George Darby

For the 19th-century baseball player, see George Darby (baseball).

George Darby
Vice-Admiral George Darby, by George Romney, c.1784
Born	c.1720
Died	1790
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands held	Channel Fleet
Battles/wars	Seven Years' War American Revolutionary War

Vice Admiral George Darby (c.1720 – 1790) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was the second son of Jonathan Darby (III) (d.1742/3) and Anna Marie Frend both of Leap Castle, in King's County, Ireland.

Career

Early career

Further information: Great Britain in the Seven Years War

Darby joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer.^[1] He had received his first command in 1747 and his career was uneventful until the Seven Years' War, in which he served under Admiral Rodney at the capture of Martinique in 1762.^[1]

American War of Independence

In the American Revolutionary War of 1775 to 1783, Admiral Keppel's resignation during the crisis following the Battle of Ushant in 1778 left a vacancy for command of the Channel Fleet. In 1778 Darby became a Rear-Admiral and the following year was advanced to Vice-Admiral, thanks to his association with Lord Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty, during the court martial of Admiral Palliser. Thus he unexpectedly came to command the Channel Fleet in 1780 at a time of grave danger for Britain.^[1] He was also appointed one of the Lords of the Admiralty. In April 1781 he relieved Gibraltar from its siege by the Spanish,^[1] for the second time during that war. This event is recorded in a full-length portrait by George Romney, painted 1783–6, which hangs in the National Maritime Museum. On the change of ministry in 1782 he resigned his command and did not again serve at sea. He was Member of Parliament for Plymouth, 1780–1784.^[1]

Personal life

When in England, he lived at Newtown, Hampshire and had five children. His son and grandson achieved high military rank and held significant wealth:

William Thomas St Quentin (1769-1805) lived at Darby House, Sunbury on Thames and later at Scampston Hall, Malton, Yorkshire
- Cnl. Matthew Chitty Downes St. Quintin
Maj.-Gen. Matthew Chitty Darby-Griffith (1772–1823) lived at Padworth House, Berkshire

Darby was the uncle of Admiral Sir Henry D'Esterre Darby.

References

1 2 3 4 5 George Darby at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Rodney	Rear-Admiral of Great Britain 1781–1790	Succeeded by Lord Bridport

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