# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Plumridge, James Hanway

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​PLUMRIDGE. (Captain, 1822. f-p., 28; h-p., 20.)
James Hanway Plumridge entered the Navy, 6 Sept. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Osprey sloop, Capt. Watts, on the Home station; where, and in the Mediterranean, he served as Midshipman, Master’s Mate, and for a short time as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Leda 38, Capts. Geo. Hope and Robt. Honyman, Defence 74, Capt. G. Hope, Melpomène 38, Capt. Peter Parker, and Theseus 74, Capt. G. Hope, from Dec. 1800 until presented, 20 Aug. 1806, with his first commission. The Leda formed part of the force engaged in the expedition to Egypt in 1801; and the Defence of the victorious fleet at the battle of Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805. For upwards of seven years after his promotion Mr. Plumridge was employed on the Home, West India, Baltic, Cape of Good Hope, and Mediterranean stations, chiefly as First-Lieutenant, in the Repulse 74, Capt. Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge, Zealous 74, Capts. John Giffard and Pierrepont, Melpomène again, Capt. P. Parker, Tartar 32, Capt. Joseph Baker, Menelaus 38, Capt. Parker, Tonnant 80, Capt. Sir John Gore, Tremendous 74 and Hibernia 120, flag-ships of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith, Resistance 36, Capt. Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds Pellew, Royal Sovereign 100, Capt. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, and Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Pellew. On 1 May, 1809, we find him commanding the Melpomène’s boats and effecting the destruction, with admirable gallantry, of a Danish cutter-of-war of 6 guns and several merchantmen lying under the protection of a tremendous fire in the harbour of Huilbo, on the coast of Jutland, where the British sustained a loss of 1 Lieutenant, George Rennie, and 5 men severely wounded; and, not long afterwards, contributing to the Repulse, by the same ship, of a flotilla of 20 gun-boats, whose fire in the course of a vigorous action killed and wounded 34 of her people, besides inflicting considerable damage on her hull, sails, and rigging. In Dec. 1810 he assisted in the Menelaus at the reduction of the Isle of France; on 5 Oct. 1813 he commanded the boats of the Resistance at the destruction of the enemy’s batteries and the capture of a convoy in Port d’Anzo; and, in April, 1814, he officiated as Aide-de-Camp to Sir Edw. Pellew at the reduction of Genoa. He was made Commander, 7 June, 1814, into the Crocus sloop; and on 6 of the following month was appointed to the Philomel 18. Proceeding, in that vessel, to the East Indies, he was there, 29 April, 1816, nominated Acting-Captain of the Amphitrite 38, in which frigate, in Feb. 1817, he returned to England. While commanding next, from 10 Feb. 1818 until 15 March, 1821, the Sappho 18, he visited St. Helena, and made prize, on the Irish station, of three American smugglers, one of which had on board 400 bales of tobacco. His appointments since his promotion to Post-rank, which took place 9 Oct. 1822, have been – 18 July, 1831, to the Magicienne 24, on the East India station, whence he returned in the early part of 1835 – 7 April, 1837, to the Superintendentship (which, with his name on the books of the Astraea 6, he retained until 1841) of the Packet establishment at Falmouth – and, 5 Aug. 1847, to the Cambrian 40, again in the East Indies, where, since 13 Oct. following, he has had a broad pendant flying as second in command.
From 1841 until 1847 Capt. Plumridge sat in Parliament as Member for Falmouth. On 23 June, 1842, he was appointed Storekeeper of the Ordnance; and, on 29 June, 1847, awarded the Good Service Pension. His first wife having died 31 July, 1827, he married, a second time, in 1835, Harriet Agnes, daughter of the Right Hon. H. Elliot, by whom he has issue. He was again left a widower 17 April, 1845. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.