September 1782 he again took the field and moved towards Palacatchery, but the heavy guns did not come up, and he was compelled to retire, closely pursued by Tippoo, who had been despatched against him with twenty thousand men. Humberston's force executed a most distressful retreat. At length, by wading the Paniané river chin deep, the troops reached Paniané, where their unfinished entrenchments were assaulted by Tippoo on 28 Nov. 1782. The attack was repulsed, and before it was repeated Tippoo was summoned to Seringapatam by the news of his father's death. Lord Seaforth died at sea in August 1781. Humberston was transferred to the 78th regiment as lieutenant-colonel commandant in his place, 15 Feb. 1782. This regiment reached Madras and joined the army under Eyre Coote at Chingleput in April 1782. On Tippoo's withdrawal Humberston with part of his troops joined the army under General Mathews in Malabar. He accompanied Colonel Macleod and Major Shaw to Bombay to make representations to the council relative to the conduct of General Mathews, which resulted in that officer's suspension. After their mission was accomplished the delegates embarked at Bombay in the Ranger sloop, to rejoin the army, 5 April 1783. Three days later they were captured by the Mahratta fleet, when every officer on board was killed or wounded. Humberston, who received a four-pound ball through the body, died of his wound at the Mahratta port of Ghériah, 30 April 1783. Contemporary accounts describe him as a young man of many accomplishments, and of brilliant promise in his profession. He was unmarried. He left a natural son, Thomas B. Mackenzie Humberston, who fell, a captain in the 78th Ross-shire Buffs, at Ahmednuggur, in 1803. He was succeeded in his estates by his brother Francis Mackenzie Humberston [q.v.], afterwards Lord Seaforth and Mackenzie.
[Taylor's Great Scottish Historic Families, i. 194-5; Anderson's Scottish Nation, iii. 428-9; Stewart's Scottish Highlanders, vol. ii., under `72nd Highlanders;' Cannon's Hist. Rec. 72nd (Duke of Albany's) Highlanders;Mill's Hist.of India, iv. 242 et seq. Two letters from Humberston to Sir Eyre Coote the elder are in Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 28153, p. 442, 28156, p. 49.]
HUMBERT, ALBERT JENKINS (1822–1877), architect, born in 1822, commenced his professional career as a partner with Mr. Reeks, afterwards of the office of works. They executed some important works in or near Hastings, including the building of Carlisle Parade and Robertson Terrace on the crown estate, and the rebuilding of the church at Bodiam. When the competition was instituted for designs for new government offices, 1856, the designs of Messrs. Humbert & Reeks, though not successful, received a premium at the exhibition in Westminster Hall. In 1854 Humbert was employed to rebuild and enlarge the chancel of the church at Whippingham, Isle of Wight, which the queen and royal family attended when residing at Osborne. In 1860 he rebuilt the entire church, under the direction of the prince consort, and designed the mausoleum of the Duchess of Kent at Frogmore, near Windsor. In 1862 he designed the mausoleum of the prince consort at the same place. Subsequently Sandringham House was rebuilt for the Prince of Wales from his designs and under his superintendence. Humbert was a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, and died on 24 Dec. 1877, aged 55, at Castle Mona, Douglas, Isle of Man, where he had gone to recruit his health. He lived for some time at 27 Fitzroy Square, London.
[Builder, 5 Jan. 1878;Redgrave's Dict. of Artists.]
HUMBY, Mrs. (fl. 1817–1849), actress, was born in London, her maiden name being Ayre. She studied music under Domenico Corri. Fitzgerald, who succeeded Tate Wilkinson on the York circuit, engaged her, and she made, as a singer, her first appearance in Hull as Rosina. Humby, a dentist and a member of the Hull company, married her at York during her first season. She then went to Bath, where she appeared, 4 Nov. 1818, as Rosetta in `Love in a Village.' Genest declares her at that time a much better actress than singers usually are. Among the parts she played during this and the following season were Euphrosyne in `Comus,' Luciana in the `Comedy of Errors,' to her husband's Antipholus of Ephesus, Araminta in the `Young
Quaker,' Audrey in 'As you like it,' and Dorinda in an adaptation of the 'Tempest.' In 1820 she left Bath, and in 1821 was with her husband in Dublin, where a child was born to them. She reappeared on the Dublin stage as Rosa in the `Rendezvous' on 5 Jan. 1822, and on the 29th was Lucy Locket in the 'Beggar's Opera.' On 18 April 1825, as Mrs. Humby from Dublin, she played Cowslip in the 'Agreeable Surprise.' Dollalolla in 'Tom Thumb,' Maud in 'Peeping Tom,' Audrey, Miss Jenny in the 'Provoked Husband,' and Cicely in the `Heir-at-Law ' followed. She afterwards appeared at the Haymarket during several seasons, and subsequently at Drury Lane. Her later movements cannot easily be traced. She had acquired an unrivalled
