Manby was born in the village of Hilgay on the edge of the Norfolk Fens. His father, Matthew Pepper Manby, was lord of the manor of Wood Hall in Hilgay and a former soldier and aide-de-camp to Lord Townshend. Manby's elder brother was George William Manby, the inventor of life-saving devices including the Manby mortar. Lord Townshend arranged a position for the young Manby in the stationers of the ordnance department, but Manby dreamt of a life at sea and at the age of 14 resigned his post and embarked as a midshipman on board the 24-gun Hyaena. After 2 years on the Irish station he joined the Cygnet and sailed to the Caribbean, returning on the Amphion, and then served on the 74-gun Illustrious.
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