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  1. #1
    Frank52
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    Default Richard HARPER, RN of HMS Chichester

    Greetings all

    Richard HARPER was one of my maternal rellies, born 1776, Portsmouth. In 1799 he married Sophia LILLYWHITE in Portsea. On his marriage bond his occupation is "Mariner belonging to HMS Chichester" A record in the National Archives confirms that Richard was serving aboard the Chichester in 1799; Paybook number SB 400. Rank: Yeoman of the Powder Room. I've learned - thanks to Wikipedia - that the Chichester was a 70 gun, 3rd rate, ship of the line, broken up in 1803. Presumably the crew, including Richard, would have been transferred to another vessel. Which vessel? Is it possible to discover if he served at Trafalgar? Richard's career in the RN wasn't very long. By 1811 he was living ashore and working as a ropemaker, a trade he followed for the rest of his long life. He died at 84 in the Alverstoke workhouse.

    I gather that one didn't "resign" from the navy in the early 19th cent, particularly not with Napoleon very much at large. I'd love to know why my g-g-grandpa settled ashore to make ropes. Perhaps he didn't see much future in tending the gunpowder magazine during engagements with the enemy.

    Best wishes

    Frank
    South Africa

  2. #2
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    Frank

    I've checked the National Archives online roll of those men at Trafalgar, and Richard Harper is not one of them. However, with the rate of Yeoman of the Powder Room, he was not just a pressed man. This rate was junior petty officer who assisted the gunner, which suggest that he had served in the navy for some time prior to serving on HMS Chichester.

    From the NA catalogue there is a pension application from a Richard Harper, who looks to be a likely candidate for your man (ADM 29/41/476), it might be worth ordering this online.

    Martin

  3. #3
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    Frank

    After posting the above it occurred to me that you might not be aware of the importance of the pension application. At the time it was submitted to the Admiralty it would include the names of all the ships the applicant had served on, his rate, Ships Book number and the dates when he signed on, and was discharged from, each ship. So from this one document it is possible to establish almost his entire career. Since you know at least one ship, to confirm this is your man is easy.

    Martin

  4. #4
    Frank52
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    Hi Martin

    Many thanks for the info and Trafalgar lookup. I was not aware of the information available on a naval pension doc. To make it more interesting Richard HARPER had a son named Richard (fancy that!) who was also in the Royal Navy. In 1851 Richard junior was an "Outpensioner of Greenwich", so the reference could apply to either of these lads. I'll investigate.

    Best wishes. Frank

  5. #5
    grifbrit
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    Hi Frank 52 - Thanks for your posting. It seems there were two vessels named HMS Chichester at the time c1800 (Manning & Walker). A HMS Chichester brought the wife and daughter of Willoughby James Burslem (dec) from Halifax Nova Scotia early 1803 home to UK with Capt Laurie in charge.

    Does your ancestor's info give anything about a Capt Laurie with HMS Chichester after or around 04 Jan 1803 please?

    thanks in anticipation, grifbrit
    Last edited by grifbrit; 07-06-2010 at 7:32 AM. Reason: typo error over active keyboard

  6. #6
    Frank52
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    Default HMS Chichester

    Quote Originally Posted by grifbrit View Post
    Hi Frank 52 - Thanks for your posting. It seems there were two vessels named HMS Chichester at the time c1800 (Manning & Walker). A HMS Chichester brought the wife and daughter of Willoughby James Burslem (dec) from Halifax Nova Scotia early 1803 home to UK with Capt Laurie in charge.

    Does your ancestor's info give anything about a Capt Laurie with HMS Chichester after or around 04 Jan 1803 please?

    thanks in anticipation, grifbrit
    Hi Grifbrit. Alas, I have no info on the various Chichesters other than what's available on Wikipedia. It's evident that my rellie served on a warship, since he was in charge of the gunpowder magazine. And that's the extent of my knowledge.

    Good luck, Frank

  7. #7
    grifbrit
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    Thanks Frank, I'll carry on digging, it's surprising what turns up from time to time.

    griff

  8. #8
    Knowledgeable and helpful keith9351's Avatar
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    Not sure if this helps but there is a Capt. Laurie of HMS Cleopatra, May 1805. The ship was at Halifax station and was a fifth rate ship of the line.

    It also shows a HMS Chichester fourth rate, built 1785 at Downs station.

    https://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Navy_List_1805/Index.html

    Keith

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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank52 View Post
    To make it more interesting Richard HARPER had a son named Richard (fancy that!) who was also in the Royal Navy. In 1851 Richard junior was an "Outpensioner of Greenwich", so the reference could apply to either of these lads.
    Just to be clear, the certificate of service referred to above (ADM 29/41/476) is for the father, not for the son. To see that catalogue entry click this link.

    Looking at the 1851 census, the son appears to have been born about 1801 (if I have the right record, in Victoria Street?). There are two possible certificates of service for him in the same series ADM 29/44/177 and ADM 29/45/113. The second may be a slightly better fit for age. To see the catalogue entries click the links.

    Copies of these documents can be ordered online from each of the catalogue links given above, by clicking Ordering and Viewing Options and following the instructions.

  10. #10
    Geoffers
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    Quote Originally Posted by keith9351 View Post
    It also shows a HMS Chichester fourth rate, built 1785 at Downs station.

    https://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Navy_List_1805/Index.html

    Keith
    Just to confuse things - in my notes I have a record of an HMS Chichester - 70 guns and a 44 gun HMS Chichester built 1785 which was later used as a storeship - both seem to ahev been in service towards the end of the 18th century. Either of these two could have been the one mentioned by Frank

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