Thomas Huskisson

Thomas Huskisson (1784-1844) was an officer in the Royal Navy. Thomas Huskisson was half-brother of William Huskisson, the British politician. Thomas joined the Royal Navy in 1800. He saw action at the Battle of Trafalgar on HMS Defence in 1805 and was promoted Captain in 1811. After the Napoleonic Wars he became Paymaster of the Navy and a Captain at Greenwich Hospital, where he was buried.

His fascinating memoirs were published as "Eyewitness to Trafalgar" (Ellisons Editions 1985 - editor and place of publication unknown).

Family history

Thomas' half-brother was William Huskisson MP, who married Emily Milbanke, the youngest daughter of Admiral Mark Milbanke, the commander-in-chief at Portsmouth. Admiral Milbanke assisted his entry into the Navy.

His brother John Huskisson was commissioned in 1798 into the Army and served with the 51st Regiment in Ceylon, while his other brother George Huskisson was commissioned in the Royal Marines.

In 1813 Thomas Huskisson married Elizabeth Wedge (1788-1873), daughter of Francis Wedge Esq of Forton, Staffordshire, and had 6 children, including William Milbanke Huskisson, of the Foreign Office and John Huskisson, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Marines.