Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet (1721 – 21 December 1811) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer, he was deployed with a squadron under Admiral Edward Vernon to the West Indies at the start of the War of Jenkins' Ear. He saw action again at the Battle of Toulon during the War of the Austrian Succession. As captain of the fourth-rate HMS "Bristol" he took part in the Invasion of Guadeloupe during the Seven Years' War. As a commodore, he was deployed to the North American Station, to provide  naval support for an expedition led by General Sir Henry Clinton reinforcing loyalists in the Southern Colonies at an early stage of the American Revolutionary War. He led a naval attack against the fortifications on Sullivan's Island (later called Fort Moultrie after their commander), protecting Charleston, South Carolina. However, after a long and hard-fought battle, Parker was forced to call off the attack, having sustained heavy casualties, including the loss of a ship. He subsequently served under Lord Howe in the invasion and capture of New York City and commanded the squadron that captured Long Island and Rhode  Island. Parker went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica, before being returned as Member of Parliament for Seaford and then as member for Maldon. He later became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. Early career. Born the third son of Rear-Admiral Christopher Parker, Parker joined the Royal Navy at an early age. Promoted to commander on 17 March 1735, he was deployed with a squadron under Admiral Edward Vernon to the West Indies in 1739 at the start of the War of Jenkins' Ear. Parker transferred to the second-rate HMS "Russell" and then to the bomb vessel HMS "Firedrake  in the Mediterranean Fleet and saw action again during the War of the Austrian Succession. He was moved to the second-rate HMS Barfleur", flagship of Rear-Admiral William Rowley, in January 1744 and took part in the Battle of Toulon in February 1744, before transferring to the second-rate HMS "Neptune", flagship of Vice-Admiral Richard Lestock, in March 1744 and returning to England. Promoted to captain on 6 May 1747, he became commanding officer of the sixth-rate HMS "Margate" later that month and was deployed protecting commercial shipping, first in the Channel and then in the Mediterranean . Parker became commanding officer of the fifth-rate HMS "Woolwich" in 1757 and then transferred to the fourth-rate HMS "Bristol" in January 1759. In HMS "Bristol" he took part in the Invasion of Guadeloupe in May 1759 during the Seven Years' War. He was given command of the third-rate HMS "Buckingham" in 1760 and took part in the capture of Belle Île in Spring 1761. He transferred to the command of the third-rate HMS "Terrible" in 1762 and then retired from active service in 1763 at the end of the War. American War of Independence. Knighted in  1772, Parker was given command of the second-rate HMS "Barfleur" when he rejoined the service in 1773. Promoted to commodore, he was deployed to the North American Station, with his broad pennant in the fourth-rate HMS "Bristol", in October 1775 to provide naval support for an expedition led by General Sir Henry Clinton reinforcing loyalists in the Southern Colonies at an early stage of the American Revolutionary War. In June 1776, Parker led a naval attack against the fortifications on Sullivan's Island (later called Fort Moultrie after their commander), protecting Charleston, South Carolina. At the fort, the  American Colonel William Moultrie ordered his men to concentrate their fire on the two large man-of-war ships, HMS "Bristol" and HMS "Experiment", which took hit after hit from the fort's guns. Chain-shot fired at HMS "Bristol" eventually destroyed much of her rigging and severely damaged both the main- and mizzenmasts. After a long and hard-fought battle, Parker was forced to call off the attack, having sustained heavy casualties, including the loss of the sixth-rate HMS "Actaeon", grounded and abandoned. Lord William Campbell, the last British Governor of the Province of South Carolina, was mortally  wounded aboard HMS "Bristol". Parker was himself wounded by a flying splinter which injured his leg and tore off his breeches, an incident that occasioned much mirth in the newspapers. Parker subsequently served under Lord Howe in the invasion and capture of New York City and, with his broad pennant in the fourth-rate HMS "Chatham", he commanded the squadron that captured Long Island in August 1776 and Rhode Island in December 1776. Senior command. Promoted to rear admiral on 20 May 1777, Parker became Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica Station, with his flag in HMS "Bristol", in December 1777. At  this time, Parker acted as a patron and friend of Horatio Nelson, then serving aboard the "Bristol", an attachment which would endure for the remainder of Nelson's life. Promoted to vice admiral on 29 March 1779, he returned to England in the second-rate HMS "Sandwich", accompanied by various prisoners including Admiral De Grasse captured at the Battle of the Saintes, in August 1782. Created a baronet on 28 December 1782, Parker was, unwillingly, returned as Member of Parliament for Seaford in May 1784, and then as member for Maldon in 1786. Promoted to full admiral on 24 September  1787, he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in 1793. He was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 16 September 1799 and was Chief Mourner at Nelson's funeral in January 1806. He died at his home at Weymouth Street in London on 21 December 1811 and was buried at St Margaret's, Westminster. Parker also owned the Manor of Bassingbourne at Takeley in Essex: in accordance with his wishes the manor was demolished in 1813. Family. In around 1761 Parker married Margaret Nugent; they had several children (including Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker). He was succeeded in the baronetcy by  Christopher's son Peter Parker.