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| HMS Sparrowhawk by William Smyth, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Built by Matthew Warren, Brightlingsea, Essex, launched 20 August 1807 (Sold 1841) |
Thomas Jones' naval pension record begins on 11 Feb 1835, when he will have been 18, where he's listed as being on HMS Sparrowhawk (1807) - an 18-gun Cruizer-class brig-sloop - as a Boy 2nd Class. Still on this ship, he is made an Ordinary Seaman on 1 Mar 1835 and an Able Seaman on 1 Aug 1835.
After spending the second half of 1833 being fitted out as a brig, on 1 Feb 1834, Sparrowhawk was reported at Portsmouth, expected to sail for the South America Station shortly and departed Spithead for the South American station on 13 Feb 1834. As I don't imagine Thomas was flown out later, I think it safe to assume that the then 17 year old will have left with the ship on this voyage.
Commanding the Sparrowhawk, between 9 Nov 1833 and 4 Feb 1837, was Commander Charles Pearson, veteran of the Peninsular War (father of Lieutenant General Sir Charles Knight Pearson KCMG CB), who was employed, 1830 to 1833, in the Coast Guard at North Yarmouth.
Around 24 Mar 1834, Sparrowhawk touched at Madeira en route for South America. Then on 17 Aug 1834, she rescued the crew of the Mars (en route from Launceston to London, foundered on the Falkland Islands 3 July).
10 May 1835 was at Valparaíso (Chile).
17 Apr 1836 is reported to be calling at Guayaquil (Ecuador) and Coquimbo (Chile), prior to returning to Valparaiso to meet HMS Blonde (1819).
20 Aug 1836 is reported to be due at Valparaiso shortly to relieve HMS Rover (1832), and to sail for Rio de Janeiro and England in Oct.
Thomas remained with this ship until the end of this voyage, on 4 Feb 1837, when he was paid off. Quite a journey for a young man, in those times, when most ag labs never left their village. This may not have been his first trip either - by the standards of the day, he could have been at sea for five+ years already - but I don't [yet] have any confirmed records of his earlier service as a boy.