A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Moubray, George
MOUBRAY. (Captain, 1812. f-p., 21; h-p., 37.)
George Moubray, born 9 Feb. 1773, is son of the late Geo. Moubray, Esq., of the ancient family of Moubray of Cockaidnie, co. Fife; brother-in-law of the late Vice-Admiral Jas. Katon; and cousin of the late Vice-Admiral Sir Rich. Hussey Hussey, K.C.B., G.C.M.G.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Feb. 1789, as Midshipman, on board the Bellona 74, Capt. Fras. John Hartwell, on the Home station; and in June of the same year removed to the Adamant 50, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. Hughes at Halifax, where he remained until June, 1792. He then joined in succession the Hannibal 74, Capt. John Colpoys, and Juno 32, Capt. Sam. Hood; and in Jan. 1794 he was acting as Master’s Mate of the latter ship when she effected an extraordinary escape from the harbour of Toulon, into which she had entered in ignorance of the evacuation of the British. Being shortly afterwards received on board the Victory 100, flag-ship of Lord Hood, he served in the boats at the sieges of St. Fiorenzo and Bastia. He was promoted, 27 May, 1794, to a Lieutenancy in La Moselle sloop, Capts. Percy Fraser, Chas. Dudley Pater, and Chas. Brisbane, under the latter of whom he was hotly engaged and all but captured in Hotham’s first partial action, 14 March, 1795; and he was subsequently appointed – 19 Aug. 1796, to La Virginie 40, Capt. Anthony Hunt, in which frigate, after the Spithead mutiny, he escorted the Duke and Duchess of Wurtemberg to Cuxhaven, Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian to the Cape of Good Hope, and Lord Mornington to Calcutta, and then cruized in the East Indies until the peace of Amiens – 7 May, 1803, as Senior, to the Seahorse 38, Capt. Hon. Courtenay Boyle, fitting for the Mediterranean – 4 Nov. 1804, to the Royal Sovereign 100, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. Bickerton off Toulon – and, 5 Oct. 1805, as First, to the Polyphemus 64, Capt. Robt. Redmill, part of the victorious fleet employed in the ensuing action off Cape Trafalgar. Succeeding to the command of the latter ship immediately after the action, owing to the serious illness of his Captain, Lieut. Moubray had the good fortune, during the gale that followed, to regain possession of the Argonauta Spanish 80, and deliver her over to Admiral Collingwood off Cadiz. He afterwards took in tow the Victory, with the body of Lord Nelson on board, and conducted her to the mouth of the Straits of Gibraltar; and he also, in spite of her mutinous crew, carried the Swiftsure French 74, in a similar manner, from the neighbourhood of Cadiz to Gibraltar. On 24 Dec. 1805 he was promoted to the rank of Commander; and he was next, 27 Jan. 1809 and 27 March, 1812, appointed in that capacity to the Rhodian 10, and Moselle 18; in which vessels he served in the West Indies, the chief part of the time with a small squadron under his orders for the protection of the Bahamas, until 31 March, 1813. Capt. Moubray, whose promotion to Post-rank had taken place 12 Aug. 1812, was not again employed until 23 Sept. 1844, when he obtained command of the Victory 104, at Portsmouth, which he retained until admitted into Greenwich Hospital 25 March, 1846.
He married, 14 June, 1812, Eliza Pellew, eldest daughter of A. N. Yates, Esq., Naval Storekeeper at Jamaica, by whom he has issue five sons and three daughters.