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Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth Correspondence with Vice-Admiral Charles Stirling

 Collection
Identifier: MS 305
Finding aid note: Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of 3 folders of correspondence dating from 1803-1810, between British Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth as Naval Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica and Vice-Admiral Charles Stirling (1760-1833), Resident Commissioner at Jamaica relating to repairs to ships, stores, defenses and surveys.

Dates

  • 1803 - 1810

Creator

Access Restrictions

No access restrictions; this material is open for research.

Conditions Governing Access

Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish from the Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth Correspondence with Vice-Admiral Charles Stirling must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Biographical Note

John Thomas Duckworth, distinguished naval officer, son of Sarah Johnson and Rev. Henry Duckworth, born in Letherhead, Surrey, England, began his naval career as a midshipman in the royal navy in 1759. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on the Princess Royal, based in the West Indies station in 1770; Commander in 1779; Post Captain in 1780. Aboard the Orion (attched to the Channel fleet), Duckworth saw action in three battles during latter May and early June, 1794, and was one of eighteen Commanders honored with a gold medal and ribbon and thanks of both Houses of Parliament. Se served as Commodore in Santo Domingo in 1796; Commodore at the taking of Minorca in 1798; Rear-Admiral of the White Squadron in 1799; Commander-in-Chief at Barbados and Leeward Islands, 1800-1802; Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica, 1801-1805. Duckworth was nominated a Knights Companion of the most Honourable Military Order of the Bath in 1801 and installed in 1803. He was also briefly a Colonel of Marines. He succeeded in capturing numerous enemy vessels and was promoted to Vice-Admiral of the Blue Squadron in 1804 and remained in Jamaica until 1805. On his return to England he was appointed second in command of the Mediterranean fleet.

Duckworth married Anne Wallis in 1776 and had two children, George and Sarah Anne.

Vice AdmiralCharles Stirling (1760-1833): Resident Commissioner at Jamaica, 1803-1804; [British] Naval Commander of the South American expedition to Buenos Aires in 1806; Commander-in-Chief of the Cape, 1807; Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica from 1811-1813. He distinguished himself with the capture of the American privateer "Congress" in 1781 and at that time was rewarded with a promotion to the rank of Captain.

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet (3 folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract:

The collection consists of 3 folders of correspondence dating from 1803-1810, between British Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth as Naval Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica and Vice-Admiral Charles Stirling (1760-1833), Resident Commissioner at Jamaica relating to repairs to ships, stores, defenses and surveys.

Acquisition Information

The collection was purchased from Myers & Company and Francis Edwards, Ltd., Booksellers in London in 1953 and 1965.

Related Material

A detailed biography of Duckworth's naval career may be found in the control folder.

General note

Excerpted from "Biographical Memoir of Sir John Thomas Duckworth, K.B., Vice-Admiral of the White Squadron," The Naval Chronical for 1807, Volume 18.

Subjects

Record Groups

Related Names

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth Correspondence with Vice-Admiral Charles Stirling, 1803-1810
Status
Completed
Author
Lee Pecht
Date
August 5, 1999
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Woodson Research Center, Rice University, Houston, Texas Repository

https://library.rice.edu/woodson
Contact:
Fondren Library MS-44, Rice University
6100 Main St.
Houston Texas 77005 USA

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Harmful Content Statement
© 2023 Woodson Research Center
Fondren Library, Rice University
Physical Address: 6100 Main, Houston, Texas 77005-1827
Mailing Address: MS-44, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892