The table below is intended to include all commissioned officers (that is, with the rank of Lieutenant or above) in command of a Royal Navy vessel between 1840 and 1880. The data are chiefly derived from service records in the National Archives in Kew, contemporary Navy Lists, William R. O'Byrne's "Naval Biographical Dictionary" (1849) and the "Naval Intelligence" column of the Times newspaper.
Follow the links in the first column for available biographic and career data. The 'Rank reached' column shows the highest substantive rank reached (thus not including "retired ..."); as the data are incomplete, however, some officers may have actually reached a higher rank.
For officers not shown here, try Paul Benyon's extensive list. For persons other than naval sea officers, go here.
Officer | Born | Died | Rank reached | Entries | |
Thomas Nourse | Underwood R.N. | 1828 | 1899 | Commander | 11 |
William Brabazon | Urmston R.N. | 1828 | 1869 | Captain | 16 |
Sidney Henry | Ussher R.N. | <1822 | 1863 | Captain | 12 |
Frederick Samuel | Vander-Meulen R.N. | 1839 | 1913 | Vice-Admiral | 13 |
Edward Westby | Vansittart R.N. | 1818 | 1904 | Captain | 24 |
Nicholas | Vansittart R.N. | 1820 | 1859 | Captain | 11 |
James William | Vaughan R.N. | 1828 | 1873 | Captain | 16 |
James Richard | Veitch R.N. | 1827 | 1909 | Captain | 13 |
Foley Charles Prendergast | Vereker R.N. | 1850 | 1900 | Captain | 13 |
Edmund Hope | Verney R.N. | 1838 | 1910 | Captain | 33 |
Louis Hutton | Versturme R.N. | <1853 | >1868 | Commander | 5 |
Charles | Vesey R.N. | <1846 | >1868 | Captain | 8 |
William | Vicary R.N. | <1855 | >1870 | Lieutenant | 4 |
Alexander Thomas Emeric | Vidal R.N. | 1792 | 1863 | Vice-Admiral | 25 |
Arthur Julian | Villiers R.N. | <1855 | >1856 | Lieutenant | 3 |
Edward Pelham Brenton | Von Donop R.N. | 1811 | 1890 | Captain | 11 |
Charles Lodowick Darley | Waddilove R.N. | 1828 | 1896 | Admiral | 22 |
James Francis Ballard | Wainwright R.N. | 1820 | 1872 | Rear-Admiral | 22 |
Charles | Wake R.N. | 1824 | 1890 | Vice-Admiral | 15 |
Arthur | Wakefield R.N. | <1821 | 1844 | Commander | 4 |
William | Waldegrave R.N. | 1788 | 1859 | Captain | 20 |
Baldwin Wake | Walker R.N. | 1802 | 1876 | Admiral | 23 |
Provo William Parry | Wallis R.N. | 1791 | 1892 | Admiral of the Fleet | 19 |
William | Walpole R.N. | 1789 | 1875 | Vice-Admiral | 14 |
James Hamilton | Ward R.N. | 1802 | 1875 | Captain | 11 |
John | Ward R.N. | <1849 | >1858 | Lieutenant | 3 |
John | Ward R.N. | <1850 | >1873 | Commander | 4 |
Thomas Le Hunte | Ward R.N. | 1830 | 1907 | Rear-Admiral | 15 |
Hon. William John | Ward R.N. | 1829 | 1900 | Vice-Admiral | 14 |
Frederick | Warden R.N. | 1807 | 1869 | Rear-Admiral | 23 |
Frederick Pelham | Warren R.N. | 1822 | 1891 | Unknown! | 20 |
Richard Laird | Warren R.N. | 1809 | 1875 | Admiral | 26 |
William | Warren R.N. | 1798 | 1871 | Captain | 18 |
Henry Holford | Washington R.N. | 1839 | 1907 | Commander | 27 |
John | Washington R.N. | 1800 | 1863 | Captain | 17 |
