A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Skipsey, William
SKIPSEY. (Rear-Admiral of the Red, 1837.)
William Skipsey died 18 March, 1846, at Brighton, in his 90th year.
This officer entered the Navy, 16 Aug. 1769, on board the Quebec frigate, Capt. Fras. Reynolds, stationed in the West Indies, where, and on the coast of Africa, he served from 1770 until 1773 in the Lynx, Capt. Salter, and Weasel sloop, Capt. Geo. Young. In 1774 he joined the Ramillies 74, guard-ship at Chatham, Capt. Evans; and, on 7 April, 1778, after having been for three years employed on the coast of North America as Midshipman in the Senegal sloop, Capt.Wm. Duddingstone, he was made Lieutenant into the Berwick 74, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore K. Stewart. In that ship he fought, 27 July following, in Keppel’s action with the Comte d’Orvilliers, witnessed the hurricane of 1780, and was wounded in the engagement between Sir Hyde Parker and Admiral Zoutman off the Doggerbank 5 Aug. 1781 His next appointments were – 18 Nov. 1781, to the Goliath 74, Capt. Sir Hyde Parker, employed in the Channel, West Indies, and North Sea – 2 April, 1782, to the Britannia 100, bearing the flag of Hon. Sam. Barrington, whom he accompanied, under Lord Howe, to the relief of Gibraltar – 20 March, 1783, to the Carnatic 74, which ship, we believe, he never joined – in 1770, for a short time, to the Impregnable and Hero, both commanded by Capt. Pringle – 10 May, 1790, to the Royal George 100, flag-ship of Admiral Barrington in the Channel, where he remained until the following Dec. – and, in 1795, to the Transport service in the West Indies. At the ensuing reduction of Ste. Lucie he commanded a division of flat-bottomed boats employed in landing the troops, and was mentioned by Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian, the Commander-in-Chief, for his assiduity and exertions.[1] He was promoted, 6 Dec. 1796, to the command of the Racehorse sloop; was placed in charge, for about six weeks in 1797, of the Gallant gun-brig, for the purpose of acting against the mutineers of the Nore; and, in June, 1798, and in Nov. 1799, was appointed to the Pheasant and Termagant sloops, both on the North American station. In the latter vessel, on proceeding to the Mediterranean, he effected the capture, 1 and 4 Sept. 1800 of La Capricieuse French national polacre of 6 guns and 68 men, and General Holtz privateer, of 2 guns and 26 men. He also, in 1801, assisted in the operations against the French in Egypt, and was presented in consequence with the Turkish gold medal. He became Acting-Captain in June of the same year of the Hector 74; was confirmed to that ship 18 March, 1802; and, returning to England in May, 1803, was subsequently appointed – 4 June, 1804, to the Impress service at Dublin – in April, 1805, for nearly five years, to the Shannon district of Sea Fencibles – 17 May, 1813, to the Centurion 50, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Edw. Griffith in North America – 6 Aug. 1814, to the Maidstone 36, on the same station – 22 Aug. 1815, to the Leander 50, in which ship he continued, on Home service, until 1 May, 1816 – and, in 1827, to the chief command at the Cape of Good Hope, where with his broad pendant in the Maidstone 42, he remained for about two years. He was nominated a Colonel of Marines 22 July, 1830; and advanced to Flag-rank 10 Jan. 1837.
At the period of his death Rear-Admiral Skipsey had been longer in the Navy than any officer then existing. He was for upwards of 30 years in active service. He was married and has left issue.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1796, p. 593.