A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Worsfold, William

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A Naval Biographical Dictionary
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2014140A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Worsfold, WilliamWilliam Richard O'Byrne

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WORSFOLD. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 24; h-p., 12.)

William Worsfold was born 24 Feb. 1798.

This officer entered the Navy, 1 Jan. 1811, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Fisgard 38, Capt. Fras. Mason, stationed in the Baltic and Channel; and from July, 1812, until his return to England in July, 1814, was employed again in the Baltic, and also on the coast of Brazil, as Midshipman, in the Aquilon and Ceres frigates, both commanded by Capt. Wm. Bowles. While detached, in Feb. 1814, in a hired schooner, he was wrecked near Monte Video. In June of the same year he narrowly escaped being blown up in a re-captured vessel of which he had been placed in charge, owing to the Americans, who had just before abandoned her, having affixed a lighted match to a barrel of gunpowder. After he left the Ceres, and until he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 30 May, 1820, he was employed in the Channel, at Sheerness, and in South America, as Midshipman and Mate, in the Chatham 74, Capt. Robt. Lloyd, and Menelaus, Amphion, and Créole frigates, Capts. W. Bowles and Adam Mackenzie. His succeeding appointments were – 4 Nov. 1823, to the Water Guard – 10 Feb. 1824, as a Supernumerary, to the Ramillies 74, Coast Blockade ship, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch – 18 May, 1824, to the Seringapatam 46,^[1] Capt. Chas. Sotheby, fitting for the Mediterranean, whence he returned in Dec. 1827 – 7 Dec. 1829, as First-Lieutenant (a post he had latterly filled on board the Seringapatam), to the Childers 18, Capt. Robt. Deans, in which vessel he served on the Home station until Feb. 1832 – and, 15 Sept. 1836, 30 April, 1839, and 27 Oct. 1840, in a similar capacity, to the Britannia 120, Impregnable 104, and Caledonia 120, flag-ships of Sir Philip Chas. Durham and Sir Graham Moore at Portsmouth and Plymouth. He attained the rank of Commander 23 Nov. 1841; was re-appointed, 1 Dec. following, to the Caledonia, as Second-Captain; was superseded from that ship 26 April, 1842; was again employed at Plymouth, from 18 April until 20 June, 1845, in the Queen 110, bearing the flag of Sir John West; and on 16 Nov. 1846 was appointed to the Imaum 72, receiving-ship at Jamaica, Commodores Daniel Pring, Geo. Robt. Lambert, and Thos. Bennett. He has been acting as Captain of the Imaum since 12 Feb. 1847.

Commander Worsfold married, 28 Dec. 1830, at Westbourne, Miss Mary Ann Hipkin, of Recton Park, by whom he has issue two sons.

↑ Mr. Worsfold was actively employed in the boats of the Seringapatam in the suppression of piracy in the Archipelago. On the night of 31 Jan. 1825 he was badly wounded in the breast at the capture, by the boats of that frigate and the Cambrian, of two vessels, carrying 1 gun and about 30 men each, up the Negropont. – Vide Gaz. 1825, p. 698. Six of the British on this occasion were killed and 13 wounded.

[1] Mr. Worsfold was actively employed in the boats of the Seringapatam in the suppression of piracy in the Archipelago. On the night of 31 Jan. 1825 he was badly wounded in the breast at the capture, by the boats of that frigate and the Cambrian, of two vessels, carrying 1 gun and about 30 men each, up the Negropont. – Vide Gaz. 1825, p. 698. Six of the British on this occasion were killed and 13 wounded.

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