A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Kingcome, John
KINGCOME. (Captain, 1838.)
John Kingcome entered the Navy, 28 May, 1808, as Sec.-cl. Vol., on board the Emerald 36, Capt. Fred. Lewis Maitland, with whom he continued to serve as Midshipman, on the Channel, Irish, and Cape of Good Hope stations, until Dec. 1813. He was in consequence present at the destruction of the French shipping in Aix Roads in April, 1809; and had an opportunity of witnessing the capture of a large number of the enemy’s vessels, armed and otherwise. On leaving the Emerald, as above, he was received on board the Tigre 74, Capt. John Halliday, stationed in the Channel, where he remained until again placed, in May, 1813, under the orders of Capt. Maitland, at that time commanding the Goliath 74, on the coast of North America. In July, 1814, he became Master’s Mate of the St. Lawrence, bearing the broad pendant on Lake Ontario of Sir Jas. Lucas Yeo, who nominated him, 9 March, 1815, Acting-Lieutenant of the Princess Charlotte, Capt. Rich. O’Connor – an appointment which the Admiralty confirmed by commission dated 1 July in the same year. In Oct. 1815, after having served for some time with Capt. Peter Sampson Hambly in the Star sloop, he obtained command of the Confiance schooner on Lake Huron; and from Oct. 1816 until July, 1817, he was again employed on Lake Ontario, in the Netley 10, Capt. Fras. Brace. His next appointment was, 29 July, 1822, to the Tees 26, Capts. Thos. Coe and Fred. Marryat, the former of whom, on becoming Senior officer in India, appointed him to the command, in 1824, of the Larne sloop; which vessel, he being at the time engaged in the Burmese war, and she at New South Wales, he was not able to join until 15 April, 1825. While in her, we find him conveying Lady Brisbane (wife of Commodore Sir Jas. Brisbane) and her two daughters from Madras to Pinang, and the Archdeacon Scott from Sydney to Van Diemen’s Land; and afterwards visiting New Zealand, Norfolk and Melville Islands, Batavia, and Singapore. Being superseded on his return to Madras in the following July, Lieut. Kingcome was next appointed to the Pandora sloop, Capt. Wm. Clarke Jervoise. From that vessel, he removed, in 1826, to the Warspite 76, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Jas. Brisbane. Attaining the rank of Commander 8 Jan. 1828, Capt. Kingcome served in that capacity in the Coast Guard from 24 Oct. 1835 until appointed, 18 June, 1837, to the Wellesley 74, bearing the flag of Sir F. L. Maitland on the East India station, whence he returned on attaining his present rank 28 June, 1838. On 23 Oct. 1841 it was his fortune to be appointed to the Belleisle troop-ship, in which he sailed for China, and arrived there in time to witness the closing operations on the Yang-tse-Kiang.[1] He paid the Belleisle off at the close of 1843, but since 24 March, 1846, has again had the command of her.
One of Capt. Kingcome’s children was drowned while serving with him as a Midshipman in Jan. 1847. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1842, p. 3404.