# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Rochfort, William

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​ROCHFORT. (Captain, 1826. f-p., 14; h-p., 30.)
William Rochfort died 21 Dec. 1847. He was second son of Gustavus Rochfort, Esq., formerly of ​Rochfort, M.P. for Westmeath during eight successive Parliaments, by Frances, third daughter of John Bloomfield, Esq., of Redwood; brother of Gustavus Rochfort, Esq., a Colonel in the Army, and of Rich. Rochfort, Esq., Comptroller of the Customs of Cork; and second-cousin of Commander Robt. Rochfort, R.N. His grandfather, Geo. Rochfort, married a daughter of Sir Gustavus Hume, Bart., of Castle Hume, co. Fermanagh.
This officer entered the Navy, 8 July, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Culloden 74, Capt. Harrington Dacres. In that ship, which at first bore the flag of Rear-Admiral Collingwood off Brest, he partook, 2 Sept. 1803, of a running action with the Duguay Trouin 74 and 40-gun frigate Guerrière, which was maintained until the two latter had effected their escape into the port of Corunna; and assisted in re-capturing the Lord Nelson, East Indian man. With the exception of a few weeks passed in the Venerable 74, flag-ship in the Channel of Rear-Admiral Sir Thos. Graves, he continued attached to the Culloden in the capacity of Midshipman until transferred, in June, 1804, to the Princess Charlotte 38, Capt. Fras. Farington Gardner, on the Jamaica station; where he saw much active service, aided in cutting-out the Benjamin American slaver, and, although he had not been 18 months afloat, was intrusted with the charge of the Duke of York, a recaptured Falmouth packet. Removing, in Sept. 1805, to the Ramillies 74, Capts. Fras. Pickmore and Robt. Yarker, he was afforded an opportunity of witnessing the surrender, 13 March, 1806, of the Marengo 80, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Linois, and 40-gun frigate Belle Poule, and of assisting at the reduction, in Dec. 1807, of the Danish West India islands. On his arrival, in 1809, in the East Indies in the Cornelia 36, Capt. Henry Folkes Edgell, he was received on board the Russell 74, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Wm. O’Brien Drury, by whom, having passed his examination, he was nominated, 28 Nov. in the same year, Acting-Lieutenant of the Diomede 50, Capt. Hugh Cook. Although he never joined that ship, he continued to act as Lieutenant in the Blanche 38, Capt. Wm. Dawson, and, at the request of Capt. Edgell, in his former frigate the Cornelia, until officially promoted, 2 May, 1810. Being then reappointed to the Cornelia, he accompanied in her, as First-Lieutenant, the expedition against the Isle of France, and in Aug. and Sept. 1810 co-operated as such in the reduction of Java. At the former place he was sent in command of La Mouche schooner to watch the movement of the enemy at Port Louis, and on both occasions he was for a time employed on shore with the army. In Dec. 1811 he returned to England with Capt. Edgell in the Piedmontaise 38, and in Sept. 1812 was paid off. His next appointment was, 2 Feb. 1813, to the Nymphe 38, Capt. Farmery Predam Epworth, with whom, until Nov. 1814, he served with much activity on the coast of North America. He assisted, during that period, at the blockade of Boston, cut out many of the enemy’s vessels, and was often employed on shore in reconnoitring and gaining intelligence. The constant zeal and judgment he evinced in the discharge of his duties procured for him the high encomiums of his superiors; and on 15 June, 1814, he was promoted to the rank of Commander. He left the Nymphe in consequence as above stated; and was not again able to procure employment until appointed, 4 July, 1822, to the Nimrod 18, on the Leith station. In Nov. of the same year he was sent to the river Tyne for the purpose of quelling an alarming insurrection of the keelmen, who had risen in open arms against their employers. For a short time he held the sole command, and for his exertions, both then and after the arrival of Capt. John Toup Nicolas of the Egeria 28, when he was for six weeks, day and night, in the boats in vigorous cooperation with that officer, he received the thanks of the Board of Admiralty, of Capt. Nicolas himself, and of the local authorities, who, at a public meeting, voted the crew of the Nimrod a hundred guineas. Immediately after this Capt. Rochfort assumed command of a squadron consisting of two of H.M. ships and four Revenue-vessels for the suppression of smuggling on the west coast of Scotland. In Nov. 1823 he proceeded on a mission up the river Garonne as far as Pauillac, and by his firmness and moderation overcame many obstacles thrown in his way by the French authorities. He subsequently cruized on the Irish station, and on paying off the Nimrod, 13 Oct. 1825, was presented by the crew with a handsome sword, “as a testimony of their respect and esteem.” He attained Post-rank 27 March, 1826, and, unsuccessful in his applications for further employment, was induced, 1 Oct. 1846, to accept the Retirement.
Capt. Rochfort married, 27 Dec. 1833, Arabella Margaretta, youngest daughter of the late Right Hon. John Calcraft, M.P., of Rempston House, Corfe Castle, Dorsetshire, and has left issue three daughters.