Rear-AdmiralSir Richard Bickerton, 1st Baronet (23 June 1727 – 25 February 1792) was a British naval officer who finished his career as a rear admiral in the Royal Navy and was ennobled as the first Baronet Bickerton of Upwood. He served in several naval engagements, and died Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth in 1792. His son Richard Hussey Bickerton, who likewise rose to flag rank in the Royal Navy, succeeded to the baronetcy following his death.
Richard Bickerton was born on 23 June 1727 in Bridgnorth, the third son of a Lieutenant in the 4th Dragoon Guards.[1] Educated at Westminster School,[1] he joined the navy in 1739 and served aboard Suffolk, Stirling Castle, St George, Duke, Victory and Cornwall,[2] before being commissioned as a lieutenant on 8 February 1746 at the age of 18.[1] He served as a Lieutenant aboard the 60-gun fourth rate Worcester in 1748.[1] On 2 August 1758 he was appointed Master and Commander of the fireshipEtna,[1] and then on 21 August 1759 promoted to the rank of Captain and appointed to command the 74-gun third rate Culloden. However, he was swiftly removed into the much smaller 20-gun sixth rate Glasgow, in command of which he sailed on 25 April 1760 for the West Indies. Returning to England in 1761, he commanded the similar 20-gun Lively for a short while.
In 1767 Bickerton was appointed to command the 30-gun fifth rate Renown, again for employment to the West Indies. At the start of 1771 he took command of the 74-gun third rate Marlborough, remaining in this post for nearly three years. He was knighted on 24 June 1773. He subsequently commanded the Royal yachtPrincess Augusta, and from October 1776 the 74-gun third rate Terrible; while aboard the latter he captured the American privateer Rising States on 15 April 1777 while cruising off Ushant. He was created a Baronet of Upwood on 29 May 1778,[3] and while still commanding the Terrible[1] distinguished himself at the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778.
In early 1780 Bickerton took command of the new 74-gun Fortitude,[1] and later was re-appointed to the Royal yacht Princess Augusta, before hoisting his broad pendant — as a commodore — aboard the 80-gun Gibraltar in January 1782. He sailed from England on 6 February 1782 in command of a squadron of six third rates and two frigates, escorting a convoy to India. In the Indian Ocean, he joined the fleet commanded by Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, and took part in the Battle of Cuddalore on 20 June 1783.[1] Returning to England upon the conclusion of hostilities, he hoisted his broad pendant aboard the 50-gun fourth rate Jupiter for a brief period as Commander-in-Chief on the Leeward Islands Station in 1786.[1][4]
Bickerton reached flag rank on 24 September 1787,[1] when he was appointed Rear Admiral of the Blue, and was promoted to Rear Admiral of the White on 21 September 1790, at that time flying his flag aboard the 90-gun second rate Impregnable. In the General Election of 1790, he was elected to the British House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Rochester in Kent, retaining that seat until his death from an apoplectic fit on 25 September 1792. At the time of his death he was Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth,[1] flying his flag in the 98-gun second rate St. George.
Familyedit
In 1758 Bickerton had married Mary Anne Hussey,[1] and the marriage produced two sons and two daughters, the former including Richard Hussey Bickerton, an equally successful naval officer who became the 2nd Baronet upon his father's death, and rose even further in the Navy's ranks to finish as Admiral of the Red.
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijklPearsall, A. W. H. "Bickerton, Sir Richard". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2350. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Haydn, Joseph (1851). The Book of Dignities: Containing Lists of the Official Personages of the British Empire ... from the Earliest Periods to the Present Time ... Together with the Sovereigns and Rulers of Europe, from the Foundation of Their Respective States; the Peerage of England and Great Britain. London: Longmans, Brown, Green, and Longmans. p. 279.
Further readingedit
John Charnock, Biographia Navalis (London, 1798).
David Syrett and R. L. DiNardo, The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy, 1660-1815. (Naval Records Society, 1994).
