| Taken at Christmas time in 1888, this photograph depicts Henry A. Moriarty and his wife Harriet E. Moriarty both of whom are identified on the reverse in their own hands. This gentleman wears what appears to be the Naval General Service Medal, the Baltic Medal for the Crimean War and possibly the 1842 China War Medal. Most prominent is the Knight Commander's badge (military) for the Order of the Bath. Awaiting further research I believe this man to be the same Henry A. Moriarty who took part in both the 1857 trans-Atlantic attempt as Master of the HMS Agememnon and in the Great Eastern's 1865 attempt although at this time I have little doubt that my indentification is correct. I have uncovered the following information about Henry A. Moriarty's naval career: Promoted to Master and appointed to the HMS Vesuvius - 6 September, 1844 Appointed Master of HMS Devastation - 6 March, 1846 Appointed Master of steam frigate HMS Dragon - 5 August, 1850 Appointed Master HMS Retribution - 9 August, 1850 Master and Pilot, HMS Duke of Wellington (131 guns) - February, 1853 Master-Commander, HMS Lightning, 3 guns, paddlewheel steamer (tender to the Duke of Wellington) - January, 1856 Master, HMS Agememnon - April, 1857 Staff Commander, HMS Fox, 2 screw storeship - before February, 1865 Staff Commander, resumed command of Fox after duty with the Great Eastern - August, 1865 Captain & CB, appointed Assistant Master Attendant of Portsmouth dockyard - December, 1867 Captain Henry A. Moriarty died on 18 August, 1906 He had been on a £80 per year Greenwich Hospital Pennison prior to his death. I am still looking into Moriarty's service during the Crimean War. Cabinet Photograph Henry Wayland - Photographer Rembrandt House, Blackheath, England December 1888 |
