Byron Drury

Admiral Byron Drury (1815–1888) was a British naval officer.

Biography Drury was born in Harrow on the Hill, the son of Rev. Henry Drury, of Harrow School; at which place he, and his father, Dr. Drury, were masters for about 70 years.

Byron Drury entered the Royal Naval College in 1828; and embarked, 13 August 1830, as a Volunteer, on board HMS Aetna surveying vessel, under the command of Captain Edward Belcher. He afterwards served for upwards of three years, latterly as a midshipman, in HMS Rainbow, under Captain Sir John Franklin, on the Mediterranean station; and, joining next HMS Racehorse under Captain Sir James Everard Home, took an active part, as mate, in the siege of Pará in Brazil in 1835, where he was for several days in action with the enemy’s batteries. Landing at night he conducted over 200 Brazilians to the beach for embarkation from the midst of the insurgents. He was also involved in surveying the Pará River.

Drury was with Sir Gordon Bremer, in HMS Alligator, he subsequently assisted in surveying the harbour at Port Essington, in South Australia, during the formation of that place into a settlement.

On 30 November 1839 he became an acting-lieutenant by which time HMS Alligator was in Indian waters. He was engaged in most of the hostilities against the Chinese. He commanded a division of boats at the first capture of Canton in 1841, For his services he received the China medal,

He was promoted to captain in 1857 and retired. He was promoted to captain in 1866, to rear-admiral in 1875 and vice-admiral in 1879.

As captain of , he took part in the survey of New Zealand that led to the publication of the New Zealand Pilot. This included Manukau Harbour in 1853. Nearby locality, Drury is named after him.