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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pritchard, John White

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1887212A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Pritchard, John WhiteWilliam Richard O'Byrne

PRITCHARD. (Commander, 1828. f-p., 16;[1] h-p., 31.)

John White Pritchard is brother of Capt. Sam. Perkins Pritchard, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 9 Dec. 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Gladiator, Lieut.-Commander John Bell Connolly, lying at Portsmouth. In March, 1801, he became Midshipman of the Prince George 98, flag-ship in the Channel of Sir Chas. Cotton, with whom he continued until April, 1802. On the renewal of hostilities in 1803, he was received in succession on board the Russel 74, Capt. Thos. Williams, Prince of Wales 98, Capt. John Giffard, and Britannia 100, Captain, afterwards Rear-Admiral, the Earl of Northesk, under whom he officiated as Aide-de-Camp at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805. In May, 1806, he removed to the Captain 74, Capt. Wm. Grenville Lobb, at Portsmouth; and he next, in June of the same year and Nov. 1807, joined the Boadicea 38, Capt. John Maitland, and Saturn 74, Capt. Lord Amelius Beauclerk. In the Boadicea he was at first employed on the Cork station, and subsequently in affording protection to the whale-fishery in the neighbourhood of Greenland. After serving for two months as Acting-Lieutenant in the Glory 98, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Wm. Albany Otway, and Éclair sloop, Capt. Chas. Kempthome Quash, for a shorter time as Midshipman in the Hibernia 110, bearing the flag of Sir Chas. Cotton, and again for upwards of five months as Acting-Lieutenant in the Plantagenet 74, Capt. Wm. Bradley, on the Home, Lisbon, and Baltic stations, he was confirmed to that rank, 22 Sept. 1808, in the ship last mentioned, then commanded by Capt. Thos. Eyles. He left her in Jan. 1810, and was subsequently appointed – 5 June in the same year, to the Derwent 18, Capt. Geo. Manners Sutton, with whom he served in the Channel and off Guernsey until Oct. 1812 – 14 May, 1813, to the Akbar 50, Capt. Sir Arch. Collingwood Dickson, on the Brazilian station, whence he returned in Sept. 1814 – 9 March, 1818, to the Transport service, as an Agent afloat – and, 30 April, 1827, as Senior, to the Britannia 120, bearing the flag of the Earl of Northesk at Plymouth. He was advanced to his present rank 24 Jan. 1828; and was lastly, from 30 March, 1835, until 1838, employed as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard.

Commander Pritchard married, 9 July, 1810, Miss J. M. Appleby, of Soberton; a lady by whom he has issue.


  1. Exclusively of the time he was employed in the Transport Service.