An Historic English Westminster Abbey Stall Plate of Admiral Sir James Hillyar, Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, June 4, 1815.

Visitors to the Chapel of the Order of the Bath, in Westminster Abbey, will see stalls of the Knights of the Order, together with their armorial banners and crests. They will also see stall plates which have been affixed in the Chapel as a lasting testimonial to the many recipients of this high order. Plates can be seen to Monarchs, Admirals, Generals and Politicians. This stall plate was made for then 'Post-Captain' Hillyar, born Oct. 29, 1769 and died July 10, 1843. He is best known for his service in the frigate HMS Phoebe. His first battle occurred off of Boston in 1781. In 1813 he was ordered to operate in the Pacific Ocean against the American whaling fleets and fur trading posts. Off Chile, he discovered the American frigate USS Essex, Captained by David Porter, raiding British merchant ships. Hillyar tracked her to the harbor of Valparaiso trapping Essex in the harbor. Hillyar waited six weeks for Essex to come out, thwarting all of the efforts of Capt. Porter to escape him. Eventually, on March 28, 1814, Porter attempted to break out of the harbor but was driven into a nearby bay and defeated in a short but bloody engagement. Hillyar then brought Essex and her prizes back to Britain. In 1837 he was promoted to Rear Admiral. He was knighted twice in his long and illustrious career. Two of his sons later became Admirals in the Royal navy. This wonderful plate is made of gilt copper and measures 7 1/2" by 4 1/2".