A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Probyn, Henry (a)
PROBYN. (Retired Captain, 1840. f-p., 15;[1] h-p., 51.)
Henry Probyn died, 31 Jan. 1845, at Instow, co. Devon.
This officer entered the Navy, 21 April, 1779, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Firebrand, Capt. Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley, under whom he continued employed in the Fairy sloop, Vestal 28, Recovery 32, and Pégase, until 1783 – the latter part of the time in the capacity of Midshipman. In the Fairy he assisted at the capture, on the Newfoundland station, of nine privateers, her equals in force; in the Vestal he was present, in 1781, at the relief of Gibraltar, and at the destruction of two gun-boats under the fortress of Ceuta; and in the Recovery he took part in Admiral Harrington’s action with the French fleet, 20 April, 1782. From 1783 until Aug. 1785 he served on the coast of Africa and in the West Indies on board the Grampus 50, Commodore Thompson, and Rattler, Capt. Collingwood. He next, in the course of 1788, joined the Aquilon 32, Capt. Robt. Montagu, and Trusty 50. Of the latter ship, which bore at first the broad pendant of Commodore Cosby at Gibraltar, and subsequently the flag of Sir John Laforey in the West Indies, he was created a Lieutenant 2 Feb. 1789. He left her in July, 1793, and was afterwards appointed – 15 Oct. in the same year, to the Squirrel 20, Capt. Israel Pellew, with whom he served in the Channel and Baltic until compelled by ill-health to invalid in June, 1794 – 11 Feb. 1795, to the Venus 32, Capt. Lawrence Wm. Halsted, employed in the Downs and North Sea – 5 July following, after three months of half-pay, to the Majestic 74, flag-ship of Sir John Laforey in the West Indies – and 8 Dec. 1795, to the acting-command, on that station, of the Woolwich 44. He returned to England in May, 1796; and on 18 Aug. ensuing was officially promoted to the rank of Commander. At the renewal of hostilities in 1803, he obtained an appointment in the Sea Fencibles; and from Feb. 1805 to April, 1806, and from Sept. 1808 to May, 1809, he commanded the Bonetta and Blossom ship-sloops, on the Home, Baltic, and African stations. He accepted the rank of Captain on the Retired List 10 Sept. 1840.
- ↑ Apart from the period of his servitude in the Sea Fencibles.