# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Symons, William Henry (a)

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​SYMONS. (Commander, 1842. f-p., 25; h-p., 25.)
William Henry Symons was born 1 Sept. 1782. He was left an orphan at an early age, and was brought up under the care of his uncles, the Rev. Jelinger Symons, B.D. (Rector of Mitburn, near Sunderland, and Minister of Stamford Hill Chapel, Clapton), and Peter Symons, Esq., Merchant, of Plymouth.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 Dec. 1797, as a Volunteer, on board the Canada 74. bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Sir John Borlase Warren, under whom, and Capts. Hon. Michael De Courcy and Joseph Sydney Yorke, he continued employed as Midshipman on the Channel, Irish, and Mediterranean stations until transferred, in June, 1801, to the Naiad 38, Capt. Philip Wilkinson. In the Canada he assisted, in 1798, in driving a French frigate on shore near Oléron lighthouse, and contributed to the defeat of the French squadron under Commodore Bompart, intended for the invasion of Ireland; and in the boats of the Naiad he was present at the cutting out of several vessels near the Penmarcks. From Dec. 1801 until Aug. 1802 he served in the Channel in the Sirius 36, Capt. Sir Rich. King; and he was next, in Nov. of the latter year, and in Aug. 1804 and Jan. 1805, received on board the Culloden 74, Capts. Chas. Henry Lane, John Conn, Barrington Dacres, and Geo. Reynolds, Conqueror 74, Capt. Israel Pellew, and Victory 100, flag-ship of Lord Nelson. While attached as Master’s Mate to the Culloden he witnessed the capture of a French frigate by the fleet under Admiral Cornwallis; he partook, also, of a running action with the Duguay Trouin 74 and Guerrière 40, which lasted until the two latter had effected their escape into the Port of Corunna; and he aided in retaking the Lord Nelson East Indiaman. In the Victory, of which ship he was likewise Master’s Mate, he served at the blockade of Toulon, chased the combined fleets of France and Spain to the West Indies and back, and fought at the battle of Trafalgar. On the latter memorable occasion Mr. Symons lost the sense of hearing in his left ear, nor has he ever recovered it. Being made Lieutenant for his conduct, 22 Oct. 1805, into his former ship the Conqueror, commanded by Capts. Israel Pellew and Edw. Fellowes, he was employed in her, prior to the convention of Cintra, in cruizing about the Channel and in blockading the Tagus. He afterwards escorted to England the Russian fleet under Admiral Seniavin. On his return to Lisbon he was ordered, at a period when it was in contemplation to withdraw the British troops from that city, to take the command (he retained it for about three months) of the San Rafael, an 80-gun ship, in which it was intended that part of them should embark. His zeal in getting the San Rafael down the river below Belem, and placing her in a state of readiness, was such as to gain the marked approbation of Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley, the Commander-in-Chief. In the course of 1809 we find the Conqueror conveying two Spanish ships-of-the-line and some captured French seamen from Cadiz to Teneriffe; and co-operating next with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia, where Mr. Symons once landed, and was near falling into the hands of a troop of French cavalry. His appointments, after he left the Conqueror, were – 20 Sept. 1809, to the Royal Sovereign 100, bearing the flag of the late Sir Edw. Thornbrough, under whom he served for two years and a half in the Mediterranean (where he united in the pursuit which led to the self-destruction of the ships-of-the-line Robuste and Lion) and in the Channel – 17 March, 1812, to the command, for upwards of six months, of the Idas cutter, off Flushing – 13 Sept. 1813, to the Dauntless 18, Capt. Daniel Barber, in which vessel (he invalided from her in 1815) he cruized on the Cork station, visited the coast of Labrador, and, after participating in much boat service in the Chesapeake, carried intelligence of the peace to Rio de Janeiro – and, 23 Nov. 1822 and 20 Sept. 1828, to the command of the Greyhound Revenue-cruizer and Meteor steamer. On leaving the Greyhound, in Jan. 1826, Mr. Symons, who had been stationed in her on the coast of Yorkshire, was presented by the Treasury with the sum of 300l., as a reward for the wonderful activity he had displayed in having captured 43 smugglers, in addition to three luggers, laden with tobacco and spirits. He commanded the Meteor for five years and a half; and during that period he was employed on a variety of arduous and important services. In 1830 he was sent with the mails from Falmouth to Corfu – the first steam-trip of the kind that was ever performed – and so satisfactory was the report made by him to the Admiralty on his return, that he was again ordered to the Mediterranean, whence he ultimately brought home Sir John Malcolm and the first overland India mail. On the arrival of Charles X. at ​Spithead, in 1830, Mr. Symons towed his ex-Majesty to Cowes, and afterwards conveyed his family and retinue to Poole – a service for which he was presented with a gold box, and his crew with the sum of 10l. The Meteor was subsequently employed by Sir Henry Hotham and Sir Pulteney Malcolm in reference to the settlement of affairs in Greece and at Constantinople. In May, 1834, Mr. Symons, at the request of Sir Jas. Graham, First Lord of the Admiralty, fitted out and manned the Spitfire steamer for the officer appointed to her, who was at the time absent from England. He made one voyage in her to Corfu with mails; and was then, in Sept. 1834, placed on half-pay. He has not been since afloat. His promotion to the rank he now holds took place 28 March, 18-12.
Commander Symons married, first, in Dec. 181 6, Harriet, daughter of Peter Symons, Esq., by whom, who died in Feb. 1832, he had four children; and secondly, 14 June, 1834, Mary Anne, eldest daughter of the late Lieut. Wm. Taylor, R.N. By the latter lady he has one son. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.