# Justinian Nutt

Captain Justinian Nutt (c.1704 – 11 December 1757) was a Royal Navy officer.

## Military career

Justinian Nutt was born in about 1704. He joined the Royal Navy on 4 December 1728, becoming a captain's servant on board the 20-gun frigate HMS Bideford. He was promoted to able seaman on 3 August 1731, continuing as such until 18 November 1734 when he was advanced to become Bideford's ship's corporal. On 18 March 1736 Bideford was sailing out of Bridlington Bay, Yorkshire, when it was found that water was coming up through the hold. The flooding continued, extinguishing the galley fire, and the captain ordered Bideford run ashore at Steel Point, near Flamborough Head. The crew evacuated the ship, which was lost. After this Nutt was left without employment for two years until 12 July 1738 when he was appointed a master's mate of the 60-gun ship of the line HMS York.
With the War of the Austrian Succession having begun, in 1740 Nutt moved from York to join the 60-gun ship of the line HMS Centurion for George Anson's voyage around the world. Initially serving only as a lieutenant's servant, Nutt was promoted to become Centurion's master on 9 June the same year. He was then promoted to acting lieutenant on 21 June 1743, becoming first lieutenant of HMS Centurion's Prize. He transferred back to Centurion as her third lieutenant on 17 November.
Having been confirmed as a lieutenant by passing the examination for the rank on 31 August 1744, Nutt became first lieutenant of the 90-gun ship of the line HMS Prince George on 18 January 1745. He stayed in post only briefly, being promoted to commander on 27 February 1745. Given command of the 10-gun sloop HMS Tavistock, he continued in her until 12 August when he was promoted again, becoming captain of the 22-gun frigate HMS Grand Turk. This was a recently captured French warship.
Nutt transferred from Grand Turk to command the 44-gun frigate HMS Prince Edward on 2 July 1746, and then moved again on 7 March 1747, becoming captain of the 64-gun ship of the line HMS Edinburgh. Continuing a pattern of quickly moving through commands, Nutt was translated into the 50-gun ship of the line HMS Tavistock on 19 August the same year. In this ship Nutt served as part of the Western Squadron in the Bay of Biscay, under the command of Rear-Admiral Edward Hawke.
Nutt was then given command of the 60-gun ship of the line HMS Anson, the guard ship at Portsmouth, on 23 September 1748. He was one of the captains in June 1749 who sat on the court martial regarding the 44-gun frigate HMS Chesterfield, after the officers mutinied and took control of the ship while the captain was ashore. Nutt continued in Anson until the ship was paid off on 17 November 1752. Anson was Nutt's last command in the Royal Navy.
Nutt retired from the navy in 1754 to become one of the captains of the Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich. He died on 11 December 1757.

## Personal life

Nutt married Elizabeth Cooke (born 1726) on 8 August 1749. From Winchester, she came with a dowry of £10,000, equivalent to £2,004,332 in 2023. They had two children:
* George Anson Nutt (1750 – c.1793)
* Justinian Saunders Bentley Nutt (1754 – 1811)

## Citations

* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Harrison (2019), p. 369.
* ↑ Hepper (2023), p. 81.
* ↑ Rodger (1988), p. 268.
* 1 2 Charnock (2011), p. 404.
* ↑ Charnock (2011), pp. 404–405.
* 1 2 Charnock (2011), p. 405.