# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lake, Willoughby Thomas

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​LAKE, K.C.B. (Admiral of the White, 1841. f-p., 29; h-p., 38.)
Sir Willoughby Thomas Lake was born about 1773, and died 18 Feb. 1847, at Blackheath, co. Kent. He was second son of Sir Jas. Winter Lake, Bart., by Joyce, daughter of John Crowther, Esq., of Bow; and uncle of the present Commander Edw. Lake, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Sept. 1780, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Roebuck 44, Capt. Andrew Snape Hamond, under whom and the late Sir Andrew Snape Douglas he continued to serve (with the exception of an interval between May, 1783, and Dec. 1785) in the Chatham and Irresistible 74’s, Southampton 32, and Goliath, Bedford, and Vanguard 74’s, on the North American, Mediterranean, and Home stations, chiefly as Midshipman, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 22 Nov. 1790. In Sept. 1793, after he had been for a short time attached to the Russell 74, Capt. John Willet Payne, he was invested with the command of the Charlotte armed cutter, employed off Ostend and Flushing. On leaving that vessel in the following Nov., Mr. Lake officiated for four months as Flag-Lieutenant to Rear-Admiral John Macbride in the Flora, Cumberland, Eurydice, and Formidable, on the Home station, where, in March, 1794, he became his First-Lieutenant in the Minotaur 74. On 25 Nov. in the same year he was promoted to the command of the Weasel sloop, stationed between Yarmouth and Flamborough Head; and in April, 1795, he removed to the Rattler 18, employed as a Channel cruizer. Being made Post, 11 Jan. 1796, into the Proserpine 28, Capt. Lake, while in that frigate, succeeded in capturing, 3 Aug. 1797, the Dutch privateer Unity, of 10 guns and 50 men, in the neighbourhood of Shetland. He went on half-pay a short time afterwards, and was subsequently appointed – 4 April, 1803, to the Topaze 38, on the Irish station, where he took the privateers Napoléon, of 14 guns and 180 men, Minerve, of 14 guns and 111 men, Général Augereau, of 14 guns and 88 men, and El Fenin, of 14 guns and 85 men – 16 June, 1806, to the Gibraltar 80, in which ship he was intrusted with the command of a small squadron off L’Orient, for the purpose of watching the enemy’s vessels then ready for sea in that port – 3 April, 1807, to the Sea Fencibles on the coast of Sussex, where he continued until the corps was disbanded in 1810 – and, 29 Feb. 1812, to the Magnificent 74. While in the latter ship Capt. Lake, being ordered to co-operate with the force under Sir Home Popham on the north coast of Spain, assisted at the reduction of Castro, and in the attacks upon Puerta Galletta, Guetaria, &c. He also commanded a detachment of seamen and marines, to which was added the Guerilla regiment of Campillo, landed to act against the castle of St Ano. During his pursuit of the French from that place to Santander, on their road whither the British were exposed to an incessant and galling fire from numerous small houses, walls, and hedges, Capt. Lake received a musket-ball in his right arm; and on his way back he was further wounded in the head, and for a time deprived of his senses. In consequence of these severe injuries he was for four months unable to discharge the active duties of his profession. He at length, however rejoined his ship, which had been commanded, pro tem., by Capt. John Hayes, and continued in her until paid off 8 Aug. 1815. During that period he effected the capture, 30 Oct. 1813, of an American letter-of-marque, the Amiable, of 6 guns and 21 men ​and was sent with the trade to the West Indies, where he arrived at the period Sir Alex. Cochrane was proceeding on the expedition against New Orleans, and was left by him to carry on the duties of Senior officer on the Jamaica station. In 1815 the Magnificent returned with another convoy to England. On 12 Aug. 1819 Capt. Lake, who had been appointed a Colonel of Marines 4 June, 1814, and nominated a C.B. 2 Jan. 1815, was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral. He commanded-in-chief, subsequently, on the Halifax station, with his flag .in the Superb 74, from 18 May, 1824, until 15 Aug. 1827; became a Vice-Admiral 27 May, 1825; was created a K.C.B. 17 Nov. 1830; and attained the rank of full Admiral 23 Nov. 1841.
Sir Willoughby Thos. Lake married, in 1795, Charlotte, daughter of Admiral Macbride, by whom, who died 5 Sept. 1836, he has left, with other issue, a son, the present Commander Willoughby Lake, R.N., and a daughter, Emily, married to Capt. Wm. Webb, R.N. His third son, Edward, now deceased, was a Major in the Madras Engineers, and had distinguished himself in India, where he had been twice wounded. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.