Admiral Edward Sparshott (3 March 1788 – 9 November 1873) was an English officer of the Royal Navy, serving during the Napoleonic Wars.

[12] At St Pancras Old Church on 16 August 1843, at the age of 45, Sparshott married Sarah Cooper, who was 20 or 25 years old, and literate.

In 1851 he was living with his wife, two children and two servants in Clarence Cottage, Bridge Road, Marylebone, London, and describing himself as a retired captain R.N., with a "good service pension".

The 1861 census finds the family living in the High Street, Botley, with Sparshott describing himself as a retired rear-admiral, R.N.

He was appointed to the sloop HMS Beaver of 18 guns under Captain Charles Bassett Jones, initially "on a convoy for Cork with Lord Gardner".

Between January 1803 and March 1805 he served in the cutter HMS Pigmy of 14 guns, at Guernsey under lieutenant commanders Samuel Burgess and Martin White.

"While cruizing with Captain Loring off L'Orient he assisted the capture, 28 March 1806, of Le Néarque corvette of 16 guns and 97 men, in company at the time with three French frigates".

[9] He "was signal mate of Lord Gambier’s flag-ship, the Caledonia 120, during the operations against the French squadron in Aix Roads, in April 1809".

[10] On 28 April 1809, he was formally promoted to lieutenant,[31] "for his zeal and activity in [HMS Baltic] in effecting the capture of as many as 21 sail of merchantmen".

On 15 June 1815 he embarked as 2nd lieutenant for England in HMS Warrior, of 74 guns, captained by John Tremayne Rodd.

During his time in the Mediterranean, he was involved in several exploits:[9][10] [Sparshott] assisted in the Niobe at the capture, 20 Oct. 1810, of L’Hirondelle privateer of 4 guns and 30 men; took part, in the following Nov., in a gallant attack made, in company with the Diana 38, upon the French 40-gun frigates Amazone and Eliza, who were driven under the batteries of La Hogue, where the latter was ultimately burnt; aided in taking, 4 March, 1811, Le Loup Marin privateer of 16 guns and 64 men; and witnessed, at the close of the same month, the self-destruction, near Cape Barfleur, of the above-named Amazone.

While serving as Second-Lieutenant in the Warrior he experienced a furious hurricane, which dismasted that ship, filled her hold with 11 feet water, and nearly sunk her.

In endeavouring on the occasion to clear her of one of a convoy which had run on board of her, he was washed into the sea; but his exertions nevertheless materially contributed to extricate her from her critical situation.

As First-Lieutenant of the Forester, Myrmidon, Tagus, and Rochfort, Mr. Sparshott acquired much professional reputation and succeeded by his eminent good qualities in securing the friendship and esteem of his superiors.

Observing that one of the prisoners was about to thank him, he said, "Don't thank me sir, thank your shipmates for having done your work and their own smartly and well;" then taking the list from the master-at-arms, he tore it to pieces, and pitched the fragments through the port.

[32] Byrne (1849) says:[9] In 1837 [Sparshott] was sent with a body of troops and two steamers and a corvette of the Indian Navy under his orders, to suppress an insurrection in the province of Canara; and so prompt and successful were his arrangements that he received the written thanks of the Governors in Council of Madras and Bombay, and the fullest approbation of his Commander-in-Chief.