OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Branch, John Powell

Layout 4
​BRANCH. (Lieutenant, 1841. f-p., 18; h-p., 3.)
John Powell Branch, born about the year 1814, is second son of Capt. A. B. Branch, R.N. This officer entered the Navy 7 Feb. 1826; served for seven years in the East Indies; returned home and passed his examination with great credit in 1833; afterwards joined the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, where, in the shortest possible space of time, he obtained a Fst.-cl. Certificate; and was ultimately, after more than eight years’ servitude as Mate, advanced to his present rank 8 Nov. 1841. He has been employed, since 21 Dec. 1844, in the Lily 16, Capt. Chas. Jas. Franklin Newton, on the African station. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Brandreth, Thomas

Layout 4
​BRANDRETH. (Lieutenant, 1845.)
Thomas Brandreth passed his examination 4 Sept. 1844; served as Mate on board the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capts. Sir Thos. Hastings and Henry Ducie Chads; and obtained his commission 23 Dec. 1845. He has been employed since 23 April, 1846, in the Constance 50, Capt. Sir Baldwin Wake Walker.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Bradshaw, Robert Augustus

Layout 4
​BRADSHAW. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 23; h-p., 13.)
Robert Augustus Bradshaw, born in 1800 at Kinsale, is only son of General Bradshaw, K.C., late of the 1st Life Guards.
This officer entered the Navy, 25 Dec. 1811, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Bellona 74, Capt. John Erskine Douglas, stationed off the Texel; was transferred with the same officer, in May, 1812, to the Prince 98; and, on subsequently proceeding to the Mediterranean, witnessed, as Midshipman, the reduction of Genoa in April, 1814. He next cruized for 12 months, in the Tiber 38, Capt. Jas. Rich. Dacres, off the coast of Ireland; served, from Sept. 1815, to Dec. 1818, in the Romney 50, Salisbury 50, and Pique 36, flag-ships on the Jamaica station of Rear-Admiral J. E. Douglas; passed his examination in January of the latter year; and, after an attachment of more than three years, as Mate, to the Pandora 18, Capt. Chas. Grenville Randolph, off Dublin and Belfast, was made Lieutenant, 19 July, 1822, into the Niemen 28, Capt. Edw. Reynolds Sibly, with whom he served, as Senior, on the Halifax station, until May, 1824. His subsequent appointments were – 13 Feb. 1825, to the Doris 36, Capt. Sir John Gordon Sinclair, in which frigate we find him employed on the coast of South America until April, 1829 – 1 May, 1833, and 5 Sept. 1835, to the San Josef and Royal Adelaide first-rates, bearing the flags of Sir Wm. Hargood and Lord Amelius Beauclerk at Plymouth, where he continued, serving as First-Lieutenant in succession to both those Admirals, until Aug. 1836 – and, 7 July, 1838, also as First-Lieutenant, to the Asia 84, Capt. Wm. Fisher, from which ship, after participating in the operations on the coast of Syria in 1840, and assisting at the blockade of Alexandria, he was paid off in May, 1841. He was promoted to his present rank 23 Nov. 1841, and has not since been employed.
Commander Bradshaw married, first, in Feb. 1830, Decima, youngest daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Tomkyns, of Bucknell Park, co. Hereford; and secondly, in 1834, Augusta Julia, only daughter of the late Obadiah Newell, Esq., Lieut. R.N. (1781), of the Royal Hospital at Plymouth, who died 1 Feb. 1837, aged 73.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Brand, John Fittz

Layout 4
​BRAND. (Lieutenant, 1829.)
John Fittz Brand entered the Navy in 1812; passed his examination in 1820; obtained his commission 4 July, 1829; served in the Coast Guard from 7 July, 1835, until the spring of 1838; and since 28 April, 1846, has been employed as Admiralty Agent in a contract mail steam-vessel.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Brady, William Hollinshed

