A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Williamson, George
WILLIAMSON. (Lieut., 1807. f-p., 32; h-p., 15.)
George Williamson entered the Navy, 29 June, 1800, as A.B., on board the Pelican sloop, Capts. John Thicknease, Geo. M‘Kinley, Hon. A. Leveson Gower, Henry Whitby, Trelawney, and Thos. Garth. After serving for some time on the coast of France, he sailed for the West Indies with despatches relative to the treaty of Amiens. In the spring of 1803 he there removed as Midshipman (a rating he had attained in June, 1801) to the Santa Margarita 36, Capt. Wilson Rathbome; in which frigate, on returning to Europe, he was for some time actively employed with the Channel fleet, and was present as Master’s Mate in Sir Rich. Strachan’s action off Ferrol 4 Nov. 1805. In 1806 he again proceeded to the West Indies, where he continued to serve, we are told, as Midshipman in the Northumberland and Belleisle 74’s, flag-ships of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane, as Sub-Lieutenant in the Morne Fortunée schooner, Lieut.-Commander Brown, and as Acting-Lieutenant in the Demerara, Capt. Wm. Paterson, until after the surrender of the Danish islands. His commission as Lieutenant bears date 10 April, 1807. In July, 1808, he was appointed, for three months, to the Neptune 98, Capt. Sir Thos. Williams, on the Channel station; and he was next, from 21 March, 1809, until obliged by ill health to invalid 17 March, 1813, employed in the Defiance 74, Capts. Hon. Henry Hotham and Rich. Raggett. In that ship (whose loss on the occasion extended to 2 men killed and 25 wounded) he contributed, 24 Feb. 1809, to the destruction of three French frigates under the batteries of Sable d’OIonne. He also co-operated in her with the patriots on the north coast of Spain; and was for a period stationed in the North Sea. In March, 1819, he obtained an appointment in the Ordinary at Sheerness; he commanded a Semaphore station on Portsdown Hill from 19 March, 1822, until 6 March, 1827, and again from 6 March, 1832, until 8 March, 1837; and he was appointed, 17 Aug. 1838 and 18 Jan. 1839, First of the Ocean 80 and Poictiers 72, Capts. Sir John Hill and John Clavell, guard-ships at Sheerness and Chatham. He remained in the Poictiers until Aug. 1841; and since 10 March, 1842, has been afresh in charge of the Semaphore at Portsmouth.
Lieut. Williamson is married and has issue.