Sir Richard Bickerton, 2nd Baronet

Admiral Sir Richard Hussey Bickerton, 2nd Baronet, KCB (11 October 1759 – 9 February 1832) was a senior Royal Navy officer who served in the American War of Independence, Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Personal life Richard Bickerton Junior was born in Southampton on 11 October 1759, the only surviving son of Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton and Mary Anne Hussey.

On 25 September 1788, he married Anne, daughter of Dr. James Athill of Antigua. Bickerton succeeded his father as 2nd Baronet in 1792. On 2 January 1815, Bickerton was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. When, in May 1823, he inherited the estate of Wood Walton, he began using his mother's maiden name, Hussey, before his own surname.

Bickerton and his wife were the godparents of Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons, who consequently gave the surname Bickerton as a middle name to his children Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons, and Anne Theresa Bickerton Lyons, Baroness von Wurtzburg.

Naval career Bickerton joined the Royal Navy, aged 12, on 14 December 1771. He was entered in the muster of his father's ships, Marlborough and later Princess Augusta, but did not actually serve until June 1774, when he joined HMS Medway as a captain's servant. Subsequently, promoted to midshipman, he served under Captain William Affleck in the Mediterranean, returning home in 1777 on board Invincible, commanded by Hyde Parker. In May, Bickerton joined HMS Jupiter in the Bay of Biscay, and when Charles Middleton was appointed comptroller of the navy, he recommended that Bickerton be appointed first lieutenant under the command of Francis Reynolds. While on convoy duty during the Summer of 1779, Bickerton gave the order to disperse, having heard of the arrival of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet in The Channel. His prompt action allowed the convoy to escape.

French Revolutionary War When France declared war in 1793, Bickerton was given command of HMS Ruby and served in her in The Channel until September 1794 when he moved to HMS Ramillies and joined Lord Howe in the Bay of Biscay. Bickerton remained on this station until July 1795, when he was sent to Newfoundland. and, towards the end of the year, took up the position of Assistant Port Admiral at Portsmouth.

Later career In spring 1805, a liver complaint forced Bickerton to return to England. He was promoted to vice-admiral on 9 November 1805 and then appointed to the Board of Admiralty in April 1807. He became First Naval Lord in the second Portland ministry in May 1808. On 31 July 1810 Bickerton attained the rank of full admiral and in March 1812 he left the Admiralty Board The event took place on 24 and 25 June, before the Prince Regent and his allies. On 5 January 1818 Bickerton was promoted to Lieutenant-general of the Marines, then General of the Marines in June 1830. He did not often speak in Parliamentary debates, except on naval issues.

Death

Bickerton died at his home, No. 15 The Circus, Bath, at the age of 72 on 9 February 1832. His wife outlived him, dying on 2 March 1850. As the couple had no children, the estate passed to Anne's nephew, Vice-admiral Sir Richard Hussey Moubray. The lack of male issue also meant the baronetcy became extinct with his death. Bickerton Island off the east coast of Australia's Northern Territory was named for him by the British navigator and cartographer, Matthew Flinders, who was the first to circumnavigate the continent.