Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet
| Sir Peter Parker, Bt | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Lemuel Francis Abbott, c. 1799 |
|
| Born | 1721 Kingdom of Ireland |
| Died | 1811 (aged 89-90) London |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain |
| Service/branch |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1743 - 1763, 1773 - 1811 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | Portsmouth Command |
| Battles/wars | Seven Years' War American Revolutionary War |
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.[1] In 1761, he took command of HMS Buckingham and helped cover operations on Belle Île.[1] For 10 years he was out of the service on account of the reduction of the navy.
He was knighted in 1772[1] and rejoined the service in 1773.[1]
During the American Revolution, he was sent to provide naval support for an expedition reinforcing Loyalists in the Southern Colonies.[1] Parker hoisted his flag aboard HMS Bristol,[1] 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.[1] 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.[1]Lord William Campbell, the last British Governor of the Province of South Carolina, was mortally wounded aboard the Bristol. Commodore Parker was himself wounded by a flying splinter which injured his leg and tore off his breeches, an incident which occasioned much mirth in the newspapers.[1]
He subsequently served under Lord Howe in the invasion and capture of New York City and commanded the squadron that captured Newport, Rhode Island. He subsequently became Commander-in-Chief, North American Waters, and then Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica.[1] 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.[2] He was, against his will, returned as MP for Seaford, and would later serve as member for Maldon.[2] In 1793 he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.[3]
In 1799 he succeeded Lord Howe as Admiral of the Fleet, and was Chief Mourner at Lord Nelson's funeral in 1806.[2]
Family
Among his children were:
- Anne Parker, married George Ellis
- Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker (1761–1804), married Augusta Byron and had issue.
He was succeeded in the baronetcy by Christopher's son Peter.
Notes
↑Jump back a sectionReferences
- The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 - 1995, Heathcote T. A., Pen & Sword Ltd, 2002, ISBN 0-85052-835-6
External links
"Parker, Sir Peter, bart., British naval officer". Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. 1900.- "Parker, Peter. A British naval officer". New International Encyclopedia. 1905.
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Christopher D'Oyly and John Durand |
Member of Parliament for Seaford 1784–1786 With: Henry Nevill to 1785 Sir John Henderson, Bt from 1785 |
Succeeded by Sir Godfrey Webster and Henry Flood |
| Preceded by The Lord Waltham John Strutt |
Member of Parliament for Maldon 1787–1790 With: John Strutt |
Succeeded by Charles Western Joseph Holden Strutt |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Viscount Hood |
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth 1793–1799 |
Succeeded by Mark Milbanke |
| Preceded by Earl Howe |
Admiral of the Fleet 1799–1811 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Clarence and St Andrews |
| Baronetage of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by New Creation |
Baronet (of Bassingbourne, Essex) 1783-1811 |
Succeeded by Peter Parker |
