NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL WITH BASQUE ROADS 1809 CLASP TO MASTER'S MATE S. SPARSHOTT

Samuel Sparshott entered the Royal Navy on 1 May 1803 as Able Seaman aboard the Prince of Wales 98 under Captain John Giffard, employed as Midshipman and Master's Mate under the flags aboard Ville de Paris 110 and Caledonia 120 and on the Home Station of Admirals Sir Robert Calder, Edward Thornbrough, Sir James Saumarez and Lords Gardner and Gambier.

Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 22 Aug 1809, Sparshott was present aboard the Ville de Paris in the action with the combined fleets off Cape Finisterre on 22 July 1805, and as Signal Mate at the destruction of the French shipping in Basque Roads in Apr 1809. His appointments as Lieutenant were on 31 Aug 1809 to the Gannymede 26 under Captains Robert Carteret, Hassard Stackpoole, Edward Crofton, Robert Preston and John Brett Purvis, employed on the Home, Mediterranean and West India Stations, appointed to the Aquilon 32 on 26 Dec 1811 under Captain William Bowles, stationed in the North Sea and Baltic and on the coast of South America, returning to England in 1814. Joining the Ceres 32 and Euphrates 36, Sparshott was stationed off the Western Islands and joined Amphion 32 under Captain Bowles in South America.

While serving in the Aquilon, he commanded the boats of that ship at the destruction of a convoy off the island of Rugen. Acquiring the rank of Commander on 16 Oct 1818, Sparshott was appointed to the Nimrod 18, which vessel, by the breaking of her anchor, drove on the rocks in Holyhead Bay and bilged, during a gale from the northwest on the night of 14 Jan 1827. She was got off by the utmost exertion on the part of her Commander, officers and crew, was placed in a dry dock and on 3 March following, was sold.

On 16 May 1827, Sparshott was appointed Deputy Inspector-General of the Coast Guard. Sparshott died on 10 Nov 1851 and there is a large marble memorial erected in his honour at St. Ann's Church at Portsmouth Naval Dockyard which is inscribed: 'To the memory of Commander Samuel Sparshott, Royal Navy, who departed this life the 10th November 1851 in his 69th year while filling the office of Deputy Comproller General of the Coastguard, which he had held for nearly 25 years. This tablet is erected by officer's and men of that service to record their high estimation of his character as an officer and gentleman.'