Admiral Richard Darton Thomas (3 June 1777 – 21 August 1857) was a Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station

Pacific Station

The Pacific Station, often referred to as the Pacific Squadron, was one of the geographical divisions into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities...

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Naval career

Thomas entered the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 on 26 May 1790 and was made midshipman

Midshipman

A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...

 in December 1792. He was present at the capture of Martinique

Martinique

Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...

 in 1794 and was on the when it was burned in 1795. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 15 January 1797 and took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent later that year. He was promoted to Commander on 18 January 1803 and to Captain on 22 October 1805. He then served as Captain of the Ordinary at Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

 from 1822 to 1825 and again from 1834 to 1837. On 10 January 1837 he was appointed Rear Admiral, and served as Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station

Pacific Station

The Pacific Station, often referred to as the Pacific Squadron, was one of the geographical divisions into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities...

 from 5 May 1841 to December 1844. He was promoted to Vice Admiral on 8 January 1848 and eventually rose to the rank of Admiral

Admiral

Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...

 in September 1854.

Thomas died on 21 August 1857 at Stonehouse

Stonehouse, Plymouth

East Stonehouse is one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth. West Stonehouse was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall...

, Devon

Devon

Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...

, aged 80.

Family

He married Gratiana Williams, daughter of General Richard Williams on 2 October 1827. On 13 November 1850 his daughter Gratiana Mary Thomas (born 1822) married Sir Mathew Wharton Wilson (1827–1909), son of Sir Mathew Wilson, 1st Baronet

Sir Mathew Wilson, 1st Baronet

Sir Mathew Wilson,1st baronet was an English landowner and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1842 and 1886....

, one of the Wilson Baronets

Wilson Baronets

There have been eight Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Wilson, one in the Baronetage of Ireland and six in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.-Wilsons Baronets, of Killenure :...

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