A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Sainthill, Richard Tillidge
SAINTHILL. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 27;[1] h-p., 19.)
Richard Tillidge Sainthill, born 18 May, 1788, is eldest son of the late Nich. Sainthill, Esq., Master R.N.; and nephew of the late Commanders Rich. Sainthill and Robt. Tillidge, R.N.
This officer (whose name had been borne, in 1790-1, on the books of the Speedwell 8) embarked, 24 Feb. 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Zealand 64, guard-ship at the Nore, Capt. Wm. Mitchell, with whom he continued until May, 1802. Joining next, in May, 1803, the Raisonnable 64, Capts. Wm. Hotham, Robt. Barton, and Josias Rowley, he took part, in that ship, in several attacks on the enemy’s batteries and flotilla on the coast of France, fought in Sir Robt. Calder’s action 22 July, 1805, and was present, in 1806, at the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope, the surrender of the French frigate 'Volontaire' of 46 guns, and the capture of Buenos Ayres. As Sub-Lieutenant of the Staunch gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Benj. Street, to which vessel he was appointed 11 June, 1809, we find him, in Sept. 1810, contributing, near the Ile de Bourbon, to the recapture of the Africaine 38, and to the capture of the French frigate La Vénus, of 44 guns and 380 men, and her prize, the Ceylon 32. After acting for a short time as Lieutenant and Commander of the Staunch, he was nominated, 13 Oct. 1810, Flag-Lieutenant, in the Africaine, to Vice-Admiral Albemarle Bertie, under whom he united in the ensuing operations against the Mauritius and its dependencies. On the surrender of that island he was placed in superintendence, there, of the Signal Department; the duties attached to which he continued to discharge (assisting in the interim at the capture of two French frigates) until Sept. 1811. In the following Dec. he became Acting-Senior-Lieutenant of the Madagascar 38, Capt. Chas. Sullivan; and on 23 April, 1812, a few days after that ship had been paid off, he was officially advanced to his present rank. He next, from 27 Aug. 1812 until 24 Dec. 1815, served at Newfoundland and in the West Indies in the Muros 12, Capts. Jas. Aberdour, Thos. Saville Griffinhoofe, and Geo. Gosling; of which vessel he was Senior-Lieutenant at the reduction of Guadeloupe. He has been Superintendent of Signals in the island of Jersey since 3 Dec. 1833.
Lieut. Sainthill married Mary Ann, daughter of Thos. Quirk, Esq., and has by her two children.
- ↑ Dating from 1801. and including the term of his servitude in the island of Jersey.