chas. Hotham, K.C.B.
This officer entered the Navy, 16 Sept. 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Northumberland 74, commanded by his uncle Capt. Hon. Henry Hotham. On 22 May, 1812, when in company with the Growler gun-brig, we find him contributing to the gallant destruction, at the entrance of L’Orient, of the French 40-gun frigates L’Arienne and L’Andromaque, and 16 gun-brig Mameluck, whose united fire, conjointly with that of a destructive battery, killed 5 of the Northumberland’s people, and wounded 28. Becoming Midshipman, in Jan. 1813, of the Ramillies 74, Capts. Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy and Chas. Ogle, he sailed for the coast of North America, where he continued until the termination of hostilities, and, independently of the blockade of New London, participated in the operations against Moose Island, Baltimore, and New Orleans. After a brief re-employment under the orders of his uncle in the Superb 74, stationed off the coast of France for the interception of Napoleon Buonaparte, Mr. Hotham, in Oct. 1815, joined the Pactolus 38, Capts. Hon. Fred. Wm. Aylmer and Wm. Hugh Dobbie, the latter of whom he accompanied into the Severn 40. On next joining the Minden 74, Capt. Wm. Paterson, he assisted in that ship at the bombardment of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816, and then sailed for the East Indies, on which station he served until after his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, which took place 7 Dec. 1819. On 22 Oct. 1821, he obtained an appointment to the Euryalus 42, Capt. Augustus Wm. Jas. Clifford, fitting for the Mediterranean, whence he returned to England on his advancement to the rank of Commander 25 March, 1822. On 16 May, 1828, Capt. Hotham had the misfortune, when off the coast of Egypt, to lose the Parthian 10, a sloop of which he had been awarded the command 28 April,- 1827. He attained the rank he now holds 7 June, 1828, and has since been on half-pay.
Capt. Hotham married, 12 Aug. 1824, Lady Susan Maria O’Bryen, eldest daughter of William, second Marquess of Thomond, by whom he has issue.