# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pilkington, Edward Williams

Layout 4
​PILKINGTON. (Commander, 1830. f-p., 19; h-p., 11.)
Edward Williams Pilkington, born 14 Dec. 1803, is second son of the late Rev. Chas. Pilkington, Canon Residentiary of Chichester, by Harriet Elizabeth, daughter of the late Wm. Williams, Esq.; and nephew, maternally, of the late Vice-Admiral Sir Geo. Murray, K.C.B., who commanded the Edgar 74, and led the fleet under Lord Nelson into action in the attack on the Danish line of defence before Copenhagen 2 April, 1801.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College 7 Aug. 1817, and in Dec. 1818, having carried off the Silver Medal, embarked on board -the Newcastle 60, Capt. Arthur Fanshawe, bearing the flag of the late Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys, on the North American station, whence he returned home and was paid off in Jan. 1822. Joining next the Active and Phaeton of 46 guns each, Capts. Andrew King and Wm. Aug. Montagu, he escorted George IV. in the latter ship on the occasion of his visit to Scotland, and then sailed, under Capt. Henry Evelyn Pitfield Sturt, for the West Indies, where he was soon actively employed in the suppression of piracy and the slave-trade. In Dec. 1823 he became attached, as a passed Midshipman, to the Camelion 10, Capt. Geo. Robt. Lambert, also on the West India station; and on being subsequently, 22 Oct. 1824, appointed Mate of the Boadicea 46, Commodore Sir Jas. Brisbane, he proceeded to the East Indies. Uniting, on his arrival, in the hostilities in force against the Burmese, he took command, with the rank of Acting-Lieutenant (order dated 22 Oct. 1825), of the Boadicea’s barge and a division of gun-boats; and was present at the storming of Nepadee, the capture of Meaday, Melloone, Pagahmmew, &c., and in the various operations on the river Irawady. On the ratification of peace he was intrusted with the duty of protecting the rear of the army in its retrograde movement towards Rangoon – a service of no small difficulty, as the enemy, either in ignorance of the treaty, or with the view of plundering, never lost an opportunity of attacking the boats of the Commissariat, the merchants, and others. Mr. Pilkington’s vigilance and exertions, however, had the effect of saving a considerable amount of property, and were so fully estimated that they procured him the thanks of a large body of British, Bengalee, and Armenian traders. On leaving the Boadicea, to which frigate he had been confirmed by commission dated 29 April, 1826, he was turned over, in Aug. of that year, to the Warspite 76, Capts. Hon. Rich. Saunders Dundas and Wm. Parker; under whom, having returned through the Pacific to Europe, we find him employed in the Tagus and at the blockade, against the Egyptians, of the Greek ports in the Mediterranean; where, while off the harbour of Navarin, he contributed to the capture of a corvette and sloop-of-war who had endeavoured to force a passage with provisions and specie for the army under Ibrahim Pacha. Being next, 1 Dec. 1829, appointed Flag-Lieutenant, in the Winchester 52, to Sir E. G. Colpoys, then again Commander-in-Chief in North America and the West Indies, he was by him promoted, 16 Aug. 1830, to a death-vacancy in the Rose 18. In that sloop Commander Pilkington was at first engaged in protecting the North American fisheries and the settlements of the Hudson’s Bay Company in Labrador against the encroachments of the United States, and afterwards in conducting the naval operations at Black River, Jamaica, during the insurrection in 1831 and 1832. Prior to the departure thence of the Rose, the command of which vessel he resigned in April, 1832, Commander Pilkington had the gratification of receiving an animated acknowledgment of his services in the shape of an address signed by Major-General Robertson, the officers of the Militia, and the proprietors and inhabitants of the district of St. Elizabeth. He subsequently, from 13 July, 1838, until 1841, officiated as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard; in which service, since 29 Sept. 1846, he has been again employed.
He married, 29 April, 1835, at Chichester, Louisa Frances, only daughter of the Rev. W. S. Bayton, of Eastergate, by whom he has issue five children. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.