A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Preston, D’Arcy
PRESTON. (Admiral of the White, 1841. f-p., 22; h-p., 44.)
D’Arcy Preston died 21 Jan. 1847, at Askam Bryam, co. York, aged 82. He was son of the Rev. John Preston, by Jane Consitt, his wife.
This officer entered the Navy, 10 May, 1781, as a Volunteer, on board the Portland, Capt. Luttrell, flag-ship at Newfoundland of Rear-Admirals Edwards and Campbell. From Sept. 1782 until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 4 Nov. 1790, he served on the North American, Home, Mediterranean; and again on the Newfoundland stations, in the Thorn sloop, Capt. Wm. Lechmere, and Portland, Bulldog, Sphynx, Phaeton, Bedford, and Salisbury – the latter bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Milbanke. His next appointments were – to the Orestes sloop, Capt. Sir Harry Burrard, and Royal Sovereign 100 and Boyne 98, bearing the flags of Admirals Graves and Sir John Jervis. In March, 1794, he commanded the seamen of the Boyne at the storming of Fort Royal, Martinique; and in the following April he co-operated in the reduction of Ste. Lucie. While engaged on the latter service he was promoted to the rank of Commander by commission bearing date 4 April, 1794, and appointed to the Rattlesnake sloop-of-war; in which vessel he returned to England with the officers who were charged with the official accounts of the conquest. After nearly two years of half-pay Capt, Preston assumed command, 17 May, 1796, of the Termagant sloop, lying in the river Thames. Attaining Post-rank 13 June, 1796, he was next, from that period until June, 1798, employed on the Home and Mediterranean stations in the Queen 98, Mignonne 32, Blanche of similar force, and Dido 28. On the night of 19 Dec. 1796, being at the time in the Blanche of 38 guns, and in company with La Minerve, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Nelson, he fell in with the two Spanish 40-gun frigates Sabina and Ceres. The latter ship he engaged and compelled to surrender, with the loss of 7 of her people killed and 15 wounded; hut before he could obtain possession of her, the approach of a Spanish 3-decker and two other frigates compelled him to wear and make sail in the direction of his consort, who, in the meanwhile, had effected the capture, although she was soon afterwards retaken, of the Sabina[1] From 4 July, 1803, until 28 Feb. 1810, Capt. Preston commanded the Sea Fencibles between Flamborough and the Tees; and from 9 Nov. 1813 until July, 1814, we find him officiating, in the Bravo, as Commodore of a division of prison-ships at Plymouth. He became a Rear-Admiral 24 Aug. 1819, a Vice-Admiral 12 Nov. 1840, and a full Admiral 23 Nov. 1841.
Admiral Preston was a Deputy-Lieutenant for the North and West Ridings of Yorkshire. He married, 29 June, 1792, Sophia, fourth daughter of the late Hon. Sir Geo. Nares, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, and sister of Dr. Nares, Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford, by whom he had issue five sons and two daughters. His eldest son, the Rev. John D’Arcy Jervis Preston, is the father of Mr. D’Arcy Spence Preston, Mate R.N.; his second, Edward, died in the service; his third, William, is now a Captain R.N.; and his fourth, Charles, is an officer in the Army.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1787, pp. 201-2.