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