richard, bickerton, baronet, rear, admiral, june, 1727, february, 1792, british, naval, officer, finished, career, rear, admiral, royal, navy, ennobled, first, baronet, bickerton, upwood, served, several, naval, engagements, died, commander, chief, plymouth, 1. Rear Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton 1st Baronet 23 June 1727 25 February 1792 was a British naval officer who finished his career as a rear admiral in the Royal Navy and was ennobled as the first Baronet Bickerton of Upwood He served in several naval engagements and died Commander in Chief Plymouth in 1792 His son Richard Hussey Bickerton who likewise rose to flag rank in the Royal Navy succeeded to the baronetcy following his death Sir Richard Bickerton 1st BaronetBorn 1727 06 23 23 June 1727Died25 February 1792 1792 02 25 aged 64 Allegiance Kingdom of Great BritainService wbr branch Royal NavyYears of service1746 1792RankRear AdmiralCommands heldEtnaCullodenGlasgowLivelyRenownMarlboroughPrincess AugustaTerribleFortitudePrincess Augusta again Leeward Islands StationPlymouth CommandBattles warsBattle of Ushant 1778 Battle of CuddaloreOther workMember of Parliament for Rochester 1790 1792 Contents 1 Naval career 2 Family 3 References 4 Further readingNaval career editRichard Bickerton was born on 23 June 1727 in Bridgnorth the third son of a Lieutenant in the 4th Dragoon Guards 1 Educated at Westminster School 1 he joined the navy in 1739 and served aboard Suffolk Stirling Castle St George Duke Victory and Cornwall 2 before being commissioned as a lieutenant on 8 February 1746 at the age of 18 1 He served as a Lieutenant aboard the 60 gun fourth rate Worcester in 1748 1 On 2 August 1758 he was appointed Master and Commander of the fireship Etna 1 and then on 21 August 1759 promoted to the rank of Captain and appointed to command the 74 gun third rate Culloden However he was swiftly removed into the much smaller 20 gun sixth rate Glasgow in command of which he sailed on 25 April 1760 for the West Indies Returning to England in 1761 he commanded the similar 20 gun Lively for a short while In 1767 Bickerton was appointed to command the 30 gun fifth rate Renown again for employment to the West Indies At the start of 1771 he took command of the 74 gun third rate Marlborough remaining in this post for nearly three years He was knighted on 24 June 1773 He subsequently commanded the Royal yacht Princess Augusta and from October 1776 the 74 gun third rate Terrible while aboard the latter he captured the American privateer Rising States on 15 April 1777 while cruising off Ushant He was created a Baronet of Upwood on 29 May 1778 3 and while still commanding the Terrible 1 distinguished himself at the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778 In early 1780 Bickerton took command of the new 74 gun Fortitude 1 and later was re appointed to the Royal yacht Princess Augusta before hoisting his broad pendant as a commodore aboard the 80 gun Gibraltar in January 1782 He sailed from England on 6 February 1782 in command of a squadron of six third rates and two frigates escorting a convoy to India In the Indian Ocean he joined the fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and took part in the Battle of Cuddalore on 20 June 1783 1 Returning to England upon the conclusion of hostilities he hoisted his broad pendant aboard the 50 gun fourth rate Jupiter for a brief period as Commander in Chief on the Leeward Islands Station in 1786 1 4 Bickerton reached flag rank on 24 September 1787 1 when he was appointed Rear Admiral of the Blue and was promoted to Rear Admiral of the White on 21 September 1790 at that time flying his flag aboard the 90 gun second rate Impregnable In the General Election of 1790 he was elected to the British House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Rochester in Kent retaining that seat until his death from an apoplectic fit on 25 September 1792 At the time of his death he was Commander in Chief Plymouth 1 flying his flag in the 98 gun second rate St George Family editIn 1758 Bickerton had married Mary Anne Hussey 1 and the marriage produced two sons and two daughters the former including Richard Hussey Bickerton an equally successful naval officer who became the 2nd Baronet upon his father s death and rose even further in the Navy s ranks to finish as Admiral of the Red References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l Pearsall A W H Bickerton Sir Richard Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 2350 Subscription or UK public library membership required Laughton John Knox 1886 Bickerton Richard 1727 1792 In Stephen Leslie ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 5 London Smith Elder amp Co No 11875 The London Gazette 19 May 1778 p 1 Haydn Joseph 1851 The Book of Dignities Containing Lists of the Official Personages of the British Empire from the Earliest Periods to the Present Time Together with the Sovereigns and Rulers of Europe from the Foundation of Their Respective States the Peerage of England and Great Britain London Longmans Brown Green and Longmans p 279 Further reading editJohn Charnock Biographia Navalis London 1798 David Syrett and R L DiNardo The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660 1815 Naval Records Society 1994 Military officesPreceded bySir Richard Hughes Commander in Chief Leeward Islands Station1786 1787 Succeeded bySir William ParkerPreceded bySir Thomas Graves Commander in Chief Plymouth1790 1792 Succeeded byPhillips CosbyParliament of Great BritainPreceded bySir Charles MiddletonNathaniel Smith Member of Parliament for Rochester1790 1792 With George Best Succeeded byGeorge BestNathaniel SmithBaronetage of Great BritainNew creation Baronet of Upwood 1778 1792 Succeeded byRichard Hussey Bickerton Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sir Richard Bickerton 1st Baronet amp oldid 1078329980, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
