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拍品專文
Duckworth was the second son of the Rev. Henry Duckworth and Sarah Johnson. Born in Leatherhead he entered Eton in 1757, only to be removed two years later when, at the invitation of Admiral Edward Boscawen, he joined the 74 gun flagship Namur as a captain's servant. During his early career he was involved in battles off Lagos and in Quiberon Bay, before moving on to the Prince of Orange under Captain Samuel Willis and later the Guernsey.
Duckworth passed for lieutenant in 1766, obtaining his first commission in 1771. Later, while serving in the Princess Royal in the West Indies in June 1779, Duckworth was sent to observe a French squadron in Fort Royal, Martinique but failed to approach close enough to perceive that the squadron had been bolstered by disguised transports. He redeemed himself in the action off Grenada on 6 July; ten days later he was promoted master and commander into the sloop Rover and soon made post captain in the 74 gun Terrible before returning to the Princess Royal as flag captain to Sir Joshua Rowley, with whom he went to Jamaica in 1781. This was a notable start to his career as a senior officer as he had no political interest to favour him. On the death of Lord Hugh Seymour in 1803 he assumed the chief command at Jamaica where he was again preoccupied with the affairs of San Domingo. He got on well with Governor Nugent and his wife in Jamaica Duckworth was promoted vice-admiral in April 1804.
For his brilliant victory, in February 1806 over the French under Leissegues off San Domingo, when he brought three of the enemy's ships in Port Royal the remaining two being driven ashore and burnt, Duckworth received a pension of £1,000 a year, the Freedom of the city of London with a sword of honour and £3,000 from the assembly of Jamaica for a service of plate, a service which would have included the present lot.
Duckworth passed for lieutenant in 1766, obtaining his first commission in 1771. Later, while serving in the Princess Royal in the West Indies in June 1779, Duckworth was sent to observe a French squadron in Fort Royal, Martinique but failed to approach close enough to perceive that the squadron had been bolstered by disguised transports. He redeemed himself in the action off Grenada on 6 July; ten days later he was promoted master and commander into the sloop Rover and soon made post captain in the 74 gun Terrible before returning to the Princess Royal as flag captain to Sir Joshua Rowley, with whom he went to Jamaica in 1781. This was a notable start to his career as a senior officer as he had no political interest to favour him. On the death of Lord Hugh Seymour in 1803 he assumed the chief command at Jamaica where he was again preoccupied with the affairs of San Domingo. He got on well with Governor Nugent and his wife in Jamaica Duckworth was promoted vice-admiral in April 1804.
For his brilliant victory, in February 1806 over the French under Leissegues off San Domingo, when he brought three of the enemy's ships in Port Royal the remaining two being driven ashore and burnt, Duckworth received a pension of £1,000 a year, the Freedom of the city of London with a sword of honour and £3,000 from the assembly of Jamaica for a service of plate, a service which would have included the present lot.