Charles Leonard Irby (9 October 1789 – 3 December 1845) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. He undertook a tour of Europe and the Middle East between 1816 and 1818.
Poor health compelled him to resign the command in May 1815; and in the summer of 1816 he left England in company with an old friend and messmate, Captain James Mangles, with the intention of making a tour on the continent. The journey was extended beyond the original plan. They visited Egypt, and, going up the Nile, in the company of Giovanni Baptista Belzoni and Henry William Beechey, explored the temple at Abu Simbel; afterwards, they went across the desert and along the coast, with a visit to Baalbek and the cedars, and reached Aleppo, where they met William John Bankes and Thomas Legh. Together they visited Syria, as few Europeans had done at that period.[1]
The party travelled to Palmyra, Damascus, down the Jordan valley, and so to Jerusalem. They afterwards passed round the Dead Sea, and through Palestine. At Acre they embarked in a Venetian brig for Constantinople; but falling ill with dysentery, they were landed at Cyprus for medical assistance. In the middle of December 1818 they shipped on board a vessel bound for Marseilles, which they reached after a passage of 76 days.[1]
Later lifeedit
In August 1826 Irby was appointed to command the sloop HMS Pelican in the eastern Mediterranean, where she was employed in the suppression of piracy. On 2 July 1827 he was posted to HMS Ariadne, but was not relieved from the command of the Pelican till the end of September. After the battle of Navarino he was appointed by Sir Edward Codrington to bring home HMS Genoa, whose captain Walter Bathurst had been killed, which he paid off at Plymouth in January 1828.[1]
Irby saw no further naval service, and died at Torquay on 3 December 1845.[1]
Worksedit
Letters of the tour party were collected, and privately printed in 1823 as Travels in Egypt and Nubia, Syria, and Asia Minor, during the years 1817 and 1818. In 1844, they were published as volume no. 7 of Murray's "Colonial and Home Library".[1]
Familyedit
Irby married, in February 1825, Frances, a sister of his friend James Mangles, and left children.[1]
Media related to Charles Leonard Irby at Wikimedia Commons
O'Byrne, William Richard (1849). "Irby, Charles Leonard" . A Naval Biographical Dictionary. John Murray – via Wikisource.
Irby, Charles Leonard; Mangles, James (1823). Travels in Egypt and Nubia, Syria, and Asia Minor; during the years 1817 & 1818. London: Printed for Private Distribution by T. White & Co.
charles, leonard, irby, october, 1789, december, 1845, officer, royal, navy, service, during, napoleonic, wars, 1812, undertook, tour, europe, middle, east, between, 1816, 1818, born, 1789, october, 1789died3, december, 1845, 1845, aged, torquayallegiancegreat. Charles Leonard Irby 9 October 1789 3 December 1845 was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 He undertook a tour of Europe and the Middle East between 1816 and 1818 Charles Leonard IrbyBorn 1789 10 09 9 October 1789Died3 December 1845 1845 12 03 aged 56 TorquayAllegianceGreat BritainUnited KingdomService wbr branchRoyal NavyYears of service1801 1828RankCaptainCommands heldHMS Thames HMS Pelican HMS Ariadne HMS GenoaBattles warsNapoleonic Wars Battle of Montevideo Invasion of Isle de France War of 1812 Battle of New OrleansRelationsFrederick Irby 2nd Baron Boston father Frederick Paul Irby brother Contents 1 Early life 2 Tour in the Middle East 3 Later life 4 Works 5 Family 6 Notes 7 External linksEarly life editBorn on 9 October 1789 he was sixth son of Frederick Irby 2nd Baron Boston and brother of Frederick Paul Irby He entered the navy in May 1801 and after serving in the North Sea and Mediterranean at the Cape of Good Hope the capture of Montevideo in 1807 and in the Bay of Biscay was promoted lieutenant on 13 October 1808 He then served at the invasion of Isle de France and on the coast of North America On 7 June 1814 was promoted to the command of HMS Thames in which he took part in the battle of New Orleans 1 Tour in the Middle East editPoor health compelled him to resign the command in May 1815 and in the summer of 1816 he left England in company with an old friend and messmate Captain James Mangles with the intention of making a tour on the continent The journey was extended beyond the original plan They visited Egypt and going up the Nile in the company of Giovanni Baptista Belzoni and Henry William Beechey explored the temple at Abu Simbel afterwards they went across the desert and along the coast with a visit to Baalbek and the cedars and reached Aleppo where they met William John Bankes and Thomas Legh Together they visited Syria as few Europeans had done at that period 1 The party travelled to Palmyra Damascus down the Jordan valley and so to Jerusalem They afterwards passed round the Dead Sea and through Palestine At Acre they embarked in a Venetian brig for Constantinople but falling ill with dysentery they were landed at Cyprus for medical assistance In the middle of December 1818 they shipped on board a vessel bound for Marseilles which they reached after a passage of 76 days 1 Later life editIn August 1826 Irby was appointed to command the sloop HMS Pelican in the eastern Mediterranean where she was employed in the suppression of piracy On 2 July 1827 he was posted to HMS Ariadne but was not relieved from the command of the Pelican till the end of September After the battle of Navarino he was appointed by Sir Edward Codrington to bring home HMS Genoa whose captain Walter Bathurst had been killed which he paid off at Plymouth in January 1828 1 Irby saw no further naval service and died at Torquay on 3 December 1845 1 Works editLetters of the tour party were collected and privately printed in 1823 as Travels in Egypt and Nubia Syria and Asia Minor during the years 1817 and 1818 In 1844 they were published as volume no 7 of Murray s Colonial and Home Library 1 Family editIrby married in February 1825 Frances a sister of his friend James Mangles and left children 1 Notes edit a b c d e f g Lee Sidney ed 1892 Irby Charles Leonard Dictionary of National Biography Vol 29 London Smith Elder amp Co External links edit nbsp Media related to Charles Leonard Irby at Wikimedia Commons O Byrne William Richard 1849 Irby Charles Leonard A Naval Biographical Dictionary John Murray via Wikisource Irby Charles Leonard Mangles James 1823 Travels in Egypt and Nubia Syria and Asia Minor during the years 1817 amp 1818 London Printed for Private Distribution by T White amp Co Attribution nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Lee Sidney ed 1892 Irby Charles Leonard Dictionary of National Biography Vol 29 London Smith Elder amp Co Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Leonard Irby amp oldid 1139050720, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
