Henry Lightfoot joined the Royal Navy about 1771, as a master’s mate in HMS Arethusa.  The ship had been recommissioned by Captain Andrew Snape Hamond in January 1771, for home waters.  Light-foot then joined Cook’s Second Voyage, on 28 January, 1772, as a midshipman in Adventure.  He kept a log,¹ but does not himself feature in the narrative of the voyage.

After Adventure’s return to Britain in 1774, Lightfoot transferred in November to HMS Triumph, then operating as a guardship at Sheerness.  She was captained by George Falconer.  Lightfoot went with him when Falconer moved to HMS Mars in January 1775.  She was a guardship at Chatham, and Lightfoot spent 15 months with her.

In May 1776, Lightfoot began five years in the sloop Hound as the gunner, under a succession of commanders, including James Robertson, Joseph Nunn, and Thomas Stephenson.  From December 1777, Hound was in Jamaican waters.  In July 1782, Lightfoot sat, and passed, his lieutenant’s examination.

Lightfoot received his lieutenant’s commission on 15 November, 1782,² and immediately joined the brig Bustler, which had just been recommissioned by Commander Robert Barton.  Bustler operated in the Irish Sea, based at Holyhead, before being paid off in 1786.

No other active service has been located for Henry Lightfoot, who is recorded as dying on 24 December, 1790.  Nor has any genealogical information been traced for him.  It appears he never married, and did not leave a will. 

Lieutenant’s certificate for Henry Lightfoot

17 July 1782    more than 28 years old   more than 10 years service.

Journal from Adventure dispensed with per order of 15 July 1782. 

Certificates from Captains Falconar and Furneaux

1 August 1782    CM    EL   ?

John Robson

References

1. The log runs from 23 November, 1772, to 14 May, 1773.ADM 51/4523/5.Held at the National Archives (TNA).
2. 1782.ADM 6/22/540.Held at TNA.

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 23, volume 39, number 4 (2016).