The following is a short extract from F S Hindmarsh's book, "From Powder Monkey to Governor".

John Hindmarsh was born at Chatham, Kent in 1785 and was the son of a gunner in the Royal Navy. At the age of 5 he served with his father in HMS Bellerophon and again during Lord Howe's action of the Glorious First of June, 1795 when he was only 9 years old. One of his early shipmates was Mathew Flinders - later to become the virtual discoverer of South Australia - and little did young Hindmarsh dream that he was destined to be the first ruler of that part of the continent which his senior messmate made known to the world. There was fascinating linkage between Capt James Cook RN, explorer of Australia's east coast, and the discoverer and founder of South Australia. William Bligh of the Bounty sailed with Cook on his last voyage and, in 1791, Flinders was a midshipman under Bligh.

Hindmarsh was involved in nearly a hundred clashes with the enemy and in the capture or destruction of upwards of forty sail of the line besides frigates, small craft and privateers. He was a real life "Hornblower" and when the Naval General Service Medal was introduced, it was discovered that he was entitled to the War Medal with seven clasps, for his distinguished service being the greatest number received by any commissioned officer - bar one other - in the Royal Navy.

After the war he served with the Pasha in Egypt and was later appointed first Governor of South Australia. His term in Australia was not a happy one and he quarrelled with the Surveyor-General over the site of Adelaide. He was eventually recalled and was later appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Heligoland.

Considering his lack of influence, his record of promotion from Gunner's Servant on the lower deck to Rear Admiral, in class conscious England, was no small achievement.

Another extract is from "Lawmakers and Wayward Whigs: Government in South Australia 1836-1986" by Alex C. Castles and Michael C. Harris.

Hindmarsh began his career in the Royal Navy, and over a ten year period was engaged in several actions, including the Battle of Trafalgar. Hindmarsh lost the sight of one eye during the Battle of the Nile. In 1835, Hindmarsh successfully applied to the colonial office for appointment as governor of the new South Australian colony. Before sailing for the colony, he had recommended Light as surveyor-general, which recommendation was accepted. However, upon their arrival in late 1836, Hindmarsh disputed with Light over the site and surveying of Adelaide. When the matter was put to a popular vote, the governor's demands was defeated - a defeat which damaged his prestige. Hindmarsh contented himself by obtaining choice land and waterfront sites that returned him considerable personal profit.

The impulsively natured governor had additional troubles caused by drawing bills on the British Treasury without authority, though the money was needed for stores, equipment and livestock. There was also a bitter and ongoing conflict with the resident commissioner, J.H. Fisher, and his supporters. These employed disreputable methods to humiliate Hindmarsh and actively slandered and opposed him. Hindmarsh responded by progressively removing the dissidents from the council and replacing them with suitors of his daughters. But by December, 1837, two men critical of Hindmarsh, namely, Gouger and Kingston, had separately arrived in London, sharing an avowed intent to unseat Hindmarsh. The Colonial Office, which had received many reports of Hindmarsh's "misdeeds", bowed to the pressure and recalled him. His recall was not considered a disgrace either in Adelaide or at the Colonial Office, and the action was later admitted to have been "too hastily determined". In 1840, he was appointed governor of Heligoland; in 1850, he was knighted; and in 1856, Hindmarsh retired. He died in London in 1860.

(See also "The Australian Dictionary of Biography" (Melbourne University Press, 1966), v. 1 pp. 538-541.)

The following is an extract from O'Byrne's "Naval Biography" outlining the background to the award by Nelson of a "Sword of Honour" to John Hindmarsh:

"John Hindmarsh entered the Navy in May 1793 as first cabin lad on board the Bellerophon (74 gun) in which ship he was employed for the long period of 7 years (as we have learned above he actually joined the ship 3 years earlier but in the unpaid position as gunner's son). He was present in Lord Howe's action of 1 June 1794, in Cornwallis's retreat of 16/17 June 1795 and at the Battle of the Nile. He also took part, as Midshipman, in most of Nelson's boat operations off Cadiz in 1797 and contributed, in 1799, to the capture of the forts at Naples and Gaeta. During the action of the Nile he was for some time the only person left on the Bellerophon's quarter deck and being so at the moment her opponent L'Orient caught fire, he ordered the cable to be cut and the spritsail to be set; a measure which, in the opinion of Capt Darby (who returned to the quarterdeck from the surgeon's hands immediately afterwards) saved the ship from destruction. For his conduct on that glorious day, Mr Hindmarsh had the honour of eliciting the public thanks of Lord Nelson, to whom, as subsequently to Earl St Vincent, and to all the Nile Captains, he was personally presented by Capt Darby. Although, on the occasion, he received so severe a contusion as ultimately to lose the sight of an eye (a misfortune for which he never obtained any pension), yet to his honour be it recorded, nothing could induce him to leave his station.

"HMS Victory at Trafalgar" © Artist: H Wylie

Accompanying Capt Darby, in May 1800 into the Spencer (74 guns), he had an opportunity, in July 1801 of sharing both in the action off Algeciras and in the victory gained by Sir Jas Saumarez in the Gut of Gibraltar: where he also came into frequent boat contact with the Spaniards and was engaged in repelling a serious attack made by their flotilla upon HMS Northumberland (74 guns). The Spencer being paid off in Sept 1802 on her return from a voyage to the West Indies, Mr Hindmarsh next, in April 1803, joined the Victory (100 guns), bearing the flag in the Mediterranean of Lord Nelson, through whose influence he advanced to Lieutenant in the promotion list of the following August when he was apponted to the "Phoebe" (36 guns) under Capt Hon Thomas Bladen Capel. During a servitude of more than two years in that frigate he commanded her boats at the capture of many of the enemy's vessels, and in one instance having successfully stormed some batteries in the neighbourhood of Toulon, he brought out a ship which had been lying under their protection. After participating in the "Battle of Trafalgar", 21 Oct 1805, he contributed, at its close, to the preservation of two of the prizes, the

"Swiftsure" and the "Bahama" and was subsequently placed in charge, first of the "Fouqueux" and then of the "Bahama".

On leaving the the "Phoebe" he was appointed, in Nov 1805, Senior of "The Beagle" (18 guns) with Capts George Digby and Francis Newcombe, under whom he was for a long time employed on the coast of France, where he proved instrumental in the capture of many very heavy privateers. During the operations connected with the destruction of the French Squadron in Aix Roads, in April 1809, "The Beagle", "with a degree of gallantry that procured her general admiration", took up a position between HM ships and the enemy, and remained on the quarters of the "Aquillon" (74 guns) and the "Ville de Varsovie" (80 guns), until they successively struck their colours. She then followed the "Ocean" (120 guns) up the river Charente and, having moored across the stern of that ship, continued in hot action with her for a period of five hours, when the turning of the tide compelled her to desist.

After assisting at the reduction of "Flushing", Mr Hindmarsh was nominated First Lieutenant of the "Nisus" (38 guns) under Capt Philip Beaver. They were ordered to the Isle of France, where he arrived in time to aid its subjugation, and to command a large detachment of boats sent to take possession of its coast batteries. He next, in Sept 1811, saw action at the fall of Java and May, 1813 he was invalided home. His promotion to the rank ofCommander took place on 15 Jun 1814, but it was not until the 8 Mar 1830 that he succeeded in obtaining another appointment. He was then placed in command of th "Scylla" (18 guns) fitting for the Mediterranean, from which station, on advancement to Post rank on 3 Sep 1831, he returned home. On 21 Apr 1836, Captain Hindmarsh was next appointed to the "Buffalo" (6 guns), for the purpose of founding the colony of South Australia."

For details of Admiral Sir John Hindmarsh in South Australia and the Hindmarsh place names click here.  or the family tree here.