Career

Spratt was also the father of Thomas Abel Brimage Spratt, English vice-admiral, hydrographer and geologist. Commander James Spratt was famous for having dived into the sea from the HMS Defiance, swimming cutlass in teeth to the French 74-gun Aigle, boarding her single handed. Climbing in through a stern window, he found his way to the French poop deck and threw himself on the French crew, one man against several hundred.

In the melee he killed two French seamen, and was grappling with a third when he fell from the poop deck to the main deck, killing his opponent but injuring himself badly.

He was saved by the timely arrival of a full boarding party from the Defiance, but his gallantry cost him his career. His wounds left him with one leg shorter than the other and he retired to Teignmouth, Devon, where he became renowned as a long-distance swimmer.