Meet Molly Swift

Click image to enlarge

Today's post written by Teri Linden

Those in London’s east end, specifically Shoreditch, are no strangers to the Long Neck Goose Tavern and Inn, where Will Swift & his wife Molly were proprietors, until Will got them into terrible debt gambling away their meager earnings.  That is why today we find Molly in servitude to Sally Brown at her Lord Nelson’s Arms Tavern. 

A distant, somewhat related, cousin of Sally’s, Molly was fortunate enough to have gained her station assisting with meal preparation, cleaning and doing laundry for the Acasta Crew when they are ashore, while her no good excuse for a husband whiles his time away in jail.  

Molly takes comfort in her children being grown and able to make their own way in the world and is especially proud of her eldest boy, Ethan, who is in His Majesty’s Royal Navy, though whereabouts unknown.  

It is for Ethan she remains hopeful and keeps an extra lookout for the youngest Acasta crew members, making sure they get enough to eat and continue with their book learning.

David Hanmer, Master's Mate

HANMER.

Acasta Master's Mate under Capt. Kerr, c.1813-14

David Hanmer entered the Navy, in Aug. 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Ajax 74, Capts. Lord Garlies, Christopher Laroche, and Wm. Brown, one of Sir Robt. Calder's fleet in the action of 22 July, 1805. From the following Sept. until Dec. 1808, he served in the Mediterranean and off Lisbon in the Apollo frigate, and Conqueror 74, both commanded by Capt. Edw. Fellowes ; and he was afterwards, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 7 April, 1813, employed, off the coasts of Portugal, France, and America, chiefly as Master's Mate, in the Semiramis 36, Capt. Wm. Granger, Unicorn 32, Capts. Alex. Robt. Kerr and Geo. Burgoyne Salt, Acasta 40, Capt. A. R. Kerr, and St. Domingo 74, flag-ship of Sir John Borlase Warren. He then joined the Statira 38, Capts. Hassard Stackpoole and Spelman Swaine, also attached to the force on the American station, whence he returned home and was paid off in April, 1815. He has not been since afloat.

Source: A NAVAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY: COMPRISING THE LIFE AND SERVICES OF EVERY LIVING OFFICER IN HER MAJESTY'S NAVY, FROM THE RANK OF ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET TO THAT OF LIEUTENANT, INCLUSIVE. Compiled from Authentic and Family Documents. BY WILLIAM E. O'BYRNE, ESQ.
LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, PUBLISHER TO THE ADMIRALTY. 1849.

September 1812 Captures

We received news that on the 7th of September (1812) the Acasta took the 140 ton schooner called 'Patriot' as she sailed out of Norfolk bound for Lisbon. Her cargo was mainly flour and beans. She has been given enough Acasta men to sail her and ordered to report to Halifax.

Our mission here in the North American Station continues.

Patriot, schr., 140 tons, W. Reardon, master, Norfolk to Lisbon, captured Sept. 7, 1812 by Acasta. Cargo : flour and beans. Restored.

Account of the capture of the Patriot taken from: "AMERICAN VESSELS CAPTURED BY THE BRITISH DURING THE Revolution and War of 1812 The Records of the Vice-Admiralty Court at Halifax, Nova Scotia." 

Ashore with Friends

Today's post penned by S. Diatz 

who portrays our Ship's Purser N. Armitage

"..as we were encamped for a while, to tend to ship's business on dry land, I renewed my friendship with Mr Alan Spencer..who visited, and brought some cooling hard cider, with him. It made a few hours musing, pass by quickly, until some proper evening's entertainment beckoned him and his charming wife, to the playhouse, in town..A splendid couple they are, and a boon to know them..". 

"..the always-charming Mrs Spencer, attended a fine evening's entertainment, that next night, with her husband, in town..where only the best of folks congregated. I was fortunate to attend, as well, but was relegated to the 'gaming salon', pursuing the dice and card tables..".

Nicholas Armitage, RN, Portsmouth, England, July 1805.

