A Life of Duty and Service

A Life of Duty and Service

Post-war political and social activism of Napoleonic era naval officers

ByLorna M. Campbell

andHeather Noel-Smith

Port Towns and Urban Cultures Conference, Portsmouth, 25th - 27th July 2013

Introduction

HMS Indefatigable Joining the Western Squadron by J.T. Serres, 1800, www.christies.com.

Sir Henry Hart(1781 – 1756)

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan(1783 – 1864)

Thomas Groube(1774 – 1850)

Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and the expansion of the

press

Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and the expansion of the

press

Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and the expansion of the press

Sailors on a Cruise, George Cruikshank, 1825, © Royal Museums Greenwich

Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and the expansion of the press

Commanders Engaged at Sea, Thomas Rowlandson, 1802, © British Museum

Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and the expansion of the press

John Bull offering Little Boney fair play, James Gillray, 1803, © British Museum

Changing Status of Naval Officers

Things as they were, 1783. Things as they are 1823, F.W. Ommanney, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Postwar campaigns: Bombardment of Algiers

The Bombardment of Algiers, George Chambers, 1836, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Naval officers as political figures

Houses of Parliament Westminster, Thomas Rowlandson, 1808, public domain image.

Captain Sir Edward Pellew

Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, by James Northcote, © National Portrait Gallery.

Research methods

HMS Indefatigable Muster, 1797, © National Archives.

Research methods

Sir Henry Hart

• Born Wilmington, Sussex, 1781.

• Joined the Royal Navy as a Volunteer in 1796.

• Rose to the rank of Rear Admiral in retirement.

The Droits de L’Homme Engagement

Destruction of the Droits de L’Homme by Ebenezer Colls, © National Maritime Museum.

Sir Henry Hart: Diplomatic Service

Muskat Harbour from the Fisher-mens Rock, by Lt R