A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Parker, Henry Dickson
PARKER. (Retired Commander, 1836. f-p., 19; h-p., 34.)
Henry Dickson Parker was born in 1778. This officer entered the Navy, in Nov. 1794, as Midshipman, on board the Stately 64, Capt. Billy Douglas, and in the summer of the following year was present at the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope, where he served on shore with the second battalion of seamen under Capt. Temple Hardy. After co-operating in the capture of the island of Ceylon, and witnessing the surrender of the Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay, he became Master’s Mate, in Sept. 1796, of the Crescent 36, Capts. John Wm. Spranger and Chas. Brisbane, flag-ship for some time of Rear-Admiral Thos. Pringle at the Cape. In the following Dec. he was detached in command, as Acting-Lieutenant, of the Euphrosyne cutter, employed as a cartel, for the purpose of conveying some prisoners taken at Foul Point, Madagascar, to the Isle of France; where, for the want of hands to assist in navigating his vessel back to the Cape of Good Hope, he was retained until Oct. 1797. On the return of the Crescent to England in the summer of 1798, Mr. Parker was ordered to join the Kent 74, flag-ship of Lord Duncan; in the North Sea. During the expedition of 1799 to Holland we find him employed on shore with a party of seamen under Lieut. Chas. Richardson, and attached to the army of Sir Ralph Abercromby. After the surrender of Admiral Story’s squadron he returned to England in one of the Dutch 68’s. In Dec. 1800 he was received on board the Foudroyant 80, bearing the flag in the Mediterranean of Lord Keith; and, on 10 Feb. 1801, he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Pegasus 28, armée en flûte Capt. John Pengelley. While in that ship, of which, in Jan. 1802, he became Acting-First-Lieutenant, he was present at the landing of the troops in Aboukir Bay, 8 March, 1801, and during the subsequent operations in Egypt was employed in a Turkish gun-boat and on shore. Being confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant 11 April, 1803, he removed in that capacity, in the course of the following month, to the Triumph 74, Capt. Sir Robt. Barlow, with whom he cruized for 18 months off Toulon. From Dec. 1804 to May, 1805, Mr. Parker remained on half-pay in consequence of a severe liver complaint. He then joined the Elephant 74, Capt. Geo. Dundas, in the North Sea; and he was afterwards appointed, on the Home and Baltic stations – 21 May, 1806, to the Nassau 64, Capt. Robt. Campbell, part of the force employed in the attack upon Copenhagen – 6 Oct. 1807, to the Prince of Wales 98, bearing the flag of Admiral Jas. Gambier – 21 Jan. and 14 May, 1808, to the Hyperion 36, and Venerable 74, Capts. Thos. Chas. Brodie and Andrew King – 5 Feb. 1810 (after nine months of half-pay) to the Scipion 74, Capt. Chas. Philip Butler Bateman – and, 17 March and 27 Nov. following, as Senior-Lieutenant, to the Stately 64 and Tremendous 74, both commanded by Capt. Robt. Campbell. From June, 1811, to Nov. 1814, Mr. Parker had charge of a signal-station in the counties of Essex and Kent. He accepted his present rank 23 Jan. 1836. The Commander married, 4 May, 1839, Josephine Maria, eldest daughter of Capt. Rich. Lyle Hornbrook, R.M. (1833.) He had had a daughter by a former marriage.