Henry Lidgbird Ball (7 December 1756 – 22 October 1818) was a Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy of the British Empire. While Ball was best known as the commander of the First Fleet's , he was also notable for the exploration and the establishment of colonies around what is now Australia and New Zealand. Specifically, Ball explored the area around Port Jackson and Broken Bay, helped establish the Norfolk Island penal settlement, and discovered and named Lord Howe Island. Ball joined the Royal Navy and was a crewman of various ships, before being commissioned as a lieutenant on 23 April 1778. Ball's first command was off the Northern Irish coast from 1783 until 1786. In October 1787 Ball was appointed to command HMS Supply and to join Captain Arthur Phillip's expedition to establish a penal colony in New South Wales. The expedition departed England on 13 May 1787, and Supply was accompanied by 10 other ships. Of all the ships in the fleet, Supply reached Botany Bay first, on 18 January 1788. Supply would remain in the colony under the overall command of Governor Phillip, and transport men to establish a secondary settlement on Norfolk Island after which Supply was mainly used to transport supplies and men between the two settlements. Ball returned to England in 1791 due to declining health. Upon improved health, Ball returned to the Navy in December 1793, and served in the Downs. In March 1796, Ball was given command of and joined Rear-Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian's convoy to capture Dutch and French colonies in the Caribbean. In March 1797, Ball was appointed to and was stationed off South Africa where she was involved in the capture of six vessels and the action of 9 February 1799. Daedalus sailed for the East Indies Station on 9 July 1799, where she was involved in operations in the Red Sea. Ball returned to England in March 1802. Ball was commander of at the Battle of the Basque Roads, and was called as a witness at the Court-martial of James, Lord Gambier, regarding those events. Ball enjoyed a few more commands before his semi-retirement in December 1813. Ball received the title Rear-Admiral of the Blue on 4 June 1814. Ball spent his retirement in Surrey, England until his death on 22 October 1818. Early life Henry Lidgbird Ball was born in 1756 at Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, to George Ball