Thomas Vernon | Watkins R.N. | <1815 | >1865 | Captain | 10 |
George Willes | Watson R.N. | 1827 | 1897 | Vice-Admiral | 21 |
Rundle Burges | Watson R.N. | 1809 | 1860 | Captain | 16 |
John Middleton | Waugh R.N. | <1814 | 1842 | Commander | 4 |
John Whitmarsh | Webb R.N. | <1849 | >1867 | Captain | 5 |
Joseph Richard Raggett | Webb R.N. | 1788 | 1865 | Captain | 7 |
Edmund | Webber R.N. | <1847 | 1860 | Lieutenant | 4 |
Godfrey Vassal | Webster R.N. | 1815 | 1854 | Lieutenant | 12 |
David | Welch R.N. | <1812 | >1836 | Lieutenant | 2 |
Edmund Francis | Weld R.N. | 1828 | 1870 | Lieutenant | 6 |
George Greville | Wellesley R.N. | 1814 | 1901 | Admiral | 29 |
John Campion | Wells R.N. | <1855 | >1873 | Commander | 8 |
Richard | Wells R.N. | 1833 | 1896 | Admiral | 29 |
Henry | West R.N. | <1846 | >1860 | Commander | 3 |
James Banks | West R.N. | <1821 | >1848 | Commander | 9 |
Joseph | West R.N. | <1807 | >1847 | Commander | 8 |
George | Western R.N. | <1837 | >1848 | Lieutenant | 11 |
Frederick Augustus | Wetherall R.N. | <1854 | >1888 | Commander | 6 |
John Anthony Lawrence | Wharton R.N. | <1844 | >1880 | Commander | 7 |
William James Lloyd | Wharton R.N. | 1843 | 1905 | Captain | 15 |
Edward | White R.N. | 1835 | 1882 | Captain | 9 |
George Henry Parlby | White R.N. | 1802 | 1881 | Captain | 10 |
Richard Dunning | White R.N. | 1819 | 1899 | Captain | 17 |
James Hawkins | Whitshed R.N. | <1854 | >1858 | Lieutenant | 4 |
John William | Whyte R.N. | <1843 | 1895 | Captain | 10 |
William Henry | Whyte R.N. | 1829 | 1912 | Admiral | 24 |
John Clements | Wickham R.N. | 1798 | 1864 | Commander | 12 |
Leveson | Wildman R.N. | <1854 | >1860 | Commander | 4 |
Edward Henry | Wilkinson R.N. | <1848 | >1882 | Commander | 5 |
George Robinson | Wilkinson R.N. | <1854 | >1863 | Lieutenant | 2 |
James | Wilkinson R.N. | <1803 | >1840 | Captain | 6 |
James | Willcox R.N. | 1816 | 1877 | Rear-Admiral | 22 |
Robert | Willcox R.N. | <1795 | >1846 | Commander | 6 |
George Ommaney | Willes R.N. | 1823 | 1901 | Admiral | 31 |
George Wickens | Willes R.N. | 1783 | 1847 | Captain | 14 |
Charles Hamlyn | Williams R.N. | <1803 | >1855 | Captain | 9 |
George Bell | Williams R.N. | <1840 | >1857 | Commander | 3 |
Richard Nicholls | Williams R.N. | 1792 | 1869 | Lieutenant | 10 |
Woodford John | Williams R.N. | <1822 | >1859 | Captain | 20 |
William Alexander | Willis R.N. | 1799 | 1862 | Captain | 10 |
John | Willson R.N. | 1782 | >1858 | Commander | 6 |
Charles Edward | Wilmot R.N. | <1808 | >1846 | Commander | 11 |
Edward | Wilmot R.N. | 1828 | 1863 | Commander | 14 |
Arthur | Wilmshurst R.N. | 1817 | 1891 | Captain | 27 |
Arthur Knyvet | Wilson R.N. | 1842 | 1921 | Admiral of the Fleet | 54 |
Edmund | Wilson R.N. | <1816 | >1862 | Commander | 10 |
Frederick William | Wilson R.N. | 1829 | 1880 | Captain | 17 |
George Knyvett | Wilson R.N. | 1798 | 1866 | Captain | 19 |
John Crawford | Wilson R.N. | <1855 | 1885 | Rear-Admiral | 25 |
Joseph Edward Maitland | Wilson R.N. | 1833 | 1920 | Captain | 16 |
