A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Studdert, John Fitzgerald
STUDDERT. (Captain, 1828. f-p., 15; h-p. 29.)
John Fitzgerald Studdert, born 11 July, 1790, is fifth son of the late Thos. Studdert, Esq., of Bunratty Castle, co. Clare, by Anna, daughter of Jas. Fitzgerald, Esq., of Shepperton, cousin of Lieut.-General Sir Augustine Fitzgerald, Bart., of Caragoran, and a descendant of Thomas, fourth son of Maurice, fourth Earl of Kildare, who was Sheriff for co. Limerick in 1404. He is also connected, maternally, with the late Admiral Sir John Colpoys and the late Rear-Admiral Robt. O’Brien, brother of the late Sir Edw. O’Brien, Bart., M.P. for co. Clare, and uncle of the present Sir Lucius O’Brien, Bart. He is brother of the late Jas. Studdert, Esq., Lieutenant in the 16th Regiment; and uncle of the present Lieut. Rich. Studdert, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 25 Aug. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Niobe 40, Capt. Matthew Henry Scott, attached to the force in the Channel; where he saw much boat-service, and continued employed as Midshipman in the same frigate and in the Impétueux 74, Capt. John Lawford, and Dragon 74, Capt. M. H. Scott, until received, in Dec. 1808, on board the Dannemark 74, Capt. Jas. Bisset. In that ship he accompanied, in the following year, the expedition to - the Walcheren. He was nominated, in the course of 1810, Acting-Lieutenant of the Opossum 10, Capt. Wm. Henry Byam, Statira 38, Capt. Chas. Dilkes, and Ganymede 24, Capts. Edw. Crofton and Robt. Preston, all on the West India station; on 26 Jan. 1811 he was confirmed to the vessel last mentioned^; and in the ensuing Oct. he was appointed to the Marlborough 74, commanded on the Home station by his former Captain, Scott. On the promotion of the latter to Flag-rank, Mr. Studdert followed him in Aug. 1812, as Signal-Lieutenant, into the Chatham 74. In the spring of 1814 he was sent with a summons to the French Commandant at Flushing, from whom, as soon as the preliminaries had been settled, he received the surrender of that place. He left the Chatham 25 May, 1814; was advanced to the rank of Commander 12 Aug. following; and was next, 1 June, 1824, appointed to the Champion 18. In her he was at first engaged in a variety of experimental cruizes. On arriving afterwards in India he united, towards the close of 1825, in the operations then in progress in Ava, where he was immediately intrusted with the duty of keeping open the navigation between Rangoon and Prome. At the close of hostilities he superintended the final proceedings and arrangements of the naval armament; and on 1 April, 1826, he took formal possession, with three other Commissioners, of the provinces which had been ceded by the recent treaty of peace. On 21 Feb. 1828, Capt. Studdert, whose Post commission bears date 9 Jan. in that year, assumed command of the Success 28, also on the East India station. He was placed on half-pay in the following Aug.; and in the early part of 1848 he accepted the Retirement.
He married, in Dec. 1830, Anne, eldest daughter of the Rev. Rich. Studdert Welsh, of Newtown House, co. Limerick, Vicar of Kilfinaghty, in the diocese of Killaloe, by whom he has issue four children. Agents – Burnett and Holmes.