Royal Naval Biography/Kingcome, John
JOHN KINGCOME, Esq.
[Commander.]
Was made a lieutenant on the 1st July, 1815; appointed to the Tees 26, Captain Thomas Coe, fitting out for the East Indies, July 29th, 1821; and promoted by that officer to the command of the Larne sloop, on hearing of the death of Commodore Grant, in 1821. Unfortunately for him, the two ships were then far distant, and without any means of communication, the one being at New South Wales, and the other engaged in the Burmese war, which prevented him from joining the Larne at Rangoon, until April 15th, 1825. He subsequently conveyed the lady of Commodore Sir James Brisbane, and her two daughters, from Madras to Penang; and the Archdeacon Scott, from Sydney, New South Wales, to Van Diemen’s Land.
Whilst at Sydney, the Lame was sunk in the act of heaving down, and had her main-mast struck by lightning. From Van Diemen’s Land, she proceeded to New Zealand and Norfolk Island, where acting Commander Kingcome and his first lieutenant W. Burdett Dobson, were swamped in her cutter when attempting to land. Mar. 2d, 1826. She returned to Madras via Torres Straits, touching at Melville Island, Batavia, and Sincapore.
On the 14th July following, this officer was appointed lieutenant of the Pandora sloop. Captain William Clarke Jervoise, a commission having arrived from England promoting Lieutenant Dobson to the command of the Larne. His own advancement to the rank of commander did not take place until Jan. 8th, 1828.