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George Byng

A picture of George Byng

About George Byng

Admiral George Byng 1st Viscount Torrington

He was born at Wrotham in Kent and at the age of 15 entered the navy, and in 1688,

recommended himself to William of Orange by his zeal in the cause of the Revolution.

He was made Rear-admiral in 1703, and in 1704 captured Gibraltar, and for his gallant conduct at the sea-fight of Malaga, he was knighted by Queen Anne. In 1708 he commanded a squadron fitted out to oppose the invasion by the Pretender. He pursued the French Fleet to the Firth of Forth, took one ship, and forced the rest back to Dunkirk. For his services during the '15 he was created a baronet: and in 1718 he commanded the fleet sent to Sicily, on the 31st July utterly destroying the Spanish fleet off Messina. In 1721 he was created Viscount Torrington.



See also the entry for his 4th son John Byng

Information submitted by Alan Longbottom

Other famous people alive at the time of George Byng

Joseph AddisonBorn 1st May 1672, died 17th June 1719 aged 47
Capability BrownBorn 1716, died 6th February 1783 aged 67
John BunyanBorn 28th November 1628, died 31st August 1688 aged 59
John ByngBorn 29th October 1704, died 14th March 1757 aged 52
Henry CavendishBorn 10th October 1731, died 24th February 1810 aged 78
Captain James CookBorn 27th October 1728, died 14th February 1779 aged 50
Sir Richard SteeleBorn 1672, died 1st September 1729 aged 57

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