A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Poulden, Richard
POULDEN. (Rear-Admiral of the Red, 1840. f-p., 28; h-p., 41.)
Richard Poulden died 16 March, 1845.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 July, 1776, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Hector 74, Capt. Sir John Hamilton, on the Home station, where he continued employed as Midshipman in the Cambridge 74, Capt. Francis John Hartwell, and Diligente sloop, Capt. Anthony Hunt, until transferred, in Oct. 1780, to the Barfleur 90, fitting for the flag of Sir Sam. Hood, under whom, on arriving in the West Indies, he fought in a partial action with the Comte de Grasse 29 April, 1781. On 8 Jan. 1782 he was nominated, by the officer last mentioned, Acting-Lieutenant of the Alfred 74, Capts. Bain, Barber, and Thos. Dumaresq; to which ship the Admiralty confirmed him, 12 Feb. 1783. He returned to England in the following July, and was subsequently appointed, on the Home and Mediterranean stations – in March, 1788, to the Thorn sloop, Capts. W. Taylor and John Woodley – 27 Sept. 1791 and 11 Feb. 1793, to the Spitfire and Nemesis, both commanded by Capt. Woodley – in Sept. of the latter year, to the Alcide 74, successive flag-ship of Admirals Robt. Linzee and Philip Cosby, under the former of whom he co-operated in the reduction of Corsica – and 21 Jan. 1795, to the Irresistible 74, Capts. John Leigh Douglas and Rich. Grindall, part of Lord Bridport’s fleet in the action off the Ile de Groix. On that occasion, Capt. Grindall having been wounded, the charge of the ship devolved upon Mr. Poulden; whose promotion to the rank of Commander was in consequence effected by a commission bearing date 29 of flie same month, June, 1795. In the ensuing Oct. he was sent as Principal Agent for Transports to the river Elbe, for the purpose of embarking the foreign corps, with which he afterwards acoompadied Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian to the West Indies. Being next, in Nov. 1797, appointed to the Calcutta 24, Capt. Poulden was present in that ship, again in the capacity of Principal Transport Agent, at the reduction of the island of Minorca, where he remained, in charge of the dockyard at Port Mahon, until the arrival of Commissioner Coffin. Quitting the Calcutta in Aug. 1799, he assumed command, 12 March, 1801, of the Alkmaar 50; in which ship we find him, until Sept. 1802, employed on the Home, Baltic, and West India stations. Having attained Post rank 29 April in the latter year, he was afterwards appointed – 23 March, 1803, to the Superintendence of the Rendezvous for seamen at Whitby, in Yorkshire – 19 Sept. 1805, to the Sea Fencible service – and, 14 July, 1810, to the office of Principal Agent for Transports at Lisbon, where he remained until April, 1815. He became a Rear-Admiral on the Retired List 10 Jan. 1837; and on the Active 17 Aug. 1840.