James Richard Booth

Notes on Officer

James Richard Booth is son of an old Purser in the Royal Navy.

This officer entered the Navy, 25 Aug. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the London 98, Capts. Robt. Barlow, Robt. Rolles, Sir Harry Burrard Neale, Edw. Oliver Osborn, and Thos. Western, under whom he successively served until Jan. 1809. During that period he contributed, as Midshipman, in company with the Amazon 38, to the capture, 13 March, 1806, of the French 80-gun ship Marengo, with Admiral Linois on board, and 40-gun frigate Belle Poule, after a long running fight, in which the London sustained a loss of 10 killed and 22 wounded; and in 1807-8 he assisted, under Capt. Western, in escorting the Royal Family of Portugal to the Brazils. He next removed to the Hyacinth sloop, Capt. John Carter, on the South American station; served, from May, 1811, till 2 Feb. 1813, as Master’s-Mate, in the Laurestinus and Orlando frigates, Capt. John Clavell, off the Western Islands and in the Mediterranean; then became (having passed his examination in Nov. 1811) Acting-Lieutenant of the Kite 16, Capts. Geo. Canning, Hon. Robt. Cavendish Spencer, and Rowland Mainwaring; invalided home from the Mediterranean, in consequence of wounds received in action with pirates, 20 Oct. 1813; and, on 30 Dec. following, obtained as a reward his first Admiralty commission. As Lieutenant, Mr. Booth’s appointments were – 5 Aug. 1814, to the Foxhound 14, Capts. John Parish and Thos. Warrand, on the Home station, which vessel was paid off in Sept. 1815 – 17 Jan. 1818, to the Favourite 26, Capt. Hercules Robinson, with whom he cruized off St. Helena and the coast of South America – 3 Jan. 1821, to the Drake 10, Capt. Chas. Adolphus Baker, employed off Newfoundland – 20 Jan. 1823, to the Trinculo 18, Capts. Rodney Shannon and Robt. Patten, on the Cork station – and, 10 Jan. 1827, to the Menai 26, Capts. Michael Seymour and Thos. Bourchier, employed in South America. He was promoted to the rank he now holds, on the latter ship being paid off, 8 Dec. 1829; obtained command of the Trinculo 18, on the coast of Africa, 14 April, 1832; and, after the usual period of three years, during which he captured several slavers, and performed many valuable services against the Caffres, was superseded in Aug. 1835. His next appointment was, 25 June, 1846, to the Columbine 16, during the passage of which vessel to the East Indies he was elevated to Post-rank by commission dated 9 Nov. in the same year. Capt. Booth is now on half-pay. Agents – Collier and Snee.