A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Kirby, Walter
KIRBY, K.H. (Commander, 1830. f-p., 17; h-p., 7.)
Walter Kirby, born 14 Nov. 1791, is son of the late W. Kirby, Esq., M.D., F.L.S., and belongs to a respectable Norfolk family.
This officer entered the Navy, 23 Oct. 1823, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Dart sloop, Capts. W. C. Brownrigg, Thos. Tudor Tucker, Mich. De Courcy, and Joseph Spear; and, until the early part of 1805, was constantly employed with the inshore into frequent collision with the enemy at Boulogne and Calais, and was engaged in the celebrated catamaran expedition of Oct. 1804. In March, 1807, the Dart being at the time in the West Indies, he there removed to the Venus 32, Capt. Henry Matson. On next joining the Astraea 32, Capt. Edm. Heywood, he had the misfortune to be wrecked, near the island of Anagada, 24 May, 1808. During the 12 ensuing months we find him serving with the present Sir Thos. John Cochrane, in the Jason 32, and Ethalion 38; and, while in the latter of those ships, sharing in a skirmish with the French 40-gun frigate Amphitrite, employed on shore at the storming of Fort Edward, Martinique, and affording his aid to the capture of the Saintes and the French 74-gun ship L’Haupoult. In June, 1809, he joined the Undaunted 38, Capt. Thos. Jas. Malony, under whom be took part, in the following year, in the defence of Cadiz. Returning to the West Indies in the Dragon 74, flag-ship of Sir Fras. Laforey, he was promoted on that station to a Lieutenancy, 6 Feb. 1811, in the Frolic 18, Capt. Thos. Whinyates; in command of the boats of which sloop he succeeded, in the course of the same year, in bringing out a French schooner from off the shoals of Cuba. Lieut. Kirby, who left the Frolic in March, 1812, was subsequently appointed – 2 Nov. in that year, to the Satellite 18, Capt. John Porteous, in South America – 9 Feb. 1814, after nine months of half-pay, to the Benbow 74, Capt. Rich. Harrison Pearson, attached to the force in the West Indies, whence he returned in the ensuing Nov. – 28 July, 1815, for a few weeks, to the Rota 38, Capt. John Pasco, on the Home station – 10 June and 12 Aug. 1825, to the Gloucester and Windsor Castle 74’s, Capts. Joshua Sydney Horton and Edw. Durnford King, employed at Sheerness, at Plymouth, and off Lisbon – and (the latter ship having been paid off in May, 1828), 22 Jan. 1829, as First, to the Warspite 76, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Thos. Baker in South America, He attained his present rank 22 July, 1830; and has since been on half-pay. In Jan. 1828, being at the time in the Windsor Castle, Commander Kirby elicited the approbation of the Lord High Admiral for the manner in which, on 12 of that month, he effected the preservation of the Union 104, when adrift and on shore during a violent storm. On 13 Jan. 1835 he was nominated a K.H. He married, 24 Dec. 1814, Hannah, daughter of Jas. Smith, Esq., of Langford, co. Essex, by whom he has had issue two sons and two daughters. His second son, Sidney, died, while a Gentleman Cadet, at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. Agents – Pettet and Newton.