Mr. Thomas Fellowes was born at Minorca, in 1778; and he first went to sea, as a midshipman in the Hon. East India Company’s service, about the year 1791 . We are not acquainted with the exact date of his entry into the royal navy, but believe it to have been in 1797, on which occasion he was received on board the Royal George, a first rate, bearing the flag of Lord Bridport, commander-in-chief of the channel, or grand fleet.
The monotonous service of blockading Brest harbour not being suitable to his active disposition, Mr. Fellowes soon afterwards obtained permission to join the Diana frigate, commanded by Captain Jonathan Faulknor, and employed as a channel cruiser. In that ship, he appears to have been entrusted with the charge of a watch, and admitted to mess with the lieutenants, a convincing proof of the estimation in which his abilities and general conduct were held by his superiors. We subsequently find him proceeding to Jamaica, as master’s-mate of the Crescent frigate; and assisting at the capture of El Galgo, Spanish national brig, under circumstances highly creditable to his commander, the late Commissioner Lobb[1].
The Crescent being short of commissioned officers, Mr. Fellowes was appointed prize-master of El Galgo; and on his arrival at Port Royal, he joined the Queen 98; from which ship he was soon afterwards removed to the Sans Pareil 80, bearing the flag of Lord Hugh Seymour, commander-in-chief on that station. In 1801 and 1802, he successively acted as lieutenant of the Cumberland 74, Snake sloop, and Carnatic 74; the former third rate commanded by Captain Henry William Bayntun, the latter bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Robert Montagu.
Unfortunately for Mr. Fellowes, the peace of Amiens took place before he had served the established probationary term; and although Rear-Admiral Montagu, with a delicate regard to his feelings, kindly offered to send him home acting in the Ambuscade frigate, rather than allow him to resume the
- ↑ See Suppl. Part I. p. 299, et seq. N.B. Commissioner Lobb died at Sheerness, July 28, 1814.
