William Duddingston

Rear Admiral William Duddingston (1740–1817) was an 18th-century Scottish commander in the Royal Navy, of fame for the Gaspee Affair, one of the precursors to the American War of Independence.

He was born in November 1740 in the parish of Kilconquhar in the East Neuk of Fife, the third son of 14 children to James Duddingston (1695-1768) and his wife Margaret Gillespie.

In March 1772 the ship was ordered to go to Rhode Island to patrol the waters to prevent smuggling of contraband goods in evasion of taxation.

The next day they rowed to the stranded Gaspee and took Duddingston and his crew prisoner before setting fire to the ship.

Only in September 1777 was he promoted to captain and given charge of a 28 gun ship captured from the Americans in 1776, provocatively re-named HMS Boston.

Earlsferry House was demolished around 1958, mainly due to the burdens of inheritance tax, but Heriot Row survives in its entirety.