Thomas | Wilson R.N. | 1811 | 1894 | Rear-Admiral | 20 |
William Charles Fahie | Wilson R.N. | 1831 | 1887 | Captain | 10 |
William Leyland | Wilson R.N. | 1833 | 1856 | Lieutenant | 6 |
Edward John | Wingfield R.N. | 1846 | 1888 | Commander | 8 |
Henry Edward | Wingrove R.N. | <1812 | >1847 | Commander | 8 |
William Robert Wolseley | Winniett R.N. | 1793 | 1850 | Commander | 14 |
George Teal Sabor | Winthorp R.N. | <1846 | >1855 | Lieutenant | 2 |
Charles | Wise R.N. | 1810 | 1877 | Rear-Admiral | 21 |
Charles Arthur | Wise R.N. | <1847 | >1856 | Commander | 5 |
William | Wiseman R.N. | 1845 | 1893 | Captain | 33 |
William Saltonstall | Wiseman R.N. | 1814 | 1874 | Rear-Admiral | 28 |
Armine | Wodehouse R.N. | <1845 | >1858 | Commander | 6 |
George | Wodehouse R.N. | 1810 | 1900 | Captain | 25 |
James | Wolfe R.N. | <1814 | >1843 | Commander | 4 |
George Rhodes | Wolrige R.N. | <1828 | >1852 | Commander | 4 |
Charles Octavius | Wood R.N. | <1828 | >1857 | Lieutenant | 8 |
Hon Francis Lindley | Wood R.N. | <1860 | >1868 | Commander | 3 |
Frederick | Wood R.N. | 1799 | 1847 | Captain | 16 |
Granville Hamilton | Wood R.N. | 1818 | 1856 | Commander | 8 |
James | Wood R.N. | <1825 | >1858 | Commander | 7 |
William | Wood R.N. | <1845 | >1882 | Captain | 9 |
William Cotterell | Wood R.N. | 1810 | >1847 | Commander | 9 |
Charles Sheldon Pearce | Woodruffe R.N. | <1853 | >1887 | Commander | 9 |
Daniel | Woodruffe R.N. | <1811 | 1845 | Lieutenant | 4 |
John Bolton | Woodthorpe R.N. | 1796 | 1846 | Captain | 14 |
Samuel Otway | Wooldridge R.N. | 1814 | >1845 | Lieutenant | 5 |
Frederick | Woollcombe R.N. | <1846 | >1864 | Commander | 8 |
Henry Bedford | Woollcombe R.N. | 1831 | 1904 | Captain | 19 |
William | Worsfold R.N. | 1798 | >1856 | Commander | 11 |
Henry John | Worth R.N. | 1803 | 1852 | Captain | 22 |
Henry Rushworth | Wratislaw R.N. | 1832 | >1892 | Vice-Admiral | 13 |
Charles Joseph | Wrey R.N. | 1828 | 1891 | Commander | 9 |
Samuel | Wriford R.N. | <1797 | >1845 | Commander | 5 |
Arthur Richard | Wright R.N. | 1831 | 1879 | Captain | 23 |
Charles Mayson Moncrieffe | Wright R.N. | <1808 | >1846 | Captain | 5 |
Henry | Wright R.N. | 1812 | >1841 | Lieutenant | 8 |
John Allan | Wright R.N. | <1813 | 1844 | Lieutenant | 4 |
Edward | Wylde R.N. | <1806 | >1849 | Lieutenant | 5 |
Robert James | Wynniatt R.N. | <1850 | >1859 | Commander | 4 |
Christopher | Wyvill R.N. | 1793 | 1863 | Rear-Admiral | 15 |
Richard Augustus | Yates R.N. | 1783 | 1876 | Captain | 14 |
Hastings Reginald | Yelverton R.N. | 1808 | 1878 | Admiral | 35 |
Bernard | Yeoman R.N. | 1791 | 1836 | Captain | 6 |
Charles Philip | Yorke R.N. | 1799 | 1873 | Captain | 22 |
Henry Francis Redhead | Yorke R.N. | 1842 | 1914 | Lieutenant | 21 |
Reginald | Yorke R.N. | 1803 | >1864 | Captain | 15 |
Charles Henry | Young R.N. | <1830 | >1852 | Lieutenant | 3 |
Horatio Beauman | Young R.N. | 1806 | >1877 | Captain | 9 |
Thomas James | Young R.N. | 1827 | 1869 | Captain | 12 |
Charles Bampfield | Yule R.N. | <1830 | 1878 | Commander | 7 |