Layout 4
​BRADY. (Lieutenant; 1815. f-p., 1 7; h-p., 23.)
William Hollinshed Brady entered the Navy, 6 Dec. 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Leonidas 38, Capt. Sir Jas. Dunbar, on the Mediterranean station, where he joined, in Nov. 1808, the Cumberland 74, Capt. Hon. Philip Wodehouse. On 26 Oct. 1809, he witnessed, as Midshipman, the self-destruction of the French line-of-battle ships Robuste and Lion, near Frontignan; and, on the night of 31 of the same month, he was slightly wounded while serving in the boats at the capture and destruction – under a hot fire from the batteries in the Bay of Rosas, and in face of a resistance from the various crews productive of a loss to the British of 15 men killed and 55 wounded – of the store-ship Lamproie, of 16 guns and 116 men, with three other armed vessels, and seven sail of merchantmen. He continued to be very actively employed in the Cumberland, under the command of Capt. Thos. Baker, in the North Sea and in escorting valuable convoys to the West Indies and the Cape of Good Hope, until paid off in Aug. 1815 – a few months previous to which period, on 20 March, he had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, He afterwards, from 10 June, 1824, until 1827, served on the Coast Blockade as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Ramillies 74, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch and Hugh Pigot; and, since 10 June, 1842, has been employed as Admiralty Agent in a contract mail steam-vessel on the West India station. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Brand, Charles

Layout 4
​BRAND. (Lieutenant, 1822. f-p., 14; h-p., 23.)
Charles Brand is brother of Lieut. W. H. Brand, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 29 July, 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Apelles 14, Capts. Thos. Oliver and Fred. Hoffman, stationed in the Channel, where he was run on shore near Boulogne 3 May, 1812, but, with several others, escaped capture by a timely flight in the boats. He then proceeded to Bermuda, as Midshipman, in the Ardent troop-ship, Capt. Geo. Bell, and during a subsequent attachment of more than two years to the Majestic, a cut-down 74, Capt. John Hayes, assisted at the capture, after a running fight of two hours and a half, of the French frigate Terpsichore of 44 guns, besides making a large number of American prizes, participating in the capture of Washington by Rear-Admiral Geo. Cockburn, and witnessing the surrender of the President to the Endymion. He next served, from June, 1815, to Oct. 1818, with Capt. Sir Archibald Collingwood Dickson, on board the Caledonia 120, and Rochfort 80, and with Capt. Thos. Briggs, as Admiralty-Midshipman, on board the Queen Charlotte 100, the first at Plymouth, the two last at Portsmouth. He was afterwards, under Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch, of the Severn, employed, until July, 1820, on the Coast Blockade, in which his services were so conspicuous as to be rewarded by the Treasury with the sum of 100l.; and from the latter date until the death of Buonaparte he was stationed off St. Helena in the Shearwater 10, Capt. John Walter Roberts. He then sailed for the Cape of Good Hope in the Heron 18, Capt. Job Hanmer; and, for his exertions in travelling through part of Namaqua Land, an unknown district of South Africa, was, on 28 Dec. 1822, confirmed a Lieutenant in the Cygnet 10, Capt. Thos. Bennett; on the paying off of which, 22 April, 1823, he was presented by the ship’s company with an elegant sword, “in testimony of their regard and esteem of his gentlemanly and officer-like conduct” while on board. He again received an appointment in the Coast Blockade in April, 1824; but has been on half-pay since Aug. 1825.
Lieut. Brand has published an account of his African travels, as also of a voyage made in a civil capacity to Peru in 1827, during the winter of which year he traversed the Andes on foot. He married, 20 Dec. 1834, Caroline Julia, daughter of the late Joseph Sanders, Esq., of Great Portland Street, Portland Place, by whom he has issue two sons and a daughter.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Brander, William