The Spithead & Nore Mutiny 1797

Acting Master J. Tully

TULLY.
Acasta Acting Master under Capt. Kerr, c. 1811 - 1815, aged approx. 23-28 years.

John Tully was born in 1788. 

This officer entered the Navy, 14 Dec. 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Galykheid, Capt. Isaac Wolley, lying in the river Humber. Removing, in March; 1805, to the Diadem 64, Capts. Sir Home Popham and Sam. Warren, he was afforded an opportunity, while in that ship, of serving on shore with the army at the capture, in 1806-7, of the Cape of Good Hope, Buenos Ayres, Maldonado, and Monte Video. On 13 Oct. in the latter year and 13 Aug. 1809 he was nominated in succession Acting-Second-Master and Acting-Lieutenant of the Paz schooner, of 12 guns, Lieut.-Commander Dan. Pring ; in which vessel he remained for about four years, and saw much active service in the Channel and North Sea, and on the coast of North America. 

Besides contributing to the capture of several privateers, he aided in cutting out a variety of vessels from the enemy's harbours in the rivers Ems and Weser, including nine which were laden with ship-timber for the Scheldt fleet. He left the Paz in Nov. 1811, but continued employed on the North American station, as Acting-Master in the Africa 64, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Herbert Sawyer, Spartan 38, Capt. Edw. Pelham Brenton, and Acasta 40, Capt. Alex. Robt. Kerr, until presented, in Aug. 1815, with a Lieutenant's commission dated 11 March preceding. He served at Sheerness, from 18 Dec. 1816 until 3 Feb. 1817, in the Madagascar 46, Capt. Wm. Augustus Baumgardt ; and has since been on half-pay.

Lieut. Tully is at present superintending the City of Dublin Steam-Packet Company's steamers and boats on thp inland lakes on the river Shannon. He married first in 1817, and secondly in 1836 ; and has issue 11 children.

Source: A NAVAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY: COMPRISING THE LIFE AND SERVICES OF EVERY LIVING OFFICER IN HER MAJESTY'S NAVY, FROM THE RANK OF ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET TO THAT OF LIEUTENANT, INCLUSIVE. Compiled from Authentic and Family Documents. BY WILLIAM E. O'BYRNE, ESQ.
LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, PUBLISHER TO THE ADMIRALTY. 1849.

Lt. Joshua Gosselin

GOSSELIN.
Acasta Lieutenant under Capt Kerr, 26 March 1811, aged 21 years.

Joshua Carteret Gosselin, born 19 July, 1789, is second and youngest son of the late Joshua Gosselin, Esq., by Mary, daughter of Thos. Priaulx, Esq., of Guernsey ; and nephew of Admiral Thos. Le Marchant Gosselin.

This officer entered the Navy, in 1804, as Midshipman, on board the Latona 38, Capt. Thos. Le Marchant Gosselin ; on accompanying whom as Master's Mate into the Audacious 74, he was employed on the services detailed in the ensuing memoir. He afterwards, wo find, joined the Victory 100, flag-ship of Sir Jas. Saumarez, Owen Glendower 36, Capt. Wm. Selby, Phoebe 36, Capt. Jas. Hillyar, and Victory again, all on the Baltic station ; where, on 22 Sept. 1810, he was confirmed a Lieutenant in the Ruby 64, bearing the flag of Admiral Manley Dixon. His last appointments were —26 March, 1811, to the Acasta 40, Capt. Alex. Robt. Kerr, on the North American station—and 10 June, 1813, for a short time, to the Spartan 38, Capt. Edw. Pelham Brenton, in which frigate he returned to England.

Source: A NAVAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY: COMPRISING THE LIFE AND SERVICES OF EVERY LIVING OFFICER IN HER MAJESTY'S NAVY, FROM THE RANK OF ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET TO THAT OF LIEUTENANT, INCLUSIVE. Compiled from Authentic and Family Documents. BY WILLIAM E. O'BYRNE, ESQ.
LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, PUBLISHER TO THE ADMIRALTY. 1849.