Drury Relations

As you can see, there are links between the two families. They may, in fact, be descended from the same family in England. For that reason, this page is dedicated to information about prominent Drurys.

AUGUSTUS VERE DRURY

DRURY (Captain, 1814. F-P, 17; H-P 35)

Augustus Vere Drury died 9 February 1845. He was second son of the late Captain Richard Vere Drury of the Army, Ordnance Storekeeper at Tippnor, near Portsmouth, by Frances, only daughter of Sir George Vandeput, Bart.; and nephew of the late Admiral Thomas Drury.

This officer entered the Navy, 14 February 1793, as Midshipman, on board the Fox 32, commanded by his uncle, Captain Thos. Drury; in which frigate, and in the Jupiter 50, Commodore John Willet Payne, and St. Albans and Resolution, flagships of Admiral Vandeput, he served his time, on the Newfoundland, Mediterranean, Home and North American stations. Attaining the rand of Lt. 28 September 1799, he was afterwards successively appointed, chiefly on the Home station to the Asia 64, bearing the flag of Adm. Vandput, Royal George 100, Capt. Wim. Domett, Polyphemus 64, Capt. John Wawford, Hecla bomb, Capt John Sykes, and Moselle 18, Capt. John Surman Carden. He served in the Polyphemus at the Battle of Copenhagen, 2 April 1801; and was the First of the Hecla at the bombardment of Havre de Grace, in August 1804. In March 1807, Mr. Drury obtained command in North America of the Bream 4; and on 3 July following; he was removed to that of the Sylvia Cutter of 10 - 18 pound carronades and 50 men. After conveying the British Ambassador home from Copenhagen, he ultimately sailed for the East Indies; on his passage whither he recaptured the Seaflower Brig of 14 guns, and took L'Hirondelle schooner of 6 guns, with despatches on board containing intelligence which eventually led to the reduction of the Isle of France. On 6, 7, and 11 April 1810, we find Mr. Drury effecting the destruction, in the Straits of Sunda, of three armed vessels, carrying in the whole 6 guns and 132 men. He also took, after an action of two hours, a pirate of 10 guns and 100 men; and the 26th of the month last mentioned, with 12 of his men on the sick-list, compelled the Dutch national brig Echo, of 8 - 6 pounders and 46 men, to surrender, the close of a sharp engagement of 20 minutes, in which the enemy lost 3 killed and 7 wounded, and the British 4 killed and 3 wounded. The Echo, at the time was in company with two transports, both of which were likewise taken. For these services Capt. Drury was rewarded with the Navy Medal and a Commander's commission dated 2 May 1810. He returned to England in January 1811; and was next appointed, 17 June 1812, to the Dover 18. After cruising for two years on Baltic, Mediterranean and American stations, and obtaining the thanks of the Admiralty for his activity on a Particular Service, he was advanced to Post-rank 7 June 1814; from which period he remained on half-pay until his death.

Capt. Drury married, first, 1803, Maria, daughter of Capt. Chas. Smythe, and niece of Sir Wm. Smythe, Bart., of Hill Hall, Co. Essex; and secondly, in 1833, Jane daughter of Sir George Williams, Bart, by whom he left issue two daughters.

Source: A Naval Biographical Dictionary, by William R. O'Byrne, Esq.; London, Published by Jown Murry, Albemarle Street, 1849; pp 308-309 and p. 1383

Contributed by Merrill Reich.