A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Weekes, William Burt
WEEKES. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 28; h-p., 15.)
William Burt Weekes was born 22 Nov. 1790, at Nevis, in the West Indies. He is brother of Thos. P. Weekes, Esq., Member of the Bombay Medical Board.
This officer entered the Royal Naval Academy in March, 1804; and embarked, in Sept. 1807, as Midshipman, on board the Princess Charlotte 38, Capt. Geo. Tobin, stationed on the coast of Ireland; where he removed, in July, 1809, to the Jalouse 18, Capt. Henry Gage Morris. On 29 Jan. 1810, being in the Bay of Biscay, he took command of the cutter and, in company with the other boats of the Jalouse and those of the Phoenix frigate, went in pursuit, during a cahn, of Le Charles, a French privateer of 14 guns and 90 men, which, after a chase of three hours, was gallantly boarded and carried, the ships being at the time hull-down in the distance. On 21 March, 1812, at which period he had been serving for about 18 months in the Baltic in the Victory 100, flag-ship of Sir Jas. Saumarez, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. His subsequent appointments were – 6 April and 31 Dec. 1812, to the Gloucester 74 and Echo sloop, Capts. Robt. Williams and Thos. Percival, stationed off Flushing and in the Downs – 28 April, 1815, for a few days only (he had left the Echo in July, 1813), to the Mastiff 12, Capt. Job Hanmer, lying at Plymouth – 3 Feb. 1818, to the Vengeur 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander, which ship, stationed at Portsmouth, was paid off in the following Sept. – and, 7 May, 1825, to the Coast Guard. In the latter service he remained until Aug. 1840. He has since been on half-pay.
Lieut. Weekes left the Coast Guard for the purpose of assuming the command, which he retained for some years, of a country ship of 11 hundred tons, in the East Indies. He married, 22 Feb. 1814, Grace, daughter of Peter Bunworth, Esq., of Mallow, co. Cork, by whom he has had issue two daughters. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.