A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Woodthorpe, John Bolton
WOODTHORPE. (Captain, 1842. f-p., 21; h-p., 16.)
John Bolton Woodthorpe was born 28 Aug. 1796, and died 19 May, 1846.
This officer entered the Navy, 30 Sept. 1809, as Midshipman, on board the Druid 32, in which frigate and the Endymion 40, both commanded by his cousin Sir Wm. Bolton, he was for three years employed in the Channel and West Indies. In the Druid he assisted in making prize, 13 Nov. 1809, of the Basque French national brig of 16 guns. On leaving the Endymion he joined the Briton 46, Capt. Sir Thos. Staines; under whom we find him, until paid off in Aug. 1815, employed, part of the time as Master’s Mate, in the manner detailed in our memoir of Commander Thos. Dilnot Stewart. He served subsequently at Portsmouth, in the Mediterranean, on the coast of Ireland, in the West Indies, and at Plymouth, as Midshipman, Mate, and Admiralty-Midshipman (he passed his examination 6 Oct. 1815), in the Prince 98 and Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ships of Sir Edw. Thornbrough, Tagus 38, Capt. Jas. Whitley Deans Dundas, Harlequin 18, Capt. Sir Chas. Christopher Parker, Superb 78, Capt. Sir T. Staines, and Britannia 120, Capt. Philip Pipon. He was made Lieutenant, 3 June, 1826, into the Sybille 48, Capt. Sir Sam. John Brooke Pechell, in the Mediterranean; he returned, in the following Nov., to England; and he was appointed next, as Senior Lieutenant – 15 July, 1831, and 3 May and 2 Sept. 1834, to the Arachne 18, Capt. Wm. Gapper Agar, Wasp 16, Capt. John Sam. Foreman, and President 50, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Cockburn, all on the North America and West India station – and 13 Jan. 1837, after seven months of half-pay, to the Rodney 92, Capt. Hyde Parker, again in the Mediterranean. He attained the rank of Commander 28 June, 1838; served off Lisbon as Second-Captain in the Blenheim 72, Capt. Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, from 25 April until Dec. 1839; was appointed in a similar capacity 26 Oct. 1841, to the Alfred 50, Capt. John Brett Purvis, fitting for South America; and in honour of the Queen’s visit to the squadron at Spithead was advanced to Post-rank 7 March, 1842.
Capt. Woodthorpe married, 6 Sept. 1838, Emily, second daughter of the Rev. Robt. Howard, of Throxenby Hall, co. York, Rector of Burythorpe, by whom he has left issue.