Sir James Crawford Caffin ³⁸⁰

  General Notes:

From The Times, May 26, 1883

Admiral Sir James Crawford Caffin, K.C.B., died on Thursday, at his
residence, Woodlawn, Blackheath, Kent, aged 71. He was the third son
of the late Mr. William Caffin, of Blackheath, and of the Royal
Laboratory, Woolwich, by his marriage with Bethia, daughter of the
late Mr. George Crawford, adjutant R.A., and was born in 1812. He
entered the Navy as a first-class volunteer on board Pylades, and in
1827 became midshipman of the Cambrian, in which vessel he was present
at the battle of Navarinn, and he was afterwards wrecked in that
frigate while in engaged with pirates at Grabusa. He was promoted to
a lieutenancy in 1838, became a commander in 1842, captain in 1847,
and served on board the Penelope in the Baltic in 1854, taking part in
the bombardment of Bomarsund. In 1855 he commanded the Hastings at
the bombardment of Sweaborg. In the same year he was appointed Naval
Director-General of Artillery and Vice-President of the Ordnance
Select Committee at the War Office. From 1858 to 1868 he held the
post of Director of Stores in the War Department. The gallant officer
was appointed a naval aide-de-camp to the Queen in 1863, and in 1865
he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral. He became a vice-admiral
in 1871 and an admiral in 1877. He was nominated a Companion of the
Order of the Bath (Military Division) in 1854, and on his retirement
was promoted to a Knight Commandership of that Order. Admiral Caffin
was the author of a work on "Naval Gunnery". He was a magistrate for
Kent, and married, in 1843, Frances Brouncker, youngest daughter of
Mr. William Atfield, of Cosham-house, Hants, but was a left a widower
in 1871.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He served in the military in August 1824.

2. Promotion: 7 March 1842, Commander.

3. Census UK 1861: 1861, Vanbrugh Lodge, Vanbrugh Fields, Greenwich.

4. Resided: 24 May 1883, Woodlawn, Vanbrugh Park Road, Blackheath, London. ¹³

5. He had an estate probated on 30 June 1883 in Principal Registry. ¹³

James married Frances Brouncker Atfield, daughter of William Atfield and Unknown, on 21 September 1843 in Fareham, Hampshire.²⁷ (Frances Brouncker Atfield was born in 1820 in Kingston, Isle Of Wight and died in 1871 ⁵⁴.)