—- Captain Sir Charles Christopher Parker– Thomas Unwins (1826)

“Charles Christopher Parker was the youngest son of Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker (1761–1804) and the grandson of Admiral Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet (1721–1811). In this highly naval family, Parker’s mother, Augusta, was the daughter of Admiral John Byron. He entered the Navy in June 1804, serving in the ‘Glory’ and then the ‘Barfleur’. In June 1805, he was with his brother, Peter, in the sloop ‘Weasel’ before moving to the ‘Eagle’, under Captain Charles Rowley, seeing action off the Italian coast. In 1809 he was in the Baltic in the ‘St George’ and then in the ‘San Josef’ in the Mediterranean. Parker was moved to the ‘Unité’ in May 1810 and promoted lieutenant on 17 June 1811. In August that year he was then invalided following a serious fall from the quarterdeck into the gun room. Recovered, he was in the ‘Menelaus’ in 1812, now commanded by his brother, before moving that May to the ‘Malta’ under Rear-Admiral Hallowell. He continued in her until promoted commander on 5 April 1815. From 1819 until he was posted captain on 23 April 1823, Parker was in the ‘Harlequin’, 18 guns, on the Irish coast. He saw no further service. He attained the ranks of rear-admiral (7 October 1852), vice-admiral (28 November 1857) and admiral (27 April 1863) on the retired list. He succeeded to the family baronetcy on 18 November 1835.” (x)

Mention made of him in the 1836 obituary of his elder brother, Sir John Ely Parker (x)

—- Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet– Lemuel Francis Abbott (c.1799)

“Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet (1721–1811) was a British naval officer. Peter Parker was born probably in Ireland. He became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1743 and captain in 1747. In 1761, he took command of HMS Buckingham and helped cover operations on Belle Île. For 10 years he was out of the service on account of the reduction of the navy. He was knighted in 1772 and rejoined the service in 1773.

During the American Revolution, he was sent to provide naval support for an expedition reinforcing Loyalists in the Southern Colonies. Parker hoisted his flag aboard HMS Bristol, and on June 28, 1776, led a naval attack against the fortifications on Sullivan’s Island (later called Fort Moultrie after their commander), protecting Charleston, South Carolina. After a long and hard-fought battle, Parker was forced to call off the attack, having sustained heavy casualties, including the loss of HMS Actaeon, grounded and abandoned. Commodore Parker was himself wounded by a flying splinter which injured his leg and tore off his breeches, an incident that occasioned much mirth in the newspapers.

He subsequently served under Lord Howe in the invasion and capture of New York City and commanded the squadron that captured Newport, Rhode Island, and later became Commander-in-Chief, North American Waters, and then Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica. At this time, Parker acted as a patron and friend of Horatio Nelson, then serving aboard the Bristol, an attachment which would endure for the remainder of Nelson’s life.

He was created baronet in 1783. In 1793 he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. In 1799 he succeeded Lord Howe as Admiral of the Fleet, and was Chief Mourner at Lord Nelson’s funeral in 1806.” (x)

A ballad written on the occasion of his battle at Sullivan’s Island (x)

A Narrative by Sir Peter Parker of his Attack on Sullivan’s Island, June 28, 1775 (x)

—- Lieutenant Sir Peter Parker, 3rd Baronet– British school (c. late 1820s)

Lieutenant and later Commander Sir Peter Parker, 3rd Baronet (1809-1835)- son of Sir Peter Parker, 2nd Baronet and Marianne Dallas. Great-Grandson of Sir Peter Parker the 1st Baronet. Promoted commander of HMS Vernon 3 March 1834, died March 1835. (x)

Mention made in 1869 Register and Magazine of Biography (x)

—- Captain Sir Peter Parker, 2nd Baronet– John Hoppner (c. 1808-1810)

“Sir Peter Parker, 2nd Baronet (England, 1785 – 31 August 1814, Fairlee, Maryland) was an English naval officer, the son of Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker and Augusta Byron. Parker was the descendant of several Royal Navy flag officers. His father was the son of Admiral Sir Peter Parker, and his mother the daughter of Vice-Admiral John Byron. Educated at Westminster School, he entered the Royal Navy in 1798, serving under his grandfather and his grandfather’s friend, Lord Nelson in Victory. He rapidly rose through the ranks, and was promoted in May 1804 to Commander. The next year he took command of the brig Weazel. The Weazel was the first British vessel to sight the Franco-Spanish fleet leaving Cádiz, an action that precipitated the Battle of Trafalgar. For this service he was promoted Captain. 

In 1814, following the French surrender, Menelaus was sent to Bermuda. From there Parker joined the British forces in the Chesapeake Bay under Admiral Sir George Cockburn and took part in the blockade of Baltimore. A bold and efficient commander, he became known for his ferocity in destroying American farms and property along the Chesapeake. Having for several days raided Kent County, Maryland, he landed a shore party and attempted a night attack on a detachment of Maryland militia at Fairlee, Maryland on the night of 30 August 1814. Unexpected resistance from the militia precipitated the Battle of Caulk’s Field; while British and American sources differ on the result of the battle, Parker was one of the casualties. Leading his marines, he was hit in the thigh (as his grandfather had been at the Battle of Sullivan’s Island), but unlike his grandfather, Parker died on the field of a severed femoral artery.” (x)

A Biographical Memoir of the late Sir Peter Parker, Baronet (x)

On the Death of Sir Peter Parker, Bart.– a eulogy by his cousin Lord Byron (x)

—- Captain William Bentinck– George Romney (c.1787-1788) (x)

“The son of Captain John Bentinck, the inventor, he was promoted captain of the ‘Assistance’, ‘50 guns, as early as 1783. He later commanded a frigate at the Battle of the Glorious First of June, 1794, and gained promotion to flag rank.” (x)

—- Captain John Bentinck and his son William Bentinck- Mason Chamberlin (1775)

“John Albert Bentinck (29 December 1737 – 23 September 1775) was an officer of the Royal Navy, an inventor and a Member of Parliament.” (x)

“A double full-length portrait showing Captain Bentinck seated on the left facing right in captain’s full-dress uniform, over three years, 1774-87, and a grey wig. William, his son, is standing facing left towards his father, holding a model yacht, in the uniform of the Naval Academy at Portsmouth. They are shown in the captain’s cabin of the ‘Centaur’, 74 guns, which was the guardship at Portsmouth. On a table to the left, John Bentinck’s right arm rests on a pile of books and plans, which denote his various mechanical inventions, and he holds a rolled-up plan in his right hand. He improved the design for the chain pump which bore his name and also of pulley blocks, one of which is shown in the painting next to the sleeping spaniel, curled under the table. The painting shows a close bond between father and son as well as a strong family likeness. John Bentinck died in September 1775, only a short time after this portrait was painted, leaving a widow and seven young children. William himself was to be a naval captain and the National Maritime Museum also has his portrait by George Romney, see BHC2551.” (x)

—- Admiral Francis Holburne and his son Francis- Joshua Reynolds (c. 1755-1757)

“Admiral Sir Francis Holburne (1704 – 15 July 1771) was a Royal Navy officer who also served as a Member of Parliament.” (x)

“Facing forwards and looking to the left, the boy wears a midshipman’s uniform with a three-cornered hat and leather gloves… In the present portrait, Francis is at shown aged six at most, which suggests his midshipman’s uniform is either one made for him by his proud father, or simply painted in by Reynolds, since he would then have been too young to be at sea in this role.” (x)