A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Duff, Norwich
DUFF. (Captain, 1822. f-p., 13; h-p., 29.)
Norwich Duff, born about 1793, is only surviving son of the late Capt. Geo. Duff, R.N.,[1] by Sophia, second daughter of Alex. Dirom, Esq., of Muiresh, co. Aberdeen; and is descended from William, first Earl of Fife. His father’s grand-uncle, Robt. Duff, died a Vice-Admiral.
This officer entered the Navy, in June, 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Mars 74, commanded by his father. After participating in the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. following, he successively joined the Euryalus 36, and Ajax 74, both commanded by Capt. Hon. Henry Blackwood, and was on board the latter ship until the moment of her destruction by fire, near the island of Tenedos, 14 Feb. 1807. Obtaining then a Midshipman’s berth in the Active, of 46 guns, Capts. Rich. Hussey Moubray and Jas. Alex. Gordon, he was present at the ensuing passage of the Dardanells, where he served in the boats at the destruction of a formidable Turkish battery on Point Pesquies. He subsequently witnessed the capture, 26 March, 1808, of the Friedland Venetian brig-of-war of 16 guns; and, on 13 March, 1811, was present in the memorable action of Lissa, when a British squadron, carrying in the whole 156 guns and 879 men, utterly routed, after a conflict of six hours, and a loss to the Active of 4 killed and 24 wounded, a Franco-Venetian armament, whose force amounted to 284, guns and 2655 men. Mr. Duff, who had previously beheld the bringing out, 29 June, 1810, of a numerous convoy from the harbour of Groa, again served in the boats at the capture and destruction, 27 July, 1811, of 28 sail of merchantmen, defended, in a creek of the island of Ragosniza, by 3 gun-vessels and a body of 300 troops.[2] On 29 Nov. in the latter year he appears to have further shared in a hard-fought action of an hour and a half, which, in rendering the Active captor of the Pomone, of 44 guns and 332 men, 50 of whom were killed and wounded, occasioned her a loss of 8 killed and 27 wounded, including Capt. Gordon, who lost a leg. At the close of the battle Mr. Duff was sent to take charge of the prize. Being officially promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 14 Nov. 1811, and appointed to the Active, he continued to serve with Capt. Gordon in that frigate and in the Seahorse 38 – assisting intermediately at the destruction of Le Subtile privateer, of 16 guns- and 72 men – until nominated, 29 Dec. 1813, Flag-Lieutenant, in the Asia 74, to Sir Alex. Cochrane. In command of the Espoir sloop, to which he was promoted 15 June, 1814, Capt. Duff took part in the expeditions to Washington, Baltimore, and New Orleans. Having paid the latter vessel off in Oct. 1816, we next find him appointed, on the Jamaica station – 1 Jan. 1817, to the Beaver 10 – and, 3 Sept. following, to the Rifleman 18, which sloop was put out of commission 11 Aug. 1818. Since his Post-promotion, 23 April, 1822, Capt. Duff has been on half-pay.
He married, 10 June, 1833, Helen Mary, only child of the late John Shoolbred, Esq., M.D., of Marlborough Buildings, Bath, by whom he has issue five children. Agent – J. Hinxman.
- ↑ Capt. George Duff was born in 1764. He served at the capture of the Spanish Admiral Don Juan de Langara, 16 Jan. 1780; was in the various actions with the Counts De Guichen and De Grasse, in 1780-82; and ultimately fell, in command of the Mars, at Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805. In acknowledgment of Capt Duff’s heroism on that occasion, the gold medal, which he would have otherwise worn, was presented to his family, as was also an elegant vase from the Patriotic Society. An honourable augmentation was likewise granted to his son’s arms.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1811, p. 2193.