BELCHER

Sir Edward ( 2 son of Andrew Belcher, of Clarence lodge, Roe hampton, Surrey ). b. Nova Scotia 1799; entered navy 9 April 1812; one of original fellows of Royal Geog. Soc. 1830; sailed round the world in H.M.S. Sulphur 1836–42; captain 6 May 1841; engaged surveying in East Indies 1842–47; C.B. 14 Oct. 1841, K.C.B. 13 March 1867; knighted by patent for his services in China 21 Jany. 1843; granted pension for wounds 13 March 1847; commanded expedition in search of Sir John Franklin 10 Feb. 1852 to Oct. 1854; admiral 20 Oct. 1872; F.R.A.S. Dec. 1837; claimed to be the inventor of water-tight bulkheads and compartments; granted a Green wich hospital pension of £150 per annum 7 Dec. 1874; author of A treatise on nautical surveying 1835; Narrative of a voyage round the world 2 vols. 1843; Narrative of the voyage of H.M.S. Samarang 2 vols. 1848; Horatio Howard Brenton a naval novel 3 vols. 1856; The last of the Arctic voyages 2 vols. 1855. ( m. 11 Sep. 1830 Diana dau. of George Jolliffe, captain H.E.I.C.S.) d. 6 Melcombe place, Dorset sq. London 18 March 1877. Army and Navy mag. iv , 1–5 (1882), portrait ; I.L.N. xxi , 321 (1852), portrait, lxx , 299 (1878), portrait ; Journal of Royal Geog. Soc. xlvii , 136–42 (1877); Monthly notices of Royal Astron. Soc. xxxviii , 141–43 (1878); Transactions of Instit. of naval architects xi , 12–19, 197–211 (1870).