Layout 4
​BRANDER. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 12; h-p., 34.)
William Brander entered the Navy, 8 July, 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Goliath 74, Capt. Wm. Essington, with whom, on proceeding to the West Indies, he removed, as Midshipman, 10 April, 1802, to the Sans Pareil 80. In May, 1803, having returned to England, he joined the Victory 100, flag-ship of Lord Nelson; immediately after which he sailed for the Mediterranean; and on his passage thither assisted in taking the French 32-gun frigate Embuscade. Becoming next attached to the Amphion 32, Capts. Sam. Sutton and Wm. Hoste, Mr. Brander was present, on 5 Oct. 1804, at the capture of three Spanish frigates laden with treasure, and destruction of a fourth, near Cape St. Mary; and, in 1805, he accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies in pursuit of the Franco-Spanish fleet. We also find him, in July, 1806, taking part in the invasion of Calabria; and, on 30 of the same month, in the reduction of the important fortress of Cotrone, with all its stores and magazines, and a garrison of upwards of 600 troops. He was subsequently taken prisoner while in charge of a prize; and, on ultimately effecting a miraculous escape after a confinement of nearly three years, passed his examination 3 Jan. 1810, and joined, in February, the Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Fras. Pickmore. During the siege of Cadiz Mr. Brander appears to have been particularly instrumental in saving from destruction the Spanish ship of the line San Pablo, at a time when she had been set on fire by the enemy’s batteries, and to have further contributed to the defence of Fort Matagorda, until that stronghold was considered no longer tenable. On 1 May, 1810, he became Master’s Mate of the San Josef 110, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Cotton in the Mediterranean; and, on 14 Feb. 1811, he was promoted into the York 74, Capt. Robt. Barton. His subsequent appointments were – 11 Dec. in the same year, to the Bellona 74, Capts. John Erskine Douglas and Geo. M‘Kinley, employed in the North Sea and off Cherbourg and Rochefort – 30 April, 1814, to the Rover 18, Capt. Justice Finley, in which sloop he sailed for Bermuda – and, 10 Feb. 1815, to the Insolent gun-brig, Capt. Wm. Kelly, on the Cork station. Since the following Sept. Lieut. Brander has been on half-pay. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Fernandes, Donald

Layout 4
​FERNANDES. (Retired Commander, 1838. f-p., 13; h-p., 44.)
Donald Fernandes entered the Navy, 17 July, 1790, as Midshipman, on board the Assistance, Capt. Lord Cranstoun, and, after visiting Gibraltar, successively joined the Alfred, guard-ship in the River Medway, Capts. Thos. West and John Bazely, and Edgar and Thunderer 74’s, both commanded by Capt. Albemarle Bertie, under whom, in the latter ship, he served as Master’s Mate in the actions of Howe and Bridport, 1 June, 1794, and 23 June, 1795. Towards the close of 1795 he accompanied Sir John Jervis to the Mediterranean as Acting-Lieutenant of the Lively frigate; and on arriving on that station he became similarly attached, 4 April and 11 Aug. 1796, to the St. George 98, Capt. Shuldham Peard, and Blenheim 74, Capt. Thos. Lenox Frederick, to which ship he was confirmed 9 Feb. 1797. On 14 of the latter month Mr. Fernandes bore a part in the action off Cape St. Vincent. From March, 1797, in the course of which year he was also much engaged with the Spanish gun-boats and batteries near Cadiz, until the peace of 1802, he served in the Victory 100, Capts. Thos. Sotheby and Wm. Cuming, London and Princess Royal 98’s, both flag-ships of Rear-Admiral Frederick, Centaur 74, Capt. John Markham, and Malta 80, Capt. A. Bertie. For a few months in 1803 he commanded the Speedwell brig on the Home station, and on 5 Aug. 1806, he obtained a short-lived, we believe, employment in the Sea Fencibles. Since he left the latter service. Commander Fernandes, who accepted his present rank 21 Dec. 1838, has been on half-pay. He obtained the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 3 Aug. 1837.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Ferrar, William Augustus

