A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Noble, George
NOBLE. (Lieutenant, 1815. f-p., 8; h-p., 33.)
George Noble was born 11 Oct. 1791, at Glasgow, and died in 1847.
This officer entered the Navy, 24 July, 1806, as Midshipman, on board the Franchise 36, Capt. Chas. Dashwood, in which ship he escorted home from Jamaica a convoy of 10 sail under circumstances of great difficulty, accompanied the expedition of 1807 against Copenhagen, returned with the trade in 1808 to the West Indies, and witnessed the capture, in Dec. of that year, of the town of Samana, St. Domingo, almost the last port of refuge on the station for the enemy’s privateers. After a further servitude in the West Indies on board the Polyphemus 64, Capt. Wm. Pryce Cumby, and Découverte 10, Capts. Joshua Ricketts Rowley and Jas. Oliver, he came home in May, 1811, in the Savage 16, Capt. Wm. Ferrie. With the exception of a short time passed in 1813 in the Kingfisher 18, Capt. Ewell Tritton, he was next, until 1814, employed on board the Milford 74, flag-ship of Sir Thos. Fras. Fremantle in the Adriatic, where he assisted in wresting several towns from the enemy. We may here allude to a very narrow escape from destruction experienced by Mr. Noble. On 10 Oct. 1813, while the Milford was lying at anchor a few miles below Trieste, a howitzer and several pieces of cannon were brought into a neighbouring wood, and a fire immediately opened upon her. At a moment when Mr. Noble was standing on the quarter-deck receiving instructions from the commanding officer, a 5½-inch shell struck the deck at his feet, tearing off one of his coat-pockets in its descent, and scattering its contents in all directions. The remains of a silver snuff-box, which happened to be in it, were subsequently found in the mainchains, and are still in his possession. After this freak, the shell rebounded and, without injuring a soul, burst over the poop, where were assembled upwards of a hundred of the officers, seamen, and marines. On 16 March, 1815, Mr. Noble, who had acted as Lieutenant both in the Kingfisher and Milford, was awarded a commission. He did not again go afloat.
He has left a widow and a large family.