for his services on the coast of China, to the rank of Lieutenant 6 May, 1841. His appointments hare since been – 28 May, 1841, as Additional, to the Wellesley 72, Capt. Thos. Maitland, in the East Indies – 17 March, 1842, to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings – 27 April, 1843, to the Pique 36, Capt. Hon. Montagu Stopford, attached to the force in North America and the West Indies – and, 25 Nov. 1844 and 28 April, 1845, a.gain as Additional, to the Illustrious 72, and Vindictive 50, flag-ships of Sir Chas. Adam and Sir Fras. Wm. Austen, on the same station, where he is now employed in surveying. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.
HANCOCK. (Rear-Admiral of the Blue, 1841. f-p., 29; h-p., 38.)
Richard Turner Hancock was born 23 June, 1764, and died 5 March, 1846, at Weymouth.
This officer entered the Navy, 24 July, 1779, as Midshipman, on board the Formidable 98, Capt. John Stanton, in which ship, under the flag of Sir Geo. Rodney, he took part in the actions of 9 and 12 April, 1782. Returning home from the West Indies in the course of the same year in the Ardent 64, Capt. Rich. Lucas, he next, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 26 Aug. 1789, served, in the Channel and at Portsmouth, on board the Orestes, Capt. Jas. Ellis, Expedition cutter, Lieut.-Commander Chas. C. Crooke, and Triumph and Barfleur, bearing the flags of Admirals Lord Hood and R. Roddam. His first commission was presented to him in consequence of his having been sent to attend on George III., on the occasion of a visit made by that monarch to Weymouth. His succeeding appointments, we find, were – 11 May, 1790, to the Saturn 74, Capt. Robt. Linzee, in the Channel – 21 Feb. 1792, to the Hussar 28, Capts. Rupert George, John Poo Beresford, Chas. Wemyss, and Chas. Rowley, on the Halifax station – 7 Oct. 1796, to the Unité 38, commanded in the Channel and West Indies by Capts. C. Rowley, Wm. Shield, and J. P. Beresford – and, 5 Jan. 1800, to the Prince of Wales 98, bearing the flag on the latter station of Lord Hugh Seymour. In all but the first of those ships Mr. Hancock officiated as Senior-Lieutenant; and while in the Hussar he contributed, in company with the Thetis 36, to the defeat, 17 May, 1795, of five sail, two of which, La Prévoyante of 24, and La Raison of 18 guns, were captured after a close action of more than an hour’s duration. He also, when in the Unité, assisted at the reduction of the Devil’s Islands, near Cayenne. Being at length (on the earnest and repeated application of Capt. Beresford, under whom he had served on the two latter occasions) awarded a Commander’s commission, dated 4 Sept. 1800, Capt. Hancock was next appointed, 27 May, 1803, to the Plover 18, in which sloop he cruized on the Channel station until posted 25 Sept. 1806. He afterwards served as Flag-Captain, in the 80-gun ships Tonnant and Foudroyant, to Hon. Michael De Courcy, from July, 1807, until Dec. 1812; during which period, besides pursuing a French squadron to the West Indies, he escorted the army home after the battle of Corunna, and was for a long time employed on the Brazilian station. While there Don John, the Regent, offered to invest him with a Portuguese order of knighthood; but, as Capt. Hancock did not conceive he had performed any military service deserving of the honour, it was modestly declined. The Regent, persisting, however, in his resolution of conferring on the Captain some mark of his regard, presented him with his portrait set with diamonds in a valuable gold box. Rear-Admiral Hancook, who had not been afloat since the period of his leaving the Foudroyant, attained Flag-rank 23 Nov. 1841.
He married, first, 1 Jan. 1813, Jane Love, daughter of Rear-Admiral Kinneer; and secondly, 21 Sept. 1826, Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of the late John Harwood, Esq., who died 11 Dec. 1843. By his first marriage the Rear-Admiral has left issue three children, one of whom, James Kinneer, is a Lieut. R.N.
HAND. (Commander, 1841.)
George Sumner Hand entered the Navy 1 Feb. 1821; and bore a part in the hostilities in Ava, where, in 1825, he commanded a boat at the capture of the formidable fortress of Donoobew, and the Alligator’s two cutters at the taking of Melloone.[1] He passed his examination in 1827; obtained his first commission 14 July, 1829; and was afterwards appointed – 8 Aug. in the same year, to the Shannon 46, Capt. Benj. Clement, in the West Indies – 13 Sept. following, to the Grasshopper 18, Capt. John Elpbinstone Erskine, in which sloop he returned to England, and was paid off 6 Sept. 1831 – and 20 Jan. 1834, and 23 Nov. 1838, as Senior, to the Racehorse 18, Capt. Sir Jas. Everard Home, and Vestal 26, Capts. Thos. Wren Carter and John Parker, both on the North America and West India station. He attained his present rank, while serving in the latter ship, 23 Nov. 1841; and since 14 Dec. 1844, has been in command of the Espoir 10, on the coast of Africa. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
HANDLEY. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 10; h-p., 32.)
John William Henry Handley entered the Navy, 2 March, 1805, as Third-cl. Vol., on board the Puissant 74, Capt. John Irwin, lying at Portsmouth; and on 4 of the following Nov., having joined the Namur 74, Capt. Lawrence Wm. Halsted, was present in Sir John Strachan’s action off Ferrol. After that event he served, until July, 1807, in the West Indies, and on the African and American stations. He then removed, as Midshipman, to the Valiant 74, Capts. Young, Alex. Robt. Kerr, John Bligh, John Nash, and Robt. Dudley Oliver; in which ship, under Capt. Bligh, he assisted at the destruction of the French squadron in Aix Roads in April, 1809, and at the capture, near Belleisle, 3 Feb. 1810, of the French 40-gun frigate Cannonière, laden with the spoil of the principal prizes which the enemy had taken in the East Indies during the three preceding years. He also, while borne on the books of the Valiant, commanded a gun-boat during the operations of 1809 against the island of Walcheren. On leaving the last-mentioned ship, Mr. Handley, in Dec. 1811, joined the Bellerophon 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral John Ferrier off the Texel, where he served until Nov. 1812. Becoming Master’s Mate, in March, 1813, of the San Josef 110, flag-ship in the Mediterranean of Sir Rich. King, he there, on 5 Nov. in the same year, and 13 Feb. 1814, witnessed Sir Edw. Pellew’s two actions with the Toulon fleet; after which, on being transferred to the Cyane, of 32 guns and 171 men, Capt. Gordon Thos. Falcon, he was on board that vessel when captured, 20 Feb. 1815, together with her consort, the Levant, of 20 guns and 131 men, by the United States frigate Constitution, of 54 guns and 469 men, at the close of a desperate conflict in which the Cyane sustained a loss of 6 men killed and 13 wounded. He was soon, however, restored to liberty, and, on his arrival in England, found that he had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by commission bearing date 7 Feb. 1815. He has since been on half-pay. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
HANHAM. (Lieut., 1818. f-p., 9; h-p., 29.)
William Hanham entered the Navy, 29 Aug. 1809, as Fst.-cl. VoL, on board the Royal William, Capt. John Irwin, bearing the flag of Sir Roger Curtis, at Spithead, where, in April, 1810, he accompanied the same officers into the Puissant 74. In Aug. 1811, after serving for some time on the Jersey station with Capt. Corbet Jas. D’Auvergne of the Albacore sloop, he joined the Nijaden 36, commanded by Capt. Farmery Predam Epworth, with whom, and latterly with Capt. Hugh Pigot, he continued actively employed, off the coasts of Por-
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1825.
