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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lyons, John

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1813845A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Lyons, JohnWilliam Richard O'Byrne

LYONS. (Captain, 1830. f-p., 17; h-p., 32.)

John Lyons is brother of Capt. Sir Edm. Lyons, Bart., G.C.B., K.C.H.

This officer entered the Navy, 20 Sept. 1798, as Midshipman, on board the St. George 98, Capts. John Holloway, Sampson Edwards, Henry Nichols, and Wm. Grenville Lobb; in which ship, bearing the flag for some time of Admirals Lord Nelson and Chas. Morice Pole, he bore a part (previously to visiting the Mediterranean) in the action off Copenhagen 2 April, 1801. He served during the peace of Amiens, on the West India and Home stations, in the Edgar 74, Capt. Robt. Waller Otway, Childers sloop, Capt. Delafons, and Africaine 38, Capt. Thos. Manby; and on the renewal of hostilities in 1803 he joined the Magnificent 74, Capt. Wm. Henry Jervis, under whom, while attached to the in-shore squadron off Brest, he was wrecked, on the Black Rocks, in March, 1804. Being received, in the following Sept. (after three months’ servitude with Capt. Jervis on board the Tonnant 80), into the Victory 100, flag-ship of Lord Nelson, he was afforded an opportunity, 21 Oct. 1805, of sharing in the glories of Trafalgar. He was in consequence promoted, while with Lord Collingwood in the Queen 98, to the rank of Lieutenant, 24 Dec. in the same year; and he was afterwards appointed – 17 Feb. 1806, to the Eagle 74, Capt. Chas. Rowley, in which ship, we understand, he witnessed the reduction of the island of Capri – 18 Aug. 1806, to the Queen 98, Capt. Fras. Pender, stationed off Cadiz – 18 June, 1807, to the Montagu 74, Capts. Robt. Waller Otway and Rich. Hussey Moubray, again on the Mediterranean station, where he assisted at the evacuation of Scylla in the winter of 1807, and commanded a detachment of seamen at the reduction of Santa Maura in April, 1810[1] – 23 Feb. and 1 Sept. 1811, to the Repulse 74, Capt. R. H. Moubray, and Bombay 74, Capts. Wm. Cuming and Norborne Thompson, principally employed off Toulon – 21 May, 1813, after six months of half-pay, to the Anacreon sloop, Capt. John Davis, which vessel, attached to the force on the Plymouth station, his health obliged him to leave in the ensuing Aug. – and, 29 Jan. 1814, to the Ville de Paris 110, bearing the flag in the Channel of Sir Harry Burrard Neale. He attained the rank of Commander 27 June in the latter year; and from 26 Aug. 1828 until posted, 22 July, 1830, was employed in that capacity at the Cape of Good Hope on board the Jaseur 18. He has since been on half-pay.

Capt. Lyons, we believe, has been for some time employed by the Government in Egypt. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1810, p. 1136.