A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Peacocke, Richard
PEACOCKE. (Vice-Admiral of the Blue, 1841.)
Richard Peacocke died 24 April, 1846, at Aix-la-Chapelle, of disease of the heart.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 March, 1781, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Europa 50, Capt. John Thos. Duckworth, stationed in the Channel, where, in 1782, he followed the same Captain into the Salisbury 50. From 1783 to 1786 he served in the West Indies, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Camilla 20, Capt. Hutt; he next, in 1793, joined the Suffolk 74, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Peter Rainier in the East Indies; and on 22 Jan. 1796 he was confirmed a Lieutenant, after having acted for six months as such, in the Resistance 44, Capt. Edw. Pakenham. In that ship he co-operated in the reduction, in Aug. 1 795, of Malacca; and, as Senior-Lieutenant, in the capture, in March, 1796, of Amboyna and Banda. Invaliding home in the following Nov., he was appointed, 13 Oct. 1797, to the Leviathan 74, commanded by his old Captain, Duckworth; under whom, when in company with the Argo 44, he assisted, again as First-Lieutenant, at the capture, 6 Feb. 1799, of the Spanish frigate Santa Teresa, of 42 guns. Previously to that event he had been serving, for a few months in 1798, on board the Prince 98, flag-ship of Sir Roger Curtis off Cadiz. On leaving the Leviathan in 1799 he was appointed, for a short time, Acting-Captain of the Powerful 74. On 28 Jan. 1801, four months previously to which period he had rejoined the Leviathan, he was promoted to the command of the Gaiété sloop in the West Indies; where he was made Post, 4 June, 1801, into the Arab. He subsequently, in 1802-3, served in the Castor frigate, on the same station, and in 1806-7 in the Foudroyant 80 in the Channel. He became a Rear-Admiral on the Retired List 22 July, 1830; on the Active 17 Aug. 1840; and a Vice-Admiral 23 Nov. 1841.
He married, 27 Feb. 1821, Martha Louisa, fourth daughter of the late Geo. Dacre, Esq., of Marwell House, Hants. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.