19th century naval uniforms - help!

[silicondale]

I have a set of photos and three possible people. Sadly none of the photos are identified, nor are the dates they were taken. It looks like photos 1,2,3, and 4 are the same man.

The three are:
Augustus Dalby, master, RN. Born 1779, promoted to Master 1801. Retired about 1815. Died 1853
His two sons:
William Bennett Dalby. Naval surgeon. Born 1824. Fleet surgeon from 1856. awarded MBE before 1861. Retired ?1870. Died. 1884
Nicholas Bennett Dalby. Born 1826. Major, Royal Marines (1848). Retired before 1881. Died 1904.
Are the uniforms any clue at all?
Did Augustus die too early for any of the photos to be him?

[arthurk]

I'm afraid I can't help you on the photos and uniforms, but I did notice this:

William Bennett Dalby. Naval surgeon. Born 1824. Fleet surgeon from 1856. awarded MBE before 1861. Retired ?1870. Died. 1884

By MBE, are you using it in its current sense to refer to him as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, to give it its full title? The thing is, the Order wasn't established until 1917.....

[tonepad]

Photos 1, 2, 3 & 4 are the naval surgeon:

1 & 4 full dress uniform
2 undress uniform


https://victorianweb.org/history/navy/index.html

note the rank marks for surgeons


Tony

[silicondale]

@arthurk: Well spotted! Good question, about the "MBE". It comes from my notes, which are taken from a transcription of the 1861 census, done many years ago. I suspect a mistranscription for "MD" which he certainly was, but would need to check the actual census record to be sure.

The idea that he might have received an award comes from a report that in 1854 he (effectively single-handed) ended an outbreak of cholera on board a ship, the 'Lord Auckland' in Torquay, while he was stationed on HMS Andromeda hospital ship in Plymouth Sound.

@tony: many thanks. That certainly clears up one question.

[arthurk]

@arthurk: Well spotted! Good question, about the "MBE". It comes from my notes, which are taken from a transcription of the 1861 census, done many years ago. I suspect a mistranscription for "MD" which he certainly was, but would need to check the actual census record to be sure.

I've just found him on board HMS Narcissus (RG9/4434 fo161 p1), and his rank is given as "M.D. Surgeon".

[silicondale]

Excellent - this confirms the transcription error, then!

[tonepad]

Photos 5 & 6 are the Royal Marine Major with different uniforms.

For comparison:

https://rmhistorical.com/DAPShowFile.php?id=1614

https://rmhistorical.com/DAPShowFile.php?id=1604



Tony

[silicondale]

Thanks, Tony - That settles it, then. The photos are all of just the two brothers William and Nicholas, and there is no photo of their father - not that I really expected it, as he died in 1853.