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Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Parker, 1st Baronet, GCB (1 December 1781 – 13 November 1866), was a Royal Navy officer. As a captain's servant he took part in the Battle of The Glorious First of June in June 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars and, as a captain, he participated in the capture of the French ships ''Marengo'' and ''Belle Poule'' at the Action of 13 March 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. He was detached on an independent command on the Tagus in September 1831 with a mission to protect British interests during the Portuguese Civil War. As Commander-in-chief of the East Indies and China Station, he provided naval support at various actions between 1841 and 1842 during the First Opium War. Appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in February 1845, he was briefly (for a week) First Naval Lord in the First Russell ministry from 13 July 1846 to 24 July 1846 but gave up the role due to ill health before returning to his command with the Mediterranean Fleet. ==Early career== Born the son of George Parker (himself the second son of Sir Thomas Parker who had been Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer), William Parker entered the Royal Navy in February 1793 as a captain's servant on the third-rate HMS ''Orion'', serving under Captain John Duckworth. In the ''Orion'', which was part of the Channel Fleet commanded by Lord Howe, Parker took part in the Battle of The Glorious First of June in June 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars.〔Heathcote, p. 206〕 When Captain Duckworth was assigned to another ship, the third-rate HMS ''Leviathan'', Parker followed him, and sailed with him to the West Indies Station where Duckworth appointed him acting lieutenant in the fifth-rate HMS ''Magicienne''.〔 He was appointed to the second-rate HMS ''Queen'', flagship of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, in May 1798 and he became acting captain of the sixth-rate HMS ''Volage'' on 1 May 1799.〔Heathcote, p. 207〕 Promoted to lieutenant on 5 September 1799, he cruised for the next few months in HMS ''Volage'' in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Cuba.〔 Promoted to commander on 10 October 1799, he was given command of the sloop HMS ''Stork'' in November 1799.〔 He returned to England and then spent nearly a year in HMS ''Stork'' in the North Sea or with the blockade fleet off Brest.〔 Promoted to captain on 9October 1801, Parker assumed command of the sixth-rate HMS ''Alarm'' in March 1802 and then the fifth-rate HMS ''Amazon'' in October 1802 and remained with her for the next 9 years.〔 The ''Amazon'' was attached to the fleet under Admiral Lord Nelson engaged in the pursuit of the French fleet to the West Indies.〔 She was then sent on a cruise westward and therefore missed the Battle of Trafalgar.〔 The ''Amazon'' was later attached to a squadron under Admiral Sir John Warren, participating in the capture of the French ships ''Marengo'' and ''Belle Poule'' at the Action of 13 March 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.〔 After ''Amazon'' was paid off in January 1812, Parker went onto half-pay.〔 He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 4 June 1815. Parker purchased Shenstone Lodge near Lichfield, where he lived for the next 15 years.〔 He returned to sea as captain of the third-rate HMS ''Warspite'' in 1827, and acted as senior officer off the coast of Greece in 1828.〔 He was given command the yacht HMS ''Prince Regent'' in December 1828〔 and, having been promoted to rear-admiral on 22 July 1830, he was appointed second-in-command of the Channel Squadron, under Sir Edward Codrington, in April 1831.〔Heathcote, p. 208〕 He was detached on an independent command on the Iberian Tagus River, hoisting his flag aboard the second-rate HMS ''Asia'', in September 1831 with a mission to protect British interests during the Portuguese Civil War.〔 He was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 16 July 1834. Parker returned to England and briefly served as Second Naval Lord in the Wellington caretaker ministry from August 1834 to December 1834. He became Second Sea Lord again, this time in the Second Melbourne ministry, in April 1835.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sir William Parker, 1st Baronet, of Shenstone」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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