A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Simpson, Thomas (b)
SIMPSON. (Retired Commander, 1843. f-p., 13; h-p., 41.)
Thomas Simpson was born 28 Nov. 1783.
This officer (whose name had been borne in 1790-1 on the books of the Roebuck 44, Capt. Linzee) embarked, in July, 1793, as Midshipman, on board the Raisonnable 64, Capt. Lord Cranstoun, with whom he served until March, 1794, in the Channel and among the Western Islands. Between 1795 and Feb. 1805 he was employed, chiefly on the Home station, in the Juste 80, Capts. Hon. Thos. Pakenham, John Lawford, and Wm. Hancock Kelly, Xenophon sloop, Capts. Geo. Sayer and John Henry Martin, Juste again, Capts. Sir Henry Trollope, Rich. Dacres, and Sir Edm. Nagle, Rosario sloop, Capt. Wm. Mounsey, and San Josef 110, flag-ship of the late Sir Chas. Cotton. In the Juste he went to the West Indies in 1801 in fruitless pursuit of the French fleet under Admiral Ganteaume. On leaving the San Josef he was in succession, 30 Feb., 22 May, and 25 June, 1805, appointed Sub-Lieutenant of the Griper, Nimble, and Growler gun-brigs, Lieut.-Commanders John Morris, Thos. Delafons, and Jas. Rose. In the Griper he was in frequent action with the enemy’s flotilla and batteries in the neighbourhood of Boulogne, and was on one occasion severely contused in the right hand; and, while serving in the Growler, he assisted at the capture, near the Lizard, of a French lugger of 6 guns and 60 men, and at the destruction of other vessels. The Growler was once chased by the French fleet for 12 hours, and only escaped by throwing most of her guns and shot overboard. From Aug. to Dec. 1806 Mr. Simpson acted as Lieutenant in the Conqueror 74, Capt. Israel Pellew: and, on 21 May, 1807, he was confirmed into the Hound bomb, Capt. Nicholas Lockyer. In the course of the following month, an illness, which lasted five years, caused him to invalid. He accepted his present rank 10 Feb. 1843; and was admitted to the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 2 Sept. 1845.
Commander Simpson married, first, 10 Oct. 1807, Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Andrews, Esq., of Chichester; and (that lady dying 14 June, 1833) secondly, 3 May, 1836, Agnes, daughter of Mr. Ley, of Exeter.