Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jackson, George (1725-1822)
JACKSON, afterwards DUCKETT, Sir GEORGE (1725–1822), judge-advocate of the fleet, born 24 Oct. 1725, was eldest surviving son of George Jackson of Richmond, Yorkshire, by Hannah, seventh daughter of William Ward of Guisborough. He entered the navy office about 1743, became secretary to the navy board in 1758, and second secretary to the admiralty and judge-advocate on 11 Nov. 1766. In the last capacity he was present at the court-martial on Keppel in 1778. Subsequently Palliser was summoned by the same tribunal to answer the evidence incidentally given against him at the court-martial on Keppel. No specific charge was brought against Palliser. The Duke of Richmond in the House of Lords (31 March 1779) attacked this method of procedure, for which Jackson was held responsible. He was called before the house and ably defended himself; but the lords passed a resolution which appeared to censure the admiralty officials, and when Lord Sandwich, under whom he had worked since 1771, retired from the board, Jackson resigned his office of second secretary 12 June 1782. He retained the judge-advocateship, but subsequently declined Pitt's offer of the secretaryship of the admiralty. From 1762 to 1768 Jackson was M.P. for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis; in 1788 he was elected for Colchester, defeating George Tierney at a cost of 20,000l., but although on that occasion unseated, represented the borough from 1790 to 1796. Captain Cook the navigator had been, when a boy, in the service of Jackson's sister at Ayton, and hence Jackson was favourable to his schemes, and probably influenced Sandwich in his behalf. In gratitude Cook, in his first voyage, named after him Port Jackson in New South Wales, and Point Jackson in New Zealand. Jackson obtained in 1766 an act of parliament for making the Stort navigable up to Bishop Stortford, and saw the work completed in 1769 (Gent. Mag. 1769, p. 608). On 21 June 1791 he was created a baronet, and died at his house in Upper Grosvenor Street, London, on 15 Dec. 1822. He was buried at Bishop Stortford. A portrait by Dance and a miniature by Copley were in the possession of Sir George Duckett, bart. Jackson married, first, his cousin Mary, daughter of William Ward of Guisborough, by whom he left three daughters; secondly, Grace, daughter of Gwyn Goldstone of Goldstone, Shropshire, by Grace, daughter and coheiress of George Duckett of Hartham House, Wiltshire, by whom he left surviving a son, George, second baronet. In 1797 Jackson assumed the name of Duckett by royal license, in accordance with the will of his second wife's uncle, Thomas Duckett. His reports of the courts-martial held on the loss of the Ardent and on the Hon. William Cornwallis (1744–1819) [q. v.] were published in 1780 and 1791 respectively. He also left a manuscript list, drawn up about 1755, of commissioners of the navy from 12 Charles II to 1 George III, which was edited by his grandson, Sir George Duckett, in 1889. Many of his papers are at Hinchinbrook in the possession of the Earl of Sandwich. He was very friendly with the Pitts, and has been rashly identified with Junius (Notes and Queries, 1st ser. i. 172, 276, 322).
[Sir George Duckett's Duchetiana, pp. 70, &c.; Jackson's Works; Annual Register; Haydn's Book of Dignities.]