A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Sheringham, William Louis
SHERINGHAM. (Captain, 1847. f-p., 23; h-p., 16.)
William Louis Sheringham entered the Navy, 13 June, 1808, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Saturn 74, Capt., afterwards Rear-Admiral, Lord Amelius Beauclerk, under whom he continued, chiefly employed on the Home and North American stations, in the Royal Oak and Hannibal 74’s, and again in the Royal Oak, until Jan. 1815. While on the books of that ship he was present, as Midshipman, in the attack upon Flushing, and was for some time lent to the Aetna bomb, Capt. Jas. Baynton Gardner. After serving for about two months with Sir Alex. Cochrane in the Tonnant 80, he was nominated, 28 March, 1815, Acting-Lieutenant of the Ardent prison-ship at Bermuda, Capt. Sir Wm. Crisp Hood Burnaby. From May to July, 1816, he was borne as a Supernumerary Acting-Lieutenant (while proceeding from the latter place to Halifax, and thence to England) on the books of the Akbar 50, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Edw. Griffith, and Buffalo store-ship. He next, in Aug. 1819 and Sept. 1822, joined, in the capacity of Midshipman, the Superb 74 and Créole 42, bearing each the broad pendant of Commodore Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy on the coast of South America, where, from 29 April until 18 Oct. 1823, he served as Acting- Lieutenant and Lieutenant (commission dated 29 July) in the Beaver 10, Capts. Thos. Bourchier and Wm. Townshend Dance. He was subsequently, from 6 Aug. 1830 until 1836, borne as a Supernumerary on the books of the Royal George 120, Ocean 80, and Howe 120, flag-ships of Sir John Poo Beresford and Hon. Chas. Elphinstone Fleeming at the Nore; and on 28 Aug. 1841 he was promoted to the rank of Commander. His appointments have since been – 24 March and 19 Aug. 1842, 1 Jan. 1843, and 1 Aug. 1845, to the Sylvia, Rocket, Fearless, and Dasher surveying-vessels, on the Home station – and, 1 Dec. 1847, as Additional- Captain, for surveying-service, to the Victory 100, flag-ship at Portsmouth. His Post-commission bears date 9 Oct. 1847.