POLKINGHORNE, Charles James

Charles Polkinghorne joined the Royal Navy in November 1842 as a Second Master. As this was the equivalent rate of a Warrant Officer, it appears that Polkinghorne had served in the merchant navy, or perhaps worked for the East India Company before he enlisted in the Royal Navy. He was sent directly to HMS Minden, a store and hospital ship located in Hong Kong. Polkinghorne remained with Minden for eighteen months before joining the crew of HMS Dido in Singapore. Dido returned to the United Kingdom in early 1845. In June of that year, Polkinghorne was appointed Second Master of HMS Calliope and would see service in the New Zealand Wars.

Calliope embarked for New Zealand in August 1845 calling at Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, and Hobart. Calliope first arrived in New Zealand at the Bay of Islands and supplied troops for the assault of Ruapekapeka Pā. Calliope was then sent to Wellington and arrived in April 1846, landing 250 troops at Porirua. The ship’s company were responsible for organising boat patrols of the harbour. During the hostilities, Calliope served as a temporary prison for Māori Chief Te Rauparaha. From Wellington, Calliope sailed to the Whanganui region and provided troops and a gun boat. Sailors patrolled the Whanganui River while two of the ship’s guns were landed and used to reinforce the Whanganui garrison’s defences. The gun boat provided fire support for soldiers defending Whanganui until August 1848. Polkinghorne left New Zealand on board Calliope and sailed for England.

In 1849 Polkinghorne took a posting in HMS Trincomalee on the North America and West Indies Station. Polkinghorne returned to New Zealand in November 1852 in HMS Fantome. It was during this visit that he almost lost his life during an attempted landing at Porirua. Seven men, including the ship’s surgeon, died in the heavy seas. Over the next few years Polkinghorne sailed in Fantome between Australia and New Zealand visiting Auckland, Wellington, Queen Charlotte Sound, and the Bay of Islands. In 1856 Fantome returned to England and Polkinghorne was discharged from the ship’s company. He then served in other vessels around North America and the West Indies before taking several postings around the United Kingdom. His final posting was as Staff Captain, Master Attendant at Portsmouth Yard, England in 1872. After a long career he retired in July 1879.