A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Welch, Robert Gregory
WELCH. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 25; h-p., 12.)
Robert Gregory Welch entered the Navy, 15 Sept. 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Tonnant 80, Capt. Sir John Gore, stationed off Lisbon. From March, 1811, until April, 1815, he was employed with the late Vice-Admiral Matthew Henry Scott, chiefly as Midshipman, in the Marlborough and Chatham 74’s, in the North Sea and Channel. After further serving on the Home station in the Astraea 36, Capt. Edw. Kittoe, Mutine sloop, Capt. Jas. Mould, and Vengeur 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander, he joined, in May, 1818, the Iphigenia 42, Capt. Hyde Parker. In the latter ship he sailed for Quebec with the Duke of Richmond, and then_ proceeded to the West Indies; where (he had attained the rating of Master’s Mate in Sept. 1818) he was nominated, 9 Nov. 1819, Acting-Lieutenant of the Confiance 18, Capt. Alex. Montgomerie. Four months after his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, which took place 15 April, 1820, he returned to England. His subsequent appointments were – 28 June, 1822, for upwards of two years, to the Egeria 28, Capts. John Toup Nicolas and Sam. Roberts, employed at first in suppressing an insurrection among the keelmen in the river Tyne, and next on the Newfoundland station – 23 Feb. 1827, to the Hussar 46, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Ogle at Halifax – 23 Feb. 1831, to the Alfred 50, Capt. Robt. Maunsell, engaged on particular service – 14 July, 1831, and 22 Sept. 1832, to the Hyacinth 18, Capt. Wm. Oldrey, and North Star 28, Capt. Lord Wm. Paget, both in the West Indies, whence he returned in the summer of 1833 – 24 Jan. 1838, to the Hercules 74, Capt. John Toup Nicolas, which ship, stationed off Lisbon, he left in Jan. 1839 – and 1 Feb. 1840, to the Cambridge 78, Capt. Edw. Barnard, fitting for the Mediterranean. In the Alfred, Hyacinth, Hercules, and Cambridge, Mr. Welch filled the post of First Lieutenant. In the ship last mentioned he was present, in 1840, in the operations on the coast of Syria and at the blockade of Alexandria. He was superseded from her on the occasion of his promotion to the rank of Commander, 23 Nov. 1841. He was afterwards, from 3 July, 1843, until July, 1848, employed in the Coast Guard. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.