A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Cuppage, William

1670291A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Cuppage, WilliamWilliam Richard O'Byrne

CUPPAGE. (Capt., 1830. f-p., 20; h-p., 20.)

William Cuppage is son of the late Lieut.General Wm. Cuppage, of the Royal Artillery; and cousin of Commander Adam Cuppage, R.N., and Lieut. James Heyland, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 1 July, 1807, as Fst.-cl. -Vol., on board the Stork sloop, Capt. Geo. Le Geyt, stationed in the Channel, where, until April, 1813, he continued to serve, a great part of the time as Midshipman, in the Royal George 100, flag-ship of Sir John Thos. Duckworth, and San Josef 110, Hibernia 110, Armide 38, and Dublin 74, all commanded by Capt. Rich. Dalling Dunn. He then rejoined the San Josef, as Signal Midshipman to Sir Rich. King; and, on 5 Nov. following, had a leg shot off in a skirmish with the fleet off Toulon.[1] After a further attachment to the Thisbe 28, and Impregnable 104, flag-ships in the river Thames and at Plymouth of Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge and Sir J. T. Duckworth, Mr. Cuppage was awarded a commission, dated 6 April, 1815. He subsequently joined, 18 Aug. following, the Rochfort 74, Capt. Sir Arch. Collingwood Dickson, lying at Portsmouth; served, from 3 Oct. in the same year, until 21 Nov. 1820, on board the Magicienne 36, Orlando 36, and Minden 74, flagships in the East Indies of Sir Rich. King; and was next appointed – 20 Aug. 1822, to the Arab sloop, Capt. Wm. Holmes, off the coast of Ireland – 1 July, 1823, to the Isis 50, bearing the flag in the West Indies of Sir Lawrence Wm. Halsted – 10 Aug. 1825, to the Warspite 76, Capt. Sir Jas. Brisbane, on the South American station – and 4 Aug. 1826, and 18 Jan. 1827, to the Boadicea 46, Capt. Wm. Fairbrother Carroll, and Java 52, flagship of Rear-Admiral Wm. Hall Gage, both in the East Indie.s. Of the Java he assumed command, as Second Captain, 24 Dec. 1827; and on the ultimate return of that ship to England was advanced to Post-rank, 22 July, 1830. He has not since been afloat.

Capt. Cuppage obtained, 4 April, 1816, a pension of 91l. 5s. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1814, p. 19.