A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Martin, Thomas
MARTIN. (Captain, 1826. f-p., 17; h-p., 31.)
Thomas Martin, born 11 Dec. 1787, is only surviving son of the late John Nickleson Martin, Esq., of WoUaton, co. Nottingham, a Captain in the Army, by Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Hutchinson, Esq., of Skirsgill, near Penrith, and of Crossfield House, near Kirkoswald, co. Cumberland. His grandfather, George Martin, Esq., was Surgeon of St. Thomas’s Hospital, London; and his maternal uncle, John Hutchinson, who died on board the Edgar 74, off Madras Roads, in 1783, was a Lieutenant in the Royal Marines. Capt. Martin is a descendant of Harold de Vaux, Lord de Vaux, who at a very early period crossed over from Normandy and settled in England.
This officer entered the Navy, in March, 1799, as Midshipman, on board the Superb 74, Capt. John Sutton, whom, after an intermediate servitude in the Channel and Mediterranean, he followed, in March, 1801, into the Ville de Paris 110, flag-ship of Hon. Wm. Cornwallis. In Dec. 1801, he removed to the Immortalité 36, commanded in the Channel by Capts. Hon. Henry Hotham and Edw. W. C. R. Owen; and in the summer of 1805 (having been latterly employed, still on the Home station, in the Mars 74, Capt. John Sutton, and, as Master’s Mate, in the Révolutionnaire 44, Capt. Hon. Henry Hotham) he was successively nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Hibernia 110, Capt. Wm. Bedford, and Audacious 74, Capts. John Lawford and Jas. Bissett. He was confirmed a Lieutenant 22 Jan. 1806, and was subsequently appointed Senior – 27 March, 1806, of the Penelope 36, Capts. Wm. Robt. Broughton and John Dick, stationed for some time on the coast of North America, as also in the West Indies, where he served on shore with a party of seamen at the capture of Fort Trinité, prior to the surrender of Martinique in Feb. 1809 – 3 Dec. 1810, of the Wolverene brig, Capt. Chas. Julius Kerr, attached to the force in the Channel – and, in 1811-12-13, of the Dragon 74, and Tribune 36, flag-ships of Sir Fras. Laforey, and Grampus 50, Capt. Fras. Augustus Collier, in the West Indies. He was promoted, 10 Aug. 1813, to the command of the Surinam sloop, in which vessel he returned home with convoy and was paid off in the following Oct.; and he was lastly, from 3 June, 1824, until Jan. 1827, employed on the Jamaica station in command of the Jaseur 18. His Post-commission bears date 2 Aug. 1826.
Capt. Martin married, 5 Aug. 1828, Ann, daughter of John Miles, Esq., of London; and by that lady has had issue five sons and two daughters. Agents – Case and Loudonsack.