The connection is made from this account of The Royal Navy Memoirs of the services of the flag-officers. Through his ancestry to he MUST be related to the Lord Admiral Collingwood and Admiral Parker. I now believe his introduction to Nelson's Victory was influenced both by his Uncle, Captain Thomas Richbell and the Admiral himself. I also note that in this report written by serving officers at the time "....he fired repeatedly..." at the french sniper, with no mention of John Pollard. However, my own view is that they both shot him and should both get the credit. I am still researching to see if a line to my own ancestry meets the line back to any of the High Sheriffs of Eslington, Dissington, Lilburn and Unthank Hall.
https://archive.org/stream/cihm_37593/cihm_37593_djvu.txt*page 258
FRANCIS EDWARD COLLINGWOOD RN
Is descended from a very ancient family, the COLLINGWOODS of Eslington, co. Northumberland, of which sixteen were High Sheriffs and led by their attachment to the House of Stuart, suffered a great reverse of fortune, in 1715. His grandfather, Edward, successively master attendant of the dock-yards at Plymouth, Portsmouth, Chatham, and Deptford, *(the first person of the name of Collingwood whom we find mentioned in our naval annals), sailed round the world, as midshipman, with Anson, by whom he was ever afterwards patronised, and was master of the Victory, first rate, flag- ship of Admiral Sir John Balchen short time previous to her loss, in Oct. 1744 *.
Francis Edward Collingwood, only son of Francis Collingwood of Greenwich, Esq by Sarah, sister to the late Captain Thomas Richbell was born at Milford, co. Pembroke and entered the royal navy, as midshipman on board the America, commanded by his *uncle-in-law, the late Vice Admiral Sir William Parker and subsequently served in the Pheasant sloop, Beaulieu and Alligator frigates, Elephant and Victory bearing the flag of the immortal Nelson, whose death he avenged by shooting the French rifleman who had, after 'repeated' attempts, succeeded in mortally wounding that illustrious hero at the ever memorable battle of Trafalgar. During that tremendous conflict, he was sent from his quarters on the poop, where the carnage was most dreadful, with a few men, to assist in extinguishing a fire on board the French 74 gun ship, le Redoubtable, which service he performed in a manner highly satisfactory to his captain, the *present Sir Thomas M. Hardy. His promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place on the 22d Jan. 1806.
After serving for some time in the Queen, flag-ship of Admiral Lord Collingwood, and Bahama, one of the Spanish ships captured off Trafalgar, this officer was appointed to the. Pallas in which frigate we find him present, under the command of Captain (now Sir George F.) Seymour, at the destruction of five French men-of-war in Aix Roads, April 12th 1809. In the ensuing summer, he accompanied the grand expedition sent against Antwerp, and was constantly employed in guard boats and on shore, during the occupation of Walcheren.
His next appointment was Dec. 13th 1809 to be first lieutenant of the Iris in which ship he continued for a period of five years.
Alderney, many guns were heard on the nights of the 4th and 5th, but
the weather was too tempestuous to hazard boats out to their assistance.
In this ship perished near one thousand men, besides fifty volunteers,
sons of the first nobility and gentry in the kingdom.
The Iris was principally employed in co-operation with the patriots on the north coast of Spain, where Lieutenant Collingwood appears to have been a constant volunteer for boat and shore service; and on many occasions obtained the particular approbation of Captain Sir George Collier, senior officer of the squadron on that station.
Nov. 1814, Mr. Coliingwood was appointed first lieutenant of the Niger under Captain Peter Rainier, for a short time on the Cape of Good Hope station.
In December 1820, he obtained the command of the Kite revenue cruiser,employed on the coast of Ireland, where he continued for the usual period of three years. During this time he had two ribs and his breast bone fractured, was wounded by a pike through the leg, and received two severe contusions on the head, he was also washed overboard in a heavy gale of wind, and must have perished, all his boats having been previously lost, had not a following sea thrown him on the
square-sail brace, to which he clung until assisted in-board.
His promotion to the rank of commander took place January 15th, 1828.
This officer(Francis Edward Collingwood) married, in May 1822, Ellen second daughter of the late Rev. Samuel Collis, of Fort William, co. Kerry, by whom he has several children. His only surviving sister was the wife of Dr. J. D. Burke, late surgeon of H. M. dockyard at Pembroke, and is *now the widow of the Rev. Hugh Taylor.
*(nb these texts are written in the past tense as they were at the time. I have tried to 'correct' the numerous typos in transcribing)
Poll