A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Sewell, Francis Theodore Dudley
SEWELL. (Lieut., 1821. f-p., 12; h-p., 25.)
Francis Theodore Dudley Sewell died 28 Sept. 1846, at Wick Hill House, Bracknell, Berks, aged 50.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 Nov. 1809, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Trident 64, Capt. Rich. Budd Vincent, guard-ship at Malta, and continued employed in the Mediterranean, from the following Dec. until Oct. 1814, part of the time in the capacities of Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Spartan of 46 guns and 258 men, Capt. Jahleel Brenton, Bustard 16, Capt. John Duff Markland, Bombay and Aboukir 74’s, Capts. Wm. Cuming and Norborne Thompson, and Buzzard sloop, Capt. John Smith. In the Spartan he shared, we understand, in a brilliant and single-handed victory gained, 3 May, 1810, by Capt. Brenton in the Bay of Naples (after a contest of more than two hours, in which the British sustained a loss of 10 men killed and 22 wounded) over a Franco-Neapolitan squadron, carrying altogether 95 guns and about 1400 men; and in the Bustard he co-operated in the defence of Sicily against the threatened invasion of Joachim Murat. From 25 Oct. 1814 until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on his arrival home 9 Oct. 1821, he served on the North American, Cape of Good Hope, Downs, and East India stations, as Admiralty-Midshipman, in the Tamar 24, Capt. Chas. Sotheby, Orontes 36, Capt. Nathaniel Day Cochrane, Leven 20, Capts. Hon. Robt. Cavendish Spencer and Wm. M‘Culloch, Topaze 33, Capt, John Rich. Lumley, and Alligator 28, Capt. J. Walkie. In the Topaze he was present in 1820 in an affair at Mocha. After his promotion he did not go afloat.
He was married, and has left issue. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.