A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Littlewort, Richard John Pike
LITTLEWORT. (Lieut., 1817. f-p., 20; h-p., 19.)
Richard John Pike Littlewort born 5 Nov. 1792, is son of Lieut. Rich. Littlewort, R.N. (1777), who was on board the Salisbury 50, in 1779, lost an eye in the service of his country, and died on full-pay in 1798.
This officer entered the Navy, 25 May, 1808, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Leviathan 74, commanded in the North Sea and Mediterranean by his friend and patron Capt. John Harvey; with whom, after having witnessed, as Midshipman, the destruction of the two French line-of-battle ships Robuste and Lion near Cape Cette, he removed in March, 1811, in the capacity of Master’s Mate, to the Royal Sovereign 100. On leaving the last-mentioned ship, which had been recently commanded by Capt. Wm. Bedford, Mr. Littlewort was successively employed between Aug. 1812 and Aug. 1815, part of the time as Acting-Master, in the Helena 18, Capt. Henry Montresor, Indus 74, Capt. Wm. Hall Gage, Cossack 22, Capts. Hon. Algernon Percy and Hon. Robt. Rodney, and Driver sloop, Capt. Hon. A. Percy – on the Cork, North Sea, Mediterranean, Halifax, and Portsmouth stations. He then joined the Antelope 50, bearing the flag in the West Indies of his former Commander, Rear-Admiral Harvey, who procured him a commission dated 1 Jan. 1817. He continued in the Antelope until paid off in April, 1819; and since 12 March, 1838, has been in command of a station in the Coast Guard.
Previously to the receipt of his present appointment Lieut. Littlewort (who is Senior of 1817) was for a long time employed in the Merchant service, in which, we understand, he endured the heaviest misfortunes. His eldest and only surviving son was drowned in his arms when wrecked off the coast of Portugal in 1831. He has one daughter now living. He had married in May, 1823. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.