John BRYAN, Purser early 19th century

[Biggalbart]

Thank you Alan. I didn't know that the Master & Purser could be the same person. BTW - just to confuse things a little more, I've located another reference to the misappropriation of stores aboard the John Renwick where the Master's name is reported as "Byron". As the charges were brought by Thames police, I'm now trying to track down the court records. Very frustrating.

[Allan F Sparrow]

The Byron family were a naval family in the 18th century, so it would be easy to make a slip. One of them was known as "Foul weather Jack" because he always seemed to have bad weather: including the time when he was wrecked on the coast of Chile while supposedly taking part in Anson's circumnavigation. The poet Lord Byron broke the mould, as he was, I think, only a collateral descendant.

I shall now shut up!

[Biggalbart]

Again, John Bryan is living with the same family in 1861 census where he is described as a Greenwich Pensioner.
I have no idea what that means?
He is in Babcary District 8 Somerset.
Registration district: Langport
Sub-registration district: Somerton
ED, institution, or vessel: 8
Household schedule number: 79
Piece: 1628
Folio: 113
Page Number: 15

I have just googled Greenwich Pensioner. Interesting. Wikipedia calls it the Naval equivalent of a Chelsea Pensioner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich_pensioner

Hello Eileen. I just wanted you to thank you once again for the information about Greenwich pensioners. I've followed that line of enquiry & it looks like I'm finally making progress.

Once again, thank you some much for taking the time to check records & respond.

Chris

[Biggalbart]

Hi Allan

Thank you for your response. Given the reported/alleged underhanded & arrogant behaviour of the master if the John Renwick, I'd like to think he wasn't one of mine. Cutting the allocated food allowance for passengers & prisoners & keeping the "excess" for his own profit suggests a totally unpleasant personality. Until I can find reliable records that confirm his name, I'm happy to live in hope that that he is a Byron.

Chris

[EileenT]

Hi again Chris,
I am happy you are getting results.
I found another earlier census (1851) for John Bryan who is listed as a widower, and Greenwich pensioner.
He has consistently given his date of birth as 1774- 1776, which doesnt quite agree with his naval record of about 1782. I dont know whether there would have been any benefit for him to say he was younger than he was?
There is also a death record for John Bryan
Estimated birth year: abt 1776
Registration Year: 1873
Age at Death: 97
Registration district: Langport
Inferred County: Somerset
Volume: 5c
Page: 340
I am not sure how much information would be shown on a death certificate from that date.

If this is your man, there seems to be some family link to the Francis family he was living with in the 1861 & 1871 census where he is shown as "Uncle".

I could not find him in the 1841 census, so he may be at sea. I did look at an 1841 census for a James and Ann Bryan who were living with son Silas,(born 1817), also at Babcary, Somerset. James is also a Navy P(ensioner?).
Strangely, this couple have a Mary and William Francis living with them.
There are a few public ancestry trees you can view with information about Silas who migrated to Tasmania the following year and photocopies of James application for Silas to enter the Royal Hospital for seamen, Lower School Greenwich Asylum. They make interesting reading.
Seems to be a family link, but I have not yet found any evidence of John and Anna between their marriage, and John as a widower in 1851.

I hope the Greenwich link provides you with information to be more certain that this is the correct John Bryan.

Good Luck,
Eileen