Duckworth

Duckworth, Sir John Thomas, British admiral, son of a vicar of Stoke Pogis, was born at Leatherhead in 1749, and, having entered the royal navy, was present when only ten years of age at the victories of Boscawen and Hawke in 1759. He became a lieutenant in 1770, and as such took part in Byron's action in 1779, immediately after which he was made a commander. Promotion to captain followed in 1780. He was captain of the Orion, 74, at the battle of "the Glorious First of June," 1794, and of the Leviatlian at the attack on San Domingo in 1796. Three years later he was made a rear-admiral, and became second-incommand under Nelson at Naples. After rendering various valuable services, and capturing a number of islands in the West Indies, he was so fortunate, on February 6th, 1806, as to fall in, off San Domingo, with a French squadron under Rear-Admiral Leissegues, and, after a warmly-fought action, to capture or destroy the whole of it except two frigates and a corvette. For this victory he received the thanks of both Houses, a pension of £1,000 a year, the freedom of the City, and other honours. He next became second-in-command, under Collingwood, in the Mediterranean; and in 1807 took his division of the fleet up the Dardanelles, engaging the Turkish batteries both going and returning. He was afterwards second-in-command in the Channel, commander-in-chief at Newfoundland, and port-admiral at Plymouth. In this last position he died in 1817, being at the time an admiral, a baronet, and a K.B. He was probably a brave and capable, but he was certainly a very unpopular officer, and it is to this latter fact that maybe attributed the comparative smallness of the rewards which were given for his undoubtedly great services.