Layout 4
​FERRAR. (Lieut., 1827. f-p., 35; h-p., 0.)
William Augustus Ferrar was born 6 Feb. 1797, in Dublin.
This officer entered the Navy 26 Jan. 1812, on board the Narcissus 32, Capt. Hon. Fred. Wm. Aylmer; on removing from which frigate to the Armide 38, he experienced, as Midshipman, a skirmish with the batteries of Brest. After a servitude of some months in the Dublin 74, Leonidas 38, and Fortunée 36, he eventually rejoined Capt. Aylmer in the Pactolus 38; and while in that frigate, besides escorting the Duke of Cambridge to Cuxhaven, and his late Majesty to the Scheldt, he assisted in a rocket-boat at, among other detached services, the bombardment of Stonington, in Aug. 1814. On 9 Dec. in the latter year, the Pactolus having captured the Postboy, an American schooner of 80 tons burthen, Mr. Ferrar was placed in charge of the prize, and sent to Bermuda. During the passage, however, the Postboy in a violent gale was totally dismasted, and, becoming water-logged, remained in that condition for a whole week, with the inextricable corpses of four suffocated seamen lying in a state of putrefaction in the fore-cabin. Mr. Ferrar and his only two companions at length contrived to bale the water out and commit the bodies to the deep, but it was not until after 40 days of protracted and awful suffering that they fell in with and were rescued by ​a merchant schooner. Soon after his providential deliverance he rejoined the Pactolus, still commanded by Capt. Aylmer, under whom, in July, 1815, for the purpose of co-operating with the royalists, he assisted in forcing the passage of the Gironde, and in effecting the reduction of several strong batteries. Accompanying the same officer into the Severn 40, he took part, and was severely wounded in the left arm and side, in the battle of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816; after which event he successively joined the Heron 18, Ramillies 74, Ganges 84, Victory 104, and Hyperion 42. He ultimately, having passed in 1820, obtained a commission dated 29 Oct. 1827, and, being re-appointed to the Hyperion, 22 Jan. 1828, continued, as a Supernumerary-Lieutenant of that ship, to be employed on the Coast Blockade, until transferred, 16 March, 1831, to the Coast Guard. He was removed, 23 Feb. 1842, to an Agency in a contract mail steamer, in which vessel he appears to have been charged with important despatches from the British Minister at Lisbon to Lord Aberdeen. He was, however, obliged, in consequence of ill health, to resign his new appointment towards the close of the same year; and since that period he has again been employed in the Coast Guard.
Lieut. Ferrar’s long servitude and severe sufferings have so shattered his health as to have rendered him unfit for service afloat. He is married, and has issue two daughters.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Festing, Colson

Layout 4
​FESTING. (Commander, 1838. f-p., 24; h-p., 16.)
Colson Festing is sixth son of the late Commander Henry Festing, R.N.; and brother of RearAdmiral K. W. G. Festing, R.N., C.B.
This officer entered the Navy, 16 Sept. 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Volontaire 38, Capt. Chas. Bullen, with whom he continued to serve, latterly as Midshipman of the Cambrian 40, until Dec. 1811; during which period he assisted at the capture of the island of Pomégue, near Marseilles, and the destruction of Fort Rioux, mounting 14 guns, near Cape Croisette, in 1809, besides actively co-operating for many months with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia, Where, on 12 and 14 April, 1811, he witnessed the capture of the towns of St. Philon and Palamos. Removing, next, to the Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew, he shared in a partial action with the French fleet off Toulon, 5 Nov. 1813; after which he joined the Alcmene 38, Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan, Under whom, independently of the capture of La Flèche national schooner, of 12 guns, he was in warm action, 11 April, 1814, with the batteries of Porto Maurizio. On the paying off of the Caledonia, which ship he had rejoined, Mr. Festing, in Sept. 1814, became Admiralty Midshipman of the Rhin 38, Capt. Chas. Malcolm. After a further servitude, as Master’s Mate, in the Pilot 18, Capt. John Toup Nicolas, and Boyne 98, flag-ship of Lord Exmouth, he obtained a commission dated 10 March, 1815, and was employed pro tem., towards the close of the same year, in the Partridge 16, Capt. John Miller Adye. His subsequent appointments as Lieutenant, we find, were, chiefly as First Lieutenant – 7 Dec. 1820, to the Seringapatam 46, Capt. Sam. Warren, on particular service – 3 Aug. 1825, to the Fly 18, Capts. Fred. Augustus Wetherall and Follett Walrond Pennell, on the East India station – 26 Nov. 1830, to the Belvidera 42, Capt. Hon. Rich. Saunders Dundas, in the Mediterranean – and, 4 March, and 27 Aug. 1834, to the President 52, and Vernon 50, both commanded, on the North American, West India, and Mediterranean stations, by Capt. John M‘Kerlie. Attaining the rank of Commander 15 Jan. 1838, he next joined – on 30 of the same month, the Hercules 72, in which ship he served for nearly two years under Capts. J. T. Nicolas and Edw. Barnard – and 11 May, 1841, the Dublin 50, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Rich. Thomas, in South America. Since the autumn of 1842 he has been on half-pay.
Commander Festing is at the top of the list of Commanders of 1838. He married, 13 Dec. 1842, Margaret, second daughter of the late Rev. Geo. Marwood, of Busby Hall, co. York. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Festing, Thomas Colson

