Christopher Billopp (Royal Navy officer)

Christopher Billopp or Billop (c. 1650 – 1725[1]) was an English officer of the Royal Navy in the seventeenth century who commanded various ships of the line, including HMS Greenwich in the Battle of Bantry Bay.

[4][5] While this anecdote has been widely repeated, including by Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, reliable historical documentation of the event is sparse.

In 2007, The New York Times addressed the issue in a news article, which concluded that this event was heavily embellished over the years and almost certainly originated in local folklore.

[12] Although land ownership went through several hands, including those of William Henry Aspinwall,[13] the neighborhood retained the Bentley Manor name into the early 20th century.

[14] The house, inherited by his great grandson Colonel Christopher Billopp, a British Loyalist during the American Revolution, was the setting for a failed peace conference between Lord Howe and members of the Continental Congress.