A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Windham, John Henry
WINDHAM. (Commander, 1838. f-p., 18; h-p., 7.)
John Henry Windham, born 22 Oct. 1809, is son (by Anne, daughter of Peter Thellusson, Esq., of Broadsworth, co. York, and sister of the first Lord Rendlesham) of the late Wm. Windham,[1] Esq., Vice-Admiral of the White, of Felbrigg Hall, co. Norfolk, who assumed the name of Windham, in lieu of his patronymic Lukin, on inheriting in 1824 the estates of his uncle the Right Hon. Wm. Windham. He is brother of the present Wm. Howe Windham, Esq., of Felbrigg Hall (a son-in-law of the Marquess of Bristol), who represented the Eastern division of co. Norfolk in 1832, and served as Sheriff in 1842; also of Capt. Chas. and Lieut. Joseph Windham, of the Coldstream and 1st Foot Guards; and of the Countess of Listowel.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College 5 Sept. 1822; and embarked, in Sept. 1824, on board the Orestes 18, Capt. Henry Litchfield; in which vessel and in the Aurora 46, Capt. John Maxwell, Forte 44, Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan, and Challenger 28, Capts. John Hayes and Adolphus FitzClarence, he was for about four years employed as Midshipman on the Channel, Lisbon, and North American stations. He passed his examination 3 Dec. 1828 served next, as Mate and Acting-Lieutenant, in the Ferret 10, Capt. Thos. Hastings, in the Mediterranean; was officially promoted 17 April, 1831; and was appointed afterwards – 1 May, 1832, to the Vernon 50, Capt. Sir Fras. Augustus Collier, an experimental ship – 26 Dec. following, as a Supernumerary-Lieutenant, to the Isis 50, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Fred. Warren at the Cape of Good Hope – and, 13 April, 1835 (the Isis had been paid off in the preceding Dec), to the Barham 50, Capt. Armar Lowry Corry, fitting for the Mediterranean, whence an illness that seriously affected his sight compelled him, in Oct. 1837, to invalid. He attained his present rank 28 June, 1838; and served as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard from 3 July, 1843, until July, 1848. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
- ↑ Vice-Admiral Wm. Windham (eldest son of Geo. Wm. Lukin, Dean of Wells) attained the rank of Lieutenant in 1793. He commanded the Hornet sloop in 1795, acquired Post-rank 28 Nov. in the latter year, and served afterwards in the Espion frigate. Standard 64, Thames 32, Doris 36, Thunderer 74, Gibraltar 80, and Mars 74. He was present in the Thames in Sir Jas. Saumarez’ action with the French and Spanish squadrons in the Gut of Gibraltar, 12 and 13 July, 1801; and in the Mars (in which ship he afterwards accompanied the expedition under Admiral Gambier against Copenhagen) he assisted, with a squadron under Sir Samuel Hood, at the capture, off Rochefort, 25 Sept. 1806, of four heavy French frigates – two of which, the Gloire 46, and Infatigable 44, struck to the Mars. He was advanced to flag-rank 4 June, 1814, and became a Vice-Admiral 22 July 1830. He died in 1833.