A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Drury, Byron
DRURY. (Commander, 1845. f-p., 18; h-p., 1.)
Byron Drury is son of the late Rev. Henry Drury, of Harrow; of the school at which place that gentleman, and his father, Dr. Drury, were masters for about 70 years.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College in 1828; and embarked, 13 Aug. 1830, as a Volunteer, on board the Aetna surveying vessel, Capt. Edw. Belcher. He afterwards served for upwards of three years, latterly as Midshipman, in the Rainbow 28, Capt. Sir John Franklin, on the Mediterranean station; and, joining next the Racehorse 18, Capt. Sir Jas. Everard Home, took an active part, as Mate, in the siege of Para [errata 1], in 1835, where he was for several days in action with the enemy’s batteries. With Sir Gordon Bremer, in the Alligator 28, Mr. Drury subsequently assisted in surveying the harbour at Port Essington, in South Australia, during the formation of that place into a settlement. On eventually proceeding to India, he there became, 30 Nov. 1839, Acting-Lieutenant of the same vessel, in which he continued until his removal, 6 July, 1841, to the Calliope 26, Capt. Augustus Leopold Kuper. He had, previously to that event, borne a part in most of the hostilities against the Chinese – had commanded a division of boats at the first capture of Canton[1] – and had been officially promoted, by commission dated 8 June, 1841. While in the Calliope, he rendered himself particularly useful by his valuable exertions in surveying and sounding the channels in the Yang-tse-Kiang, preparatory to the ascent of the fleet to Nanking. Mr. Drury’s next appointments appear to have been – 30 Sept. 1843, to the Shearwater steamer, Capt. Chas. Gepp Robinson, employed in surveying the coast of Scotland – and, 10 Feb. 1845, to the Herald 28, Capt. Henry Kellett, fitting for the Pacific. He was superseded from the latter ship on promotion to his present rank, 22 May, 1845; and, since 23 Feb. 1846, has been reborne on the books of the Shearwater, in the capacity of Additional-Commander.
He married, 9 June, 1846, Helen Stewart, daughter of Robert Morris, Esq., of Moorburn, Ayrshire. Agent – J. Hinxman.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1841, p. 1505.