Denny, Lieutenant D'Arcy Anthony
b. 1836
d. 1883
D'Arcy Anthony Denny joined the Royal Navy in 1850.1 He rose through the ranks and was promoted to lieutenant in 1858.2 He was commander of HMS Forward on the coast of British Columbia between 1866 and 1868.3 According to the despatches, Denny was disciplined on several occasions for overstepping his authority when interacting with Indigenous peoples.4 He was promoted to commander in 1868 and returned to Britain that year.5 According to this despatch, on his return voyage he was charged with returning the seal of the now-defunct colony of Vancouver Island to the British government.6 He served on the coast of South America between 1872 and 1876.7 In 1876, he returned to England and assumed a post with the Coast Guard.8 Daniel Pender, who served as Denny's commanding officer, would name Denny Island, near Bella Bella, in his honour.9
  • 1. John T. Walbran, British Columbia Coast Names (Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1971), 137-138.
  • 2. Ibid.
  • 3. Ibid.
  • 4. Romaine to Rogers, 28 December 1866, 12277, CO 60/26, 24; Lennox to Adderley, 20 May 1867, 4930, CO 60/29, 17.
  • 5. John T. Walbran, British Columbia Coast Names, (Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1971), 137-138.
  • 6. Seymour to Grenville, 7423, CO 60/32, 438.
  • 7. John T. Walbran, British Columbia Coast Names (Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1971), 137-138.
  • 8. Ibid.
  • 9. Ibid.
Mentions of this person in the documents
People in this document

Pender, Daniel

Vessels in this document

HMS Forward, 1855-1869

Places in this document

Bella Bella

British Columbia

Vancouver Island