A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Malden, Charles Robert
MALDEN. (Lieut., 1818. f-p., 14; h-p., 24.)
Charles Robert Malden was born, 9 Aug. 1797, at Putney, co. Surrey. His father, a medical man and general practitioner of repute, resided at Malden, in Essex, a place from which his family, who had been seated there for many generations, derives its name.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 June, 1809, as a Supernumerary, on board the Diligence Navy transport, Master-Commander Alex. Black, in order to await an opportunity of joining the Acasta 40, Capt. Philip Beaver, from which latter vessel he eventually, in Oct. of the same year, removed to the Scipion 74, bearing the flag in the Bay of Biscay of Rear-Admiral Hon. Robt. Stopford. Being again, in June, 1810, placed under the orders of Capt. Beaver in the Nisus 38, and awarded the rating of Midshipman, he sailed for the Cape of Good Hope and the East Indies, and assisted, while on those stations, at the reduction of the Mauritius and the island of Java. Soon after the commencement of the war with the United States, he was sent home in a captured American Indiaman. On the Nisus being paid off in May, 1814,[1] Mr. Malden (he had only rejoined her a short time previously, having been intermediately employed on board the Prince 98, guard-ship at Spithead) became attached to the Traave 38, armée en flûte, Capts. Rowland Money and John Codd. In the following Sept. we find him serving on shore as Aide-de-Camp to Capt. Money in the attack upon Baltimore; and in Dec. of the same year accompanying the expedition against New Orleans, where he suffered much from exposure in open boats, and was for three weeks deprived by the frost of the use of his feet – an infliction of which he still feels the effects. We may add that during a portion of the operations he again officiated as Aide-de-Camp to Capt. Money. Quitting the Traave in Aug. 1816, Mr. Malden (who about that period passed his examination) next, in March, 1817, joined the Tagus 38, Capt. Jas. Whitley Deans Dundas, on the Mediterranean station, where the favourable report made by that officer to the Admiralty of his proficiency in the science of surveying led to his being confirmed a Lieutenant (after he had acted for a few weeks as such on board the Albion 74, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Vinicombe Penrose) in the Aid surveying-vessel, Capt. Wm. Henry Smyth, 1 Sept. 1818. He continued under the latter officer until Jan. 1821, and was lastly appointed – 14 Sept. 1823, to the Shamrock, another surveying-vessel, commanded in the Channel and on the coast of Ireland by Capt. Martin White – and in the summer of 1824 (in the capacity of Supernumerary-Lieutenant and Head-Surveyor), to the Blonde 42, Capt. Lord Byron, fitting for the Pacific, whither he escorted the remains of the late King and Queen of the Sandwich Islands. During the voyage an island was discovered in lat. 4° 0' S., long. 155° 0' W., to which Lord Byron gave the name of Malden, in compliment to the subject of the present memoir; who, pending his sojourn among the Sandwich Islands, surveyed the south coast and harbour of Honorura, and also an important harbour in the island of Ha-wai-i (or Owhyhee) capable of containing five or six sail-of-the-line in perfect security, which had entirely escaped the observation both of Cook and Vancouver, and to which he affixed the name of Byron’s Bay. He was discharged on the return of the Blonde to England in the spring of 1826.
Lieut. Malden is the present proprietor and conductorof a respectable educational establishment in Montpellier Eoad, Brighton. He married, 8 April, 1828, Frances, eldest daughter of the Rev. Wm. Hodgson Cole, Rector of West Clandon, and Vicar of Wonersh, near Guildford, Surrey, by whom he has issue seven sons and one daughter.
- ↑ She was at the time commanded by Capt. Chas. Marsh Schomberg.