A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Stephens, Philip
STEPHENS, formerly Wilkinson. (Admiral of the Red, 1837. f-p., 22; h-p., 41.)
Philip Stephens died in 1846. He was only son of the late Capt. Thos. Wilkinson, R.N., by Millicent, eldest surviving daughter of Wm. Howe, Esq., of Mistley Thorne, co. Essex; and grand-nephew of the late Sir Philip Stephens, Bart., M.P. for Sandwich, many years Secretary, and afterwards one of the Lords Commissioners, of the Admiralty, whose surname he assumed on inheriting, at the death of Viscount Ranelagh in 1820, estates in which Sir Philip had bequeathed to that nobleman (his son-in-law) a life-interest.
This officer entered the Navy, 4 Aug. 1783, as a Boy, on board the Latona frigate, Capts. Boston, Sandy, and Berkeley, stationed in the West Indies. He served next as Midshipman, from Dec. 1786 until May, 1789, on the coast of Africa in the Adventure 44, Capts. Davey and John Nicholson Inglefield, the latter of whom he then followed into the Medusa 50. After acting for about three months as Lieutenant in the Niger frigate off Brest, he was confirmed, we believe, to that rank, in Oct. 1790, in the Colossus 74, Capt. Henry Harvey. In the course of 1791-2-3 he joined the Victory 100, flag-ship of Lord Hood, Hebe and Penelope frigates, Capts. Alex. Hood and Bartholomew Rowley, and Europa 50, Commodore John Ford. Under the latter officer he shared in the attack upon St. Domingo. He was promoted, 30 March, 1794, to the command of L’Actif sloop, in the West Indies; was there made Post, 5 Sept. following, into the Hermione 32; and was subsequently appointed – in Feb. 1797, to the Success 32, employed in the Channel and off Cadiz – in May, 1799, to the Unicorn 32, attached to the Channel fleet – in July, 1800, for five months, to the Naiad 38, on the coast of France – in May, 1802, to the Hussar, 38, in which ship, during his passage home with despatches from Ferrol, he was wrecked, on the night of 8 Feb. 1804, on the southernmost part of the Saintes – and, in Nov. 1810, to the Courageux 74, in the Baltic, where he remained until May, 1813. He was not afterwards employed. He became a Rear-Admiral 4 Dec. 1813; a Vice-Admiral 10 July, 1821; and a full Admiral 10 Jan. 1837.
Admiral Stephens was Deputy-Lieutenant for co. Norfolk. He married, in 1804, Sophia, daughter of Wm. Worth, Esq., of Hayneford, near Norwich.