Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an awkward, ungainly person.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: duke of limbs a tall awkward ill made fellow.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open 106: Duke of limbs, a deformed person.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.