A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Simkin, Thomas Allen
SIMKIN. (Retired Commander, 1841. f-p., 16; h-p., 31.)
Thomas Allen Simkin is brother of Lieut. John Simkin, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 7 Oct. 1800, as A.B., on board the Ville de Paris 110, Capt. Sir Thos. Troubridge, flag-ship off Brest of Earl St. Vincent and Hon. Wm. Cornwallis; and from March, 1802, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 7 Nov. 1806, was employed as Midshipman (a rating he had attained in Jan. 1801) in the Alarm 32 and Amazon 38, both commanded by the present Sir Wm. Parker. In the Alarm he conveyed a body of German troops from Lymington to Holland; and in the Amazon he brought the Duke of Kent home from Gibraltar, assisted at the capture of the privateers Le Félix of 16 guns and 96 men and Principe de la Paz of 24 guns, 4 swivels, and 160 men, joined in the very spirited pursuit of a French frigate into Toulon, accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies and back in search of the combined squadrons of France and Spain, and took part, 13 March, 1806, in a long running fight, which terminated in the surrender to the London 98 and Amazon, whose loss extended to 4 men killed and 5 wounded, of the Marengo 80, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Linois, and 40-gun frigate Belle Poule. His last appointments afloat were – 19 Nov. 1806, for three years, to the Glatton 50, Capts. Thos. Seccombe, Henry Hope, John Clavell, and Geo. Miller Bligh, in the Mediterranean – 11 Dec. 1809, to the Gibraltar 80, Capt. Robt. Plampin, in Basque Roads – and in Feb. 1812 and June, 1813, to the Muros 12, Capt. Jas. Aberdour, and Rosamond 20, Capts. Robt. Campbell and Edw. Stopford, both on the Newfoundland station, whence he returned in Jan. 1815. From 16 May, 1835, until the early part of 1837 he held command of a station in the Coast Guard. He accepted his present rank 12 Oct. 1841.