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At the Circulating Library

A Database of Victorian Fiction, 1837–1901

A Database of Victorian Fiction, 1837–1901

Author: Francis Claudius Armstrong

Author: Francis Claudius Armstrong (1802–1872)

Biography: Francis Claudius Armstrong was born in 1802 on the Isle of Man. His early life cannot be traced. Some sources report that he served in the Sardinian navy. By the 1850s, he lived in Kidwelly, Wales with his wife Elizabeth and six children. In order to supplement his income, he turned to nautical fiction beginning with The Two Midshipmen (1854) and following with over a dozen more. All of his titles were published by T. C. Newby who contracted with him to produced one three-volume novel per year. His fiction met with some success and several titles were reprinted in cheaper editions. Despite this, he applied successfully to the Royal Literary Fund when the trustee of his mother's will fled to America with the funds. He died in 1872 in Milford.

Author Tags:

References: British Census (1851, 1861, 1871); Daily News [London] (18 October 1872); RLF (case number 1423)

Fiction Titles:

  1. The Two Midshipmen: A Tale of the Sea.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1854.
  2. The Warhawk: A Tale of the Sea.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1855.
  3. The Battle on the Bosphorus.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1855.
  4. The Young Commander: A Novel.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1856.
  5. The Medora: A Tale of the Sea.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1857.
  6. The Two Buccaneers: A Tale of the Sea.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1858.
  7. Bella Sandford: A Tale.  1 vol.  London: E. Marlborough, 1858.
  8. The Young Middy: or, The Perilous Adventures of a Boy-Officer among the Royalists and Republicans of the First French Revolution.  1 vol.  London: E. Marlborough, 1858.
  9. The Lily of Devon: A Novel.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1859.
  10. The Cruize of the Daring: A Tale of the Sea.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1860.
  11. The Frigate and the Lugger: A Nautical Romance.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1861.
  12. The Pirates of "The Foam": A Novel.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1863.
  13. The Neapolitan Commander: A Romance of Sea and Land.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1863.
  14. The Queen of the Seas: A Tale of Sea and Land.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1864.
  15. The Naval Lieutenant: A Nautical Romance.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1865.
  16. Our Blue Jackets, Afloat and Ashore: A Novel.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1866.
  17. The Wild Gazelle and Other Tales.  3 vol.  London: T. C. Newby, 1868.