# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Banks, John

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​BANKS. (Ret. Capt., 1845. f-p., 15; h-p., 35.)
John Banks, born 2 March, 1786, in the parish of St. Austell, Cornwall, is first cousin of Commander Joseph Pearse, R.N., and of Kennet Banks, Esq., Master, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 8 June, 1797, as a Volunteer, on board the Europe, prison-ship at Plymouth, Lieut.-Commander Gardner; and, on removing to the Canada 74, bearing the broad pendant of Sir John Borlase Warren, was present at the defeat and capture of Commodore Bompart’s squadron off the coast of Ireland, in Oct. 1798. After further serving, as Midshipman, on board the Superb 74, Capt. John Sutton, Immortalité 36, Capts. Hon. Henry Hotham and Edw. W. C. R. Owen, and Mars 74, Capt. John Sutton, on the Mediterranean and Home stations, he became Acting-Lieutenant, 14 July, 1804, of the Colossus 74, Capt. Jas. Nicoll Morris; from which ship he was soon transferred, in a similar capacity, to the Hero 74, Capt. Hon. Alan Hyde Gardner, the leader of the van in Sir Robt. Calder’s action, 22 July, 1805. On 14 Sept. in the latter year Mr. Banks was appointed Sub-Lieutenant of the Falcon 16, Capt. Geo. Sanders, with whom he continued to serve until promoted into La Résolue 36, as Flag-Lieutenant to his old friend Rear-Admiral Sutton. Rejoining Capt. Hotham, in Jan. 1807, on board the Defiance 74, he continued to be employed under that officer, in the same ship, and the Northumberland 74, for upwards of five years. During that period he assisted at the destruction of three French frigates under the batteries of Sable d’Olonne, 24 Feb. 1809, on which occasion the Defiance, besides being much cut up in her masts and rigging, sustained a loss of 2 men killed and 25 wounded; and, when First of the Northumberland, he meritoriously contributed to the annihilation, 22 May, 1812, near L’Orient, of the 40-gun frigates L’Arienne and L’Andromaque and 16-gun brig Mamalouck, whose united fire, conjointly with that of a galling battery, cost the British a loss of 5 men killed and 28 wounded. For his conduct on the latter occasion, Mr. Banks was promoted to the rank of Commander, by commission dated 29 May, 1812, exactly a week after the action. Unable to procure further employment, he accepted the rank of Retired Captain 4 Nov. 1845. When First of the Defiance and Senior Lieutenant on the coast of Spain, Capt. Banks was employed for six weeks in equipping the Spanish men-of-war at Ferrol, preparatory to their removal for better security to Cadiz, and so great was the weakness and attenuation of frame produced by over-fatigue during that period, that he was ultimately obliged to be landed at Plymouth, and placed under the care of the physician of the Channel fleet. On another occasion, while officer of the watch during the close blockade of a line-of-battle ship in the port of L’Orient, he received a frightful injury by the falling of a block from the main-top on his head, which divided the scalp and laid him prostrate on the deck. He was for six months in consequence on the sick list, but has never obtained the slightest compensation for his sufferings.
Capt. Banks married, 10 March, 1815, Miss Elizabeth Banks, of Bath, and by that lady has issue four children. Agents – Pettet and Newton.