Stephenson, Thomas, Captain, 1741-1808.

The papers consist of order books, 1795 to 1801; a log, 1798 to 1799; a signal log, 1799, and sailing directions of the Channel, North America and the West Indies. There are also two logs of the sloop HMS COLUMBIA (captured 1813), 1814 to 1815, kept by Midshipman F. Thompson, a signal notebook by Thomas Michell, and the personal papers of Lieutenant John Launcelot Houghton (1787-1820), 1805 to 1815, a nephew of Stephenson's also on board the COLUMBIA.

Administrative / biographical background
Stephenson entered the Navy as a first class volunteer and was promoted to lieutenant in 1778. He left the Navy in 1785 and became a 'free mariner' in India. He commanded, among other ships, the MARY, her last voyage being from Bengal to England, 1795 to 1796. Stephenson then returned to the Navy after an absence of twelve years. He was promoted to commander and to captain in 1798, when he went to HMS DEFENCE (1763) in the Channel. In 1800 he was given command of HMS PRINCESS CHARLOTTE (captured 1799) but appears to have had no further command after 1802. Stephenson died at Huntingdon in 1808.