A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Thompson, John Rowley
THOMPSON. (Lieut., 1841. f-p., 18; h-p., 3.)
John Rowley Thompson was born in May, 1813, in co. Fermanagh.
This officer entered the Navy, 26 Aug. 1826, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Victory 104, Capt. Chas. Inglis, guard-ship at Portsmouth. From April, 1827, until Nov. 1830, and from Aug. 1832 until Oct. 1834 (in the course of which latter month he passed his examination) he served in South America and the Mediterranean in the Sapphire 28, Capt. Henry Dundas, and Boxer 18, Capt. Sir Geo. Young; and he was afterwards employed as Mate, In the station last named – from Aug. 1835 until Nov. 1836, in the Edinburgh 74, Capt. Jas. Rich. Dacres – from Nov. 1836 until April, 1839, in the Barham 50, Capt. Armar Lowry Corry – from Aug. 1839 until Oct. 1840, in the Belleisle 72, Capt. John Toup Nicolas – and from Oct. 1840 until June, 1841, in the Calcutta 84, Capt. Sir Sam. Roberts. He then joined the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings; and on 23 Nov. 1841 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. His appointments have since been – 22 March, 1842, and 21 April, 1844, to the Ringdove 16 and Thunder surveying-vessel, Capts. Sir Wm. Daniell and Edw. Barnett, both in the West Indies – 11 Dec. 1844, as Additional, after four months of half-pay, to the Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir David Milne at Devonport – 2 Jan. 1845 and 3 March, 1846, as First, to the Pantaloon 16, Capt. Edm. Wilson, and Hydra steam-sloop, Capts. Horatio Beauman Young and Arthur Morrell, on the African station, whence he returned in 1847 – and 27 July, 1848, again as Additional Lieutenant, to the Crocodile, Capt. Geo. Augustus Bedford, receiving-ship at Cork, to which he continues attached.