A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Roberts, William Pender
ROBERTS. (Retired Captain, 1845. f-p., 13; h-p., 37.)
William Pender Roberts is a distant relative of Lieut. Chas. Paynter, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 13 Oct. 1797, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the St. Albans 64, Capt. Fras. Pender, in which ship we find him, until Dec. 1800, employed on the Halifax station. Between Sept. 1801 and Aug. 1807 he served at Home and off Cadiz in the Hercule 74, Capt. Wm. Luke, Diamond 38, Capt. Thos. Elphinstone, Salvador del Mundo, Capt. John Dilkes, Lively 38, Capt. Graham Eden Hamond, Plantagenet 74, Queen 98, Royal Sovereign 100, Ocean 98, and Queen again, all commanded by Capt. Pender, and Morgiana sloop, Capt. Wm. Landless. He was nominated Midshipman of the Hercule 2 Dec. 1801; was ordered to act as Lieutenant in the Queen about Aug. 1805; and was confirmed in the Ocean 5 Feb. 1806. He was present, we believe, in the Lively at the capture of three Spanish frigates laden with treasure, and the destruction of a fourth, off Cape St. Mary, 5 Oct. 1804. His appointments, after he left the Morgiana, were – 4 Sept. 1807, to the Talbot sloop, Capt. Hon. Alex. Jones, with whom he served on the coast of Portugal – and, 29 Feb. and 1 June, 1808, to the Courageux 74, Capt. Jas. Bissett, and Ariel sloop, Capts. Thos. White and Dan. Ross. In the latter vessel he served in the Baltic until advanced to the rank of Commander 21 March, 1812. Not having been further employed, he accepted his present rank 27 March, 1845.
Capt. Roberts, who is a Deputy-Lieutenant for co. Cornwall, was elected Mayor for Penryn in Sept. 1822. He married, in 1819, Harriet, second daughter of Capt. Rowland, of Penzance. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.