A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Radford, William
RADFORD. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11; h-p., 33.)
William Radford was born 9 Nov. 1780. This officer entered the Navy, in March, 1803, as A.B., on board the Helena 18, Capt. Woodley Losack, on the Cork station, where he removed as Midshipman, in 1805, to the Druid 32, Capts. Philip Bowes Vere Broke and Hon. John Astley Bennet, and continued employed until transferred, in Feb. 1807, to the Raven sloop, Capt. Grant. In the Helena he assisted at the capture, 5 June, 1805, of the Santa Leocadia Spanish privateer of 14 guns and 114 men; and in the Druid he aided in taking, among other vessels, the Prince Murat, privateer of 18 guns, and Le Pandour national brig of similar force. The Prince Murat he conducted safely as Prize-Master into Plymouth, although pursued on his passage by a French squadron, from whom he succeeded in effecting his escape by hoisting French colours instead of English, and disguising his men in the red caps and dresses belonging to the prisoners. Joining, in April, 1807, the Hydra 38, Capt. Geo. Mundy, he contributed, 1 Aug. in that year, to the capture of three armed feluccas (the Prince Eugène of 16 guns and 130 men, Belle Caroline of 10 guns and 40 men, and Rosario of 4 guns and 20 men) lying in the narrow harbour of Begu, on the coast of Catalonia, under the protection of a battery mounting 4 26-pounders, a tower, and a considerable land-force. He co-operated subsequently with the patriots on the coast of Spain, and was in particular active at the blockade of Barcelona. In Nov. 1810, while absent in a felucca which he had recently assisted in cutting out, he was captured by the French schooner-of-war Éclair, carried a prisoner to Nice, and thence marched into France, where he remained until the peace of 1814. He was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant 22 Feb. 1815, but has not been since able to procure employment. Lieut. Radford is the author of a work on the subject of Naval Architecture, presenting many points of attraction. For many years past he has been connected with iron and coal mine works in South Wales. He married, in May, 1827, Miss Ann Weaver, of the city of Hereford, a relative of Major Weaver, R.M., and was left a widower 29 Jan. 1829. Agents – Case and Loudonsack.