A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Ricketts, Cornwallis
RICKETTS, Bart. (Captain, 1846. f-p., 15; h-p., 16.)
Sir Cornwallis Ricketts, born 27 Feb. 1803, is eldest son of the late Vice-Admiral of the Blue Sir Tristram Robt. Ricketts, Bart.,[1] by Rebecca Eliza, daughter of John Gumbleton, Esq., of Glencairne Abbey, co. Waterford; and brother (with Lieutenant S. H. Ricketts, R.N.) of St. Vincent Wm. Ricketts, Esq., a Major in the Scotch Greys, who married a grand-daughter of the fifth Earl of Berkeley. His uncle, Gilbert Ricketts, Esq., married a daughter of Admiral Rodney Bligh.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College, 9 Aug. 1816; and embarked, 10 June, 1818, as a Volunteer, on board the Tiber 38, Capt. Jas. Rich. Dacres, stationed in the Channel. Between the following Oct. and the date of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant 20 March, 1823, he served on the West India, Mediterranean, Lisbon, and Home stations, as Midshipman, in the Liffey 50, Capt. Hon. Henry Duncan, Phaeton 46, Capt. Wm. Augustus Montagu, Apollo yacht, Capt. Hon. Sir Chas. Paget, and Calliope tender. His succeeding appointments were – in April, 1824, for about two years, to the Sappho 18, Capts. Wm. Hotham and Wm. Pitt Canning, on the Halifax station – and in Aug. 1828 and April, 1830, to the Asia 84 and Britannia 120, flag-ships in the Mediterranean of Sir Pulteney Malcolm. After officiating for about two years and 10 months as Flag-Lieutenant to the officer last mentioned, he was advanced, 18 Aug. 1831, to the rank of Commander. His last appointment was to the Helena 16, the command of which vessel he retained, at the Cape of Good Hope, from 23 Oct. 1843 until paid off in the summer of 1847. He attained his present rank 9 Nov. 1846.
Sir Cornwallis Ricketts married, 31 May, 1834, Henrietta, youngest daughterof Colonel John Tempest, of Tong Hall, co. York, by whom, who died 13 Nov. 1838, he has issue. Agent – Fred. Dufaur.
- ↑ Sir Tristram Robt. Ricketts was born in 1772. Attaining Post rank 9 Oct. 1801, he commanded, during the late war, the Ville de Paris, San Josef, and Hibernia first-rates, bearing the flags of Hon. Wm. Cornwallis, Sir Chas. Cotton, and Earl St. Vincent, and Vengeur 74. In the latter ship, at the close of 1814, he conveyed Major-Greneral Lambert and a reinforcement of troops to the army before New Orleans. In Feb. 1815 he commanded the detachment of seamen landed at Mobile to assist in the reduction of Fort Bowyer. In his official letter, reporting the result of the operations which there took place, Sir Alex. Cochrane declares himself indebted to Capt. Ricketts “for his zeal and exertions in landing and transporting the cannon and supplies, by which the fort was so speedily reduced.” Sir Tristram (who was created a Baronet in 1828) became a Rear-Admiral 22 July, 1830, and a Vice-Admiral 23 Nov. 1841. He died in Aug, 1842.