Layout 4
​FESTING. (Lieut., 1810. f-p., 11; h-p., 33.)
Thomas Colson Festing is third son of the late Commander Henry Festing, R.N.; and brother of Rear-Admiral R. W. G. Festing, R.N., C.B.
This officer entered the Navy, 17 March, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Tonnant 80, Capt. Sir Edw. Pellew, off Ferrol. He removed as Midshipman, in June, 1804, to the Prince 98, commanded by his uncle, Capt. Rich. Grindall, on the Channel station; and, with the exception of an attachment of a few months, in 1807, to the Inflexible 64, Capt. Joshua Rowley Watson, served, from April, 1805, until June, 1810, latterly as Master’s Mate, in the San Josef 110, Hibernia 110, and San Josef again, flag-ships in the Channel and Mediterranean of Sir Chas. Cotton. He then successively joined, as Acting-Lieutenant, the Canopus 80, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Geo. Martin, and Bustard sloop, Capt. John Duff Markland; and, on 23 Nov. 1810, was confirmed into the Magnificent 74, Capt. Geo. Eyre. He was afterwards appointed, on the Mediterranean station – 1 Oct. 1812, to the Hyacinth 24, Capts. Thos. Ussher and Alex. Renton Sharpe – and, 6 March, 1814, to the Scout 16, Capt. Jas. Arthur Murray. Since 11 Dec. 1814, Lieut. Festing has not been afloat.
He married Elizabeth, sister of the Rev. Dr. Gaisford, Dean of Oxford. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Ferris, Thomas

Layout 4
​FERRIS. (Commander, 1815. f-p., 17; h-p., 29.)
Thomas Ferris entered the Navy, 20 Feb. 1801, as a Boy, on board the Edgar 74, Capt. Edw. Buller, with whom, and Capt. Jas. Wallis, he afterwards served, in the Achille 74, on the Channel and Irish stations, latterly as Midshipman, until May, 1802. From the following Sept. until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 19 Oct. 1807, we find him employed under Sir Rich. John Strachan in the Donegal and Renown 74’s, and in the Caesar 80. He assisted during that period in the Donegal’s capture, in 1804, of the Spanish 44-gun frigate Amfitrite, and of a ship with a cargo on board worth 200,000l., and was present, in the Caesar, at the capture, 4 Nov. 1805, of the four line-of-battle ships escaped from Trafalgar, as also, we believe, at the destruction, 14 Sept. 1806, off Cape Henry, of the 74-gun ship Impétueux. Rejoining, 8 March, 1808, the Donegal, then commanded by Capt. Pulteney Malcolm, Mr. Ferris escorted, in the following summer, Sir Arthur Wellesley’s army from Cork to Portugal – was present at the destruction, 24 Feb. 1809, of three French frigates under the batteries of Sable d’Olonne – witnessed the ensuing discomfiture of the French shipping in Aix Roads – and assisted in an attack made by Capt. Chas. Grant, of the Diana, on the two French frigates Amazone and Eliza, protected by the fire of several strong batteries, near Cherbourg, 15 Nov. 1810. After a further servitude of a few months with Capt. Malcolm in the Royal Oak 74, he was appointed, 3 March, 1812, to the Hannibal 74, Capt. Sir Michael Seymour; and while in that ship he contributed to the capture, 26 March, 1814, of La Sultane, of 44 guns and 330 men. On leaving the Hannibal he became First-Lieutenant, 5 Sept. 1814, of the Tanais 38, Capt. Joseph James, in which frigate he served, on the Irish and Jamaica stations, until his return home in March, 1816. He then took up his commission as Commander, having been advanced to that rank on 20 Sept. 1815. With the exception of an appointment in the Coast Guard, which he held from 6 July, 1830, until the year 1833, he has since been on half-pay.
# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Festing, Robert Worgan George

Layout 4
​FESTING, C.B. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 16; h-p., 32.)
Robert Worgan George Festing is second son of Commander Henry Festing, R.N. (who died in 1807), by Mary, only daughter of the Rev. Thos. Morton Colson, of Dorchester, co. Dorset; brother of Commanders B. M. and C. Festing, and of Lieut. T. C. Festing, R.N.; and nephew of Vice-Admiral Sir Rich. Grindall, K.C.B., who bore a distinguished part, as Captain of the Irresistible 74, in Lord Bridport’s action, afterwards commanded the Prince 98, at Trafalgar, and died 23 May, 1820, aged 70 years. Capt. Festing’s eldest brother, Henry, a Captain in the Royal Artillery, now deceased, served throughout the Peninsular war and at Waterloo.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 Feb. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Ramillies 74, commanded in the Channel by his uncle, Capt. R. Grindall, whom he accompanied, as Midshipman, in Jan. 1801, into the Formidable 98. During the peace of Amiens he became successively attached, on the West India station, to the Saturn 74, flagship of Rear-Admiral Thos. Totty, Andromeda frigate, Capt. Chas. Feilding, and Excellent 74, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Robt. Stopford. He then rejoined his uncle on board the Prince 98, and, after being lent for three months to the Endymion 40, Capt. Hon. Chas. Paget, sailed for the East Indies in the Culloden 74, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew, by whom he was appointed Acting-Lieutenant, 20 March, 1805, of the Tremendous 74, Commodore John Osborn. Being confirmed by the Admiralty 14 Aug. 1806, and re-transferred to the Culloden, Mr. Festing, as Flag-Lieutenant of that ship, contributed to the capture and destruction, 27 Nov. following, of a Dutch frigate, seven brigs-of-war, and about 20 armed and other merchant-vessels, in Batavia roads, and to the further annihilation, 11 Dec. 1807, of the dockyard and stores at Griessee, in the island of Java, and of all the men-of-war remaining to Holland in the East Indies. On 14 Aug. 1808, he was promoted to the command of the Dasher sloop, in which he continued until appointed Acting-Captain, 1 April, 1811, of the Illustrious 74, Commodore Wm. Broughton. After the conquest of Java, where he was on shore with the army, and assisted Capt. Sayer in command of the batteries, at the surrender of Batavia, Capt. Festing, who was officially posted, 9 Oct. 1811, assumed command of the Psyche 32, and returned to England, where he arrived aboat Aug. 1812. From 26 Sept. 1815, until 5 Aug. 1817, he next served on the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena stations in the Falmouth 20, and Racoon sloop. His last appointment was, 18 March, 1836, to the Cornwallis 74, from which ship he was superseded in the following June. He accepted Flag-rank 1 Oct. 1846. ​Rear-Admiral Festing was nominated a C.B. 20 July, 1838. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.