A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Davenhill, Matthew
DAVENHILL. (Retired Commander, 1842.)
Matthew Davenhill – who had previously served for eight months in the Otter sloop, Capt. Williams – joined, on 4 Sept. 1796, the Termagant 18, Capt. David Lloyd, with whom he served, in the North Sea, as Midshipman, until June, 1798. He next officiated for three years as Master’s Mate of the Circe 28, Capts. Robt. Winthrop and Isaac Woolley; and during that period attended the expedition to the Helder in Aug. 1799. In April, 1801, he became attached to the Sans Pareil 80, flagship at Jamaica of Lord Hugh Seymour; after which he rejoined Capt. Wolley in the Circe, in Jan. 1802; and from June, 1803, until the receipt of his Lieutenant’s commission, 22 Jan. 1806, further served, a great part of the time as Master’s Mate, on board the Seahorse, Tribune, and Sybille frigates, commanded on the Mediterranean, Channel, and Irish stations, by Capts. Hon. Courtenay Boyle, Rich. Henry Alex. Bennett, and Robt. Winthrop. He was subsequently appointed – 17 March, 1806, to the Julia sloop, Capt. Robt. Yarker, in the West Indies – 15 March, 1810, to the Childers 16, Capt. Joseph Packwood, at Leith – and, 10 Dec. 1810, to the Talbot sloop, off the coast of Ireland. After being 40 years on half-pay, Commander Davenhill was at length invested with the rank he now holds 8 Jan. 1842.
He was awarded the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 11 Dec. 1841. Agent – Fred. Dufaur.