A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Knocker, William
KNOCKER. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11; h-p., 30.)
William Knocker was born 18 Dec. 1794. He is brother of Lieut. John B. Knocker, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 23 Aug. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Glory 98, Capt. Wm. Albany Otway, employed in the Channel and off Cadiz; removed, in July, 1807, to the Niger 32, Capt. Jas. Hillyar, on the Mediterranean station; and in April, 1808, became Midshipman of the Barfleur 98, Capts. Donald M‘Leod and Sam. Hood Linzee. While in that ship we find him, after the convention of Cintra, escorting the Russian Rear-Admiral Seniavin’s squadron from Lisbon to England, then visiting Vigo, and, in Jan. 1809, assisting at the embarkation of Sir John Moore’s army after the battle of Corunna. In the course of the latter year, having joined the Thalia 36, Capt. Jas. Giles Vashon, Mr. Knocker made a voyage to Quebec, and accompanied, as Midshipman, the expedition to the Walcheren. He next, it appears, joined the Princess of Orange 74, commanded in the Downs by Capt. Fras. Beauman, and Tartar 32, Capt. Jos. Baker, on the Baltic station. On the occasion of the latter ship being wrecked, 18 Aug. 1811, it was Mr. Knocker’s fortune to be absent in a prize. He was afterwards, until Aug. 1815, employed in the Naiad 38, Capt. Philip Carteret, Impregnable 98, flag-ship of Admiral Wm. Young, Barrosa 36, Capt. Wm. Henry Shirreff, Amaranthe 18, Capt. Rich. Augustus Yates, and Astraea 36, Capt. Edw. Kittoe. He served, during that period, with Admiral Young, at the blockade of the Scheldt – was present with Capt. Shirreff in many active operations in the Chesapeake, and went with him to the West Indies, where, while on duty aloft, he met an accident from the effects of which he has never recovered – and was sent in the Astraea to France, during the war of 100 days, on a mission of peculiar delicacy and hazard. On the date above mentioned Mr. Knocker, who then took up a commission dated 8 March, 1815, received an appointment to the Heron 18, Capts. Timothy Scriven, Geo. Bentham, and Herbert Brace Powell, under the second of whom he fought at Algiers 27 Aug. 1816. He was superseded at his own request in Feb. 1817, for the purpose of recruiting his health, and has since been on half-pay.
From 1819 until 1832 Lieut. Knocker had command, on the Harwich station, of the Dover packet, under the direction of the Post-office. He has been in charge, since, of different private steamers.[1] He married, 10 Sept. 1821, Augusta Ann, daughter of Capt. Thos. Bridge, and by that lady, who died in 1839, has issue nine children.
- ↑ In one way or another, Lieut. Knocker, with the short exception of eighteen months in 1817-18, has been constantly afloat ever since he first went to sea in 1806.