Benjamin Marlow (1715-1795)

Marlow was already a veteran officer when he obtained his first command in the Seven Years War; he saw further service in the East Indies during the American Revolutionary War and lived long enough to become a full admiral.

He was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, the son of Lieutenant Thomas Marlow of the Royal Navy.

Serving on the Jamaican station during the War of the Austrian Succession, in his 28th year Marlow was commissioned lieutenant on 25 July 1743 of the Grafton 70, Captain William Laws, transferring a week later to the Assistance 50, Captain Smith Callis. Remaining in the West Indies, on 22 February 1745, he became the first lieutenant of the Falmouth 50, Captain John Simcoe, which vessel came home to be paid off in October 1746.

By August 1748 he was commanding the armed vessel Maddalena in the Mediterranean when she was attacked by three Spanish xebecs in the Gut of Gibraltar. Displaying French colours, and with his guns hauled in to give off the appearance of a merchantman, Marlow let the enemy approach within hail before opening fire with grape and round shot. Two of the xebecs sheered off, whilst the third might well have been caught but for the Maddalena missing stays in the strong current and calm conditions. Even so, Marlow pursued her all the way across to the Barbary shore where she sought shelter in Ceuta.

It appears that Marlow remained out of employment after the end of the War of the Austrian Succession in October 1748, but shortly after the beginning of the Seven Years War in 1756 (and still a lieutenant), he temporarily commanded the Dolphin 24 for Captain Carr Scrope in Vice-Admiral Hon. John Byng’s controversial Battle of Minorca on 20 May. Now in his 41st year, rapid promotion followed: he was promoted commander of the Fortune 14 the next day and posted captain of the Dolphin on 6 June. Retaining the latter command despite being summoned to London to provide witness evidence at Byng’s trial, he captured the French privateer Marquis de Barrail 12 off Dunkirk on 17 May 1757 after a chase of several hours, with casualties of two men wounded. Another prize was the Dunkirk privateer Rosette 8, which he took off the Buchan Ness to the south of Peterhead and carried into Leith, reportedly losing one man killed and two wounded.

Marlow’s command, the Dolphin, later became a vessel of exploration. She is pictured at Tahiti in 1767 when commanded by Samuel Wallis

In July 1757 the Dolphin brought a convoy down from the Orkneys to Aberdeen. Staying in Scottish waters, she assisted the Hussar 28, Captain John Elliot, in sinking the French Alcion 50 with all hands after a two-hour night action on 23 November. At about this time Marlow was rewarded with the freedom of Aberdeen for his protection of the coast and local trade. However, his reputation was threatened as a result of an engagement on 26 May 1758 off Red-Head on the Angus coast. The Dolphin joined the Solebay 24, Captain Robert Craig, in attacking the Maréchal de Belleisle 44, commanded by Commodore François Thurot. In the early stages of the three-and-a-half-hour action the Dolphin was damaged aloft, and after making repairs and getting back into the fray her crew were disappointed to see the faster-sailing Frenchman escape. One man was killed and 17 wounded aboard the Dolphin. In the aftermath Craig was critical of Marlow’s actions, causing the latter to request a court martial into his conduct. When the court convened aboard the Torrington 44 at Sheerness in April 1759 favourable testimony by the Solebay’s officers led to Marlow being honourably acquitted.

In the meantime, the Dolphin had continued her service in the North Sea, escorting the trade from Hull to Hamburg in September 1758. She later was engaged in convoy duty to the Baltic in September 1759 before returning to Leith from the Nore. During April 1760 she brought transports over from Germany, and at the beginning of June she arrived at Leith with the coastal trade from London. In July she was at Stromness in the Orkneys from where she departed with a convoy.

In November the Dolphin sailed for the Carolinas, and she remained on the North American station for much of the next year. In early March 1761 she arrived at Charleston after a cruise in which Marlow had reportedly been very ill. On 4 May she was badly damaged and dismasted in the harbour by a storm that swept down the Ashley River. Returning to England with a convoy of four ships from the Carolinas, she arrived in the Downs in early August.

On 5 August 1761, just two days after he had returned to England, Marlow was appointed to the frigate Minerva 32, serving in the Downs station until was docked at Sheerness in January 1762. Shortly afterwards, on 18 February, he was appointed to the Prince 90, serving in the Channel Fleet without incident until the end of the Seven Years War in early 1763.

Apart from commanding the Impress Service at Whitehaven during the Falkland Islands dispute of 1770-1, Marlow remained unemployed until January 1775 when at the advanced age of 60 he was appointed to the frigate Coventry 28, which departed for the East Indies in March. Here he remained for the next seven years, being present at the actions with the French off Pondicherry from 10 August 1778, and assisting the Seahorse 24, acting-Captain John Panton, in the capture of the French frigate Sartine 32 fifteen days later. When Captain George Young was sent home with despatches in October 1778, Marlow became flag captain to Commodore Sir Edward Vernon aboard the Rippon 60. By September 1780 he was sufficiently senior to be promoted to rear-admiral, although he did not learn this until he and Vernon returned to England with a convoy, arriving in the Downs in February 1781. Later that month he was presented to the King, as was customary for a senior officer on his return from an extended posing.

In May 1785 Marlow’s country residence at Shirley in Hampshire was put up for sale, complete with stables and coach houses. (Shirley is now a district of Southampton).

He did not see any further service but was further advanced by seniority to vice-admiral on 24 September 1787 and admiral on 12 April 1794. He died at Hampstead in January 1795 and was buried at Alverstoke, Hampshire.

Marlow was married to Ann Morse, of Gosport, near Portsmouth.