Sir John Duckworth, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Thomas Duckworth
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Portrait by Sir William Beechey, 1810
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| Born | 9 February 1748 Leatherhead, Surrey, England |
| Died | 31 August 1817 (aged 69) HMNB Devonport, England |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1759–1817 |
| Rank | Admiral of the Blue |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Naval Gold Medal Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Swords of Honour from London and Jamaica |
Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth (born February 9, 1748 – died August 31, 1817) was an important English officer in the Royal Navy. He served during many big wars, including the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, and the Napoleonic Wars.
He started his naval career at just 11 years old. Later, he became the Governor of Newfoundland during the War of 1812. He was also a member of the British Parliament for a while. Duckworth fought against many of Britain's enemies at sea. One of his most famous victories was at the Battle of San Domingo. This was one of the last major fleet battles of the Napoleonic Wars.
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John Duckworth was born in Leatherhead, Surrey, England. His father, Henry Duckworth, was a vicar. John went to Eton College briefly. In 1759, when he was 11, he joined the Royal Navy. He started as a midshipman on the ship HMS Namur.
His first big battle was the Battle of Quiberon Bay in November 1759. He later served on several other ships, including HMS Guernsey and HMS Princess Royal. In 1771, he became a lieutenant. He then served on HMS Kent for three years.
In 1776, Duckworth married Anne Wallis. They had a son and a daughter. While serving in North America, he faced an incident at Rhode Island in 1777. He was later moved to the West Indies. He was part of the Battle of Grenada in 1779. Soon after, he was promoted to commander. In 1780, he became a post captain and commanded HMS Terrible.
Fighting in the Revolutionary Wars
During the wars against France, Duckworth showed great skill. He commanded HMS Orion from 1793. He fought in the Glorious First of June battle. For his bravery, he received the Naval Gold Medal. He also got thanks from the British Parliament.
In 1794, he took command of HMS Leviathan and sailed to the West Indies. In 1798, he led a small group of ships to Minorca. He worked with the army to capture the island. After this success, he was promoted to rear-admiral in 1799.
In 1800, he was in charge of blocking the port of Cadiz. He captured a Spanish convoy with two frigates and eleven merchant ships. This was a very valuable capture. Later that year, he became the Commander-in-Chief at Barbados and the Leeward Islands Station.
In 1801, Duckworth was honored for capturing several islands. These included St. Bartholomew, St. Martin, St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. He defeated the Swedish and Danish forces there. For these actions, he was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath.
Service Against Napoleon
West Indies Operations
From 1803 to 1804, Duckworth was the commander-in-chief of the Jamaica Station. He led operations that forced the French army to surrender after a successful Blockade of Saint-Domingue. He captured many enemy ships and over 5,500 French prisoners.
For his service, the Jamaican government gave him a special sword. Merchants in Kingston also gave him an ornamental tea kettle. These gifts showed their thanks for his protection of trade. In 1804, he was promoted to vice-admiral.
Atlantic Campaign of 1806
In 1805, Duckworth was supposed to join Horatio Nelson's fleet. However, his ship, HMS Superb (1798), was delayed for repairs. He arrived off Cadiz after the Battle of Trafalgar had already happened. He was then ordered to command the West Indies squadron.
Duckworth decided to search for a French squadron on his own. He chased a French squadron but decided not to attack. He then sailed to the Leeward Islands for water. There, he met up with other British ships, including HMS Northumberland and HMS Atlas. They received news of a French fleet at San Domingo.
Battle of San Domingo
On February 6, 1806, Duckworth's squadron found the French fleet at San Domingo. The French commander quickly tried to escape. Duckworth ordered his ships to attack. The British ships, especially HMS Superb (1798), fought bravely. The Superb fired at the French flagship, the huge 120-gun Imperial.
The battle lasted about two hours. Two French ships were forced ashore and burned. Three others were captured. Only the French frigates managed to escape. This victory was a big blow to France's plans in the Caribbean. It helped lead to Napoleon selling Louisiana.
After this victory, Duckworth was promoted again. He received another sword of honor from Jamaica. The City of London also gave him a sword of honor. He received a large pension and the freedom of the city of London. The Battle of San Domingo was the last major fleet battle of the Napoleonic Wars. It showed Britain's strong control of the seas.
Mediterranean Operations
In 1805, Duckworth became second in command of the Mediterranean Fleet. He sailed with eight ships to the island of Tenedos. His orders were to take control of the Ottoman fleet at Constantinople. This was to support the Russian navy.
He faced strong shore defenses and waited for good winds. On February 19, 1807, his fleet attacked part of the Ottoman fleet. They destroyed several Ottoman ships and captured others. British marines also destroyed shore fortifications.
On February 20, Duckworth's fleet reached Constantinople. He tried to negotiate with the Sultan, but the Turks delayed. They used this time to build up their shore defenses. Duckworth decided to withdraw on March 1. His fleet faced heavy fire from Turkish cannons as they left. He later said that without ground troops, it would have been too risky to force the passage.
After leaving Constantinople, he commanded ships protecting troops for the Alexandria expedition of 1807. This expedition also had to withdraw due to lack of supplies. In 1808, he married Susannah Catherine Buller. They had two sons.
Later Career and Retirement
Duckworth's career continued to be successful. From 1808 to 1810, he commanded the Channel Fleet. He sailed on large ships like HMS San Josef (1797) and HMS Hibernia (1804). In 1809, he was a judge at a court-martial for Admiral Lord Gambier.
On March 26, 1810, Duckworth became the Governor of Newfoundland. He was also the Commander-in-Chief of the naval station there. He was promoted to admiral. As governor, he worked to improve relations with the local Beothuk Indians. He also prepared the local militia for the War of 1812 with the United States. His duties included protecting fishing rights and stopping illegal trade.
In 1812, Duckworth resigned as governor. He became a member of Parliament for New Romney. Around this time, he learned that his oldest son, George Henry, had been killed in battle during the Peninsular War.
In 1813, Sir John was made a baronet. This is a special title. In 1815, he became the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth. This was a semi-retirement post. However, it became famous when HMS Bellerophon arrived there. This ship was carrying Napoleon to his final exile. Duckworth was one of the last British officers to speak with Napoleon.
Sir John Thomas Duckworth died on August 31, 1817, after a long illness. He was buried in Topsham. His coffin was covered in velvet and decorated with silver nails.
Memorials and Legacy
Duckworth lived at Weare House in Topsham, Devon. He bought and rebuilt the house in 1804. During the Second World War, part of his property was used as a large US Navy supply depot.
A Royal Navy warship, HMS Duckworth, was named after him during the Second World War. In Portsmouth, England, there is a building called The Duckworth House.
There is a memorial to Admiral John Thomas Duckworth in St Margaret's Church, Topsham. It was put there by his wife. The memorial shows a naval scene, likely his passage through the Dardanelles in 1807. The sculptor was Sir Francis Chantrey. There is also a nearby memorial to his son, Colonel George Duckworth.
Duckworth Street in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, is named in his honor.
