A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Weatherley, Richard
WEATHERLEY. (Lieutenant, 1816. f-p.,.32; h-p., 22.)
Richard Weatherley Was born 26 Aug. 1787. This officer entered the Navy, 7 Aug. 1793, as Midshipman, on board the Raisonnable 64, Capt. Lord Cranstoun; under whom he was for 12 months employed among the Western Islands and on the coast of Ireland. He served next, from July, 1795, until April, 1797, in the Channel and off the port of Cadiz, in the Pompée 74, Capt. Jas. Vashon; and in June and Nov. 1802, he joined the Penelope 36 and Minerve 38, Capts. Wm. Robt. Broughton and Jahleel Brenton. He was in the latter frigate, 2 July, 1803, when she took the ground under the batteries of Cherbourg, and was compelled, despite a fierce and sanguinary resistance, to strike her colours. In consequence of this misfortune he was detained a prisoner of war in France until May, 1814. In the following July he was received on board the Hope 10, Capt. Henry Fyge Jauncey; and, after serving for nearly two years in that vessel in the Channel, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 2 May, 1816. His last appointments afloat were – 8 Dec. 1818, to the acting-command, which he retained until 14 Jan. following, of the Abundance store-ship, fitting at Deptford – and, 24 April, 1819, to the Menai 26, Capt. Fairfax Moresby. In the latter ship he was employed, until April, 1821, at the Cape of Good Hope. While in charge, on one occasion, of a tender, he compelled a slave-vessel to run through an intricate channel between the coral-reefs on the Isle of France, where she grounded and was set on fire by her commander, a notorious character. Since 9 May, 1834, Lieut. Weatherley has filled the post of Director of Police in the Dockyard at Pembroke.
He was Harbour-Master at Simons’ Town, Cape of Good Hope, from April, 1821, until May, 1828.