Richard Bastard entered the Royal Navy in July 1798 as a first class volunteer on HMS Spider, stationed in the English Channel. In 1800 he moved as signal midshipman to the Prince of Wales, the flagship of Sir Robert Calder, on the West Indies station. Between 1804 and 1805 he served on the frigate Melpomene under Captain Robert Dudley Oliver, blockading the French coast, where the Melpomene carried out several successful single ship actions. Later, he took part in the Copenhagen expedition, during which he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on the Bonetta, 19 October 1807.
Bastard joined the Minotaur, the flagship of the Home and Portugal stations, lying in Yarmouth Roads, on 30 October 1807. In March 1809 he moved to the frigate Perlen, with which he served during the reduction of Flushing, and thence sailed to the West Indies. He was invalided home in April 1811, and placed on half pay from April until October 1812. Thereafter, he joined HMS Queen, then stationed in the Basque Roads, as first lieutenant. From February 1813 to November 1814 he served on the Freija troopship, then moved to the Clorinde on the Mediterranean station. He was paid off from the Clorinde at Deptford in July 1816.
In August 1816 Bastard signed on as an officer with the merchant vessel Sir William Beasley at Deptford for a voyage to Sydney, New South Wales, 1816-1817. Between 1 June and 15 August 1822 he was employed on the steam packet King of the Netherlands . From November 1831 to September 1832 he commanded Royal Navy steam packets on the Falmouth station. He was placed on half pay in 1834, and retired a commander in 1851. Bastard died on 10 February 1867.
From the guide to the Richard Bastard: Account book, 1807-1822, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)
