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Naval General Service

Naval General Service, bar Java, Stephen Stocker, Master’s Mate. He served aboard H.M.S. Bucephalus, as a Master’s Mate, when he earned the Java clasp. He was the Brother of Commander…

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Origin: United Kingdom
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Naval General Service, bar Java, Stephen Stocker, Master’s Mate.

 

He served aboard H.M.S. Bucephalus, as a Master’s Mate, when he earned the Java clasp.

 

He was the Brother of Commander Walter Broad Stocker.

 

This Officer entered the Navy, 2nd February 1805, as A.B. on board the Scorpion 18, Captains Phillip Cartet and Francis Stanfell; under the former of whom, after blockading the Texel and assisting at the capture, 11th April 1805, of L’Honneur, Dutch National Schooner of 12 guns, he sailed with convoy, early in 1806, for the West Indies; where the Scorpion watched a French Squadron under Rear-Admiral Villaumez at Port Royal, Martinique, and on the escape of the latter, dogged it for many days.

 

She subsequently accompanied Sir John Borlase Warren in pursuit of the enemy to North America; and while cruising next, on the Home Station, made prize of among other vessels, the privateers Bourgainville of 18 guns and 93 men ( taken after a long chase and running fight of 45 minutes), La Glaneuse of 16 guns and 80 men, and Le Glaneur of 10 guns and 60 men.

 

In March, 1809, Mr. Stocker removed as Midshipman, a rating he had acquired in November 1806, to the Comet 18, Captain Richard Henry Muddle; and in the course of the following month he joined the Bucephalus 32, under Captains Chas Pelly and Joseph Drury.
After commanding a boat in the attack upon Flushing, he sailed for the East Indies; where he assisted, in 1810, at the capture of the Mauritius, and in 1811 again had charge of a boat at the reduction of Java.
Being then left at Batavia, the Bucephalus during her sojourn at that place, lost 127 Officers and Men, including her captain from the effects of the climate; and on the occasion of her departure, about April 1812, she had out of a crew consisting of originally 264, only 56 capable of performing duty.
Previously following Captain Duryr as Master’s Mate, in August 1812, into the Hecate sloop, Mr Stocker, who had been nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Bucephalus, 17th November 1811, accompanied a highly successful expedition conducted by Captain Jas Bowen of the Phoenix frigate against the pirates of Palembang, an aided in forming a settlement on the island of Banca.

 

In the Hecate he united, and had command of a boat, in a series of arduous operations against the Sultan of Sambas, in Borneo, whose fortifications were destroyed and depredations effectually checked.
From march 1814, until Paid off, on his return to England, in August 1817, Mr. Stocker served with Captains Drury, Henry Warde and John Reynolds, still in the East Indies, in the Volage 22.
Being Strongly Recommended by Captain Drury for his general good conduct, and in particular for his exertions in the attack upon Sambas, he was during that period a second time, 16th March 1815, ordered by Commodore Sayer to act as Lieutenant.
Although not at the time aware of the circumstance, he had been promoted at home by a commission bearing the date of the preceding February.
In the early part of 1817 the Volage, while lying at Trincomalee, was hove down on both sides; and for his services on this occasion Mr Stocker received the thanks of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Richard King.
His appointments after he left the Volage, were 20th January 1823, to the Coast Guard, 27th September 1828, to the Command, for three years, of the Dove Revenue Cruizer.
28th January 1832, again to the Coast Guard, in which he remained until 12th march 1843, and on 7th July in the latter year, and 22nd May 1845, to the San Josef 110 and Caledonia 120, under Captains Frederick William Burgoyne and Manley Hall Dixon, both stationed at Devonport, where he had charge of a division of the ships in Ordinary.
He has been on Half Pay since 1846 (as of 1849).

 

Whilst serving in the Scorpion, Mr Stocker fell from the main futtock-shrouds to the deck, owing to a ratline giving way, and injured his right leg.
On the night of 14th November 1828, the Dove, which he then commanded, parted three chains in a heavy gale and drove on shore’ and he and his crew were with difficulty saved.
After being for a week on shore she was hove off.”

 

The above biography provided by the British Naval Biographical Dictionary, compiled in 1849.

 

Ex Sotheby’s February 1985, B.D.W. June 1994.