Admiral Sir Edward Durnford King KCH (1771 – 14 January 1862) was a Royal Navy officer. After taking part in the Glorious First of June he saw action at the blockade of Cadiz before going on to be Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and Brazil in 1840 and then Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1845.

Sir Edward Durnford King
Born1771
Died14 January 1862
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
RankAdmiral
Commands heldHMS Gaiete
HMS Leviathan
HMS Andromeda
HMS Endymion
HMS Monmouth
HMS Rodney
HMS Cornwallis
HMS Windsor Castle
Cape of Good Hope Station
Nore Command
Battles/warsFrench Revolutionary Wars
Napoleonic Wars
AwardsKnight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order

Naval career edit

Durnford King joined the Royal Navy in 1786.[1] He took part in the action of the Glorious First of June in 1794 and, having become a lieutenant on HMS Dryad, took part in the capture of the French ship Proserpine in 1796.[1] He was given command of the corvette, HMS Gaiete, in 1798.[2]

Promoted to acting captain in 1800, he was given command of the third-rate, HMS Leviathan and, following his promotion to full captain, he transferred to the fifth-rate, HMS Andromeda.[1] In 1805 he was given command of the fifth-rate, HMS Endymion, and took part in the blockade of Cadiz.[1] He was given command of the third-rate, HMS Monmouth in 1807 and then took part in the capture of Tharangambadi (Tranquebar) in India.[1] He transferred to the third-rate, HMS Rodney, in 1811, the third-rate, HMS Cornwallis, in 1814 and to the second-rate, HMS Windsor Castle in 1825.[2]

Knighted in 1833,[3] he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station in 1840[4] and Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1845.[1]

Family edit

He married Elizabeth Bennett.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Last will and testament of Major Andrew Durnford for his Bermuda property". Durnford Family. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b O'Byrne, William Richard (1849). "King, Edward Durnford" . A Naval Biographical Dictionary . John Murray – via Wikisource.
  3. ^ "The Knights of England. A complete record from the earliest time to the present day of the knights of all the orders of chivalry in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of knights bachelors, incorporating a complete list of knights bachelors dubbed in Ireland"
  4. ^ Hiscocks, Richard (17 January 2016). "Cape Commander-in-Chief 1795-1852". morethannelson.com. morethannelson.com. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  5. ^ Geni
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station
1840–1841
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, The Nore
1845–1848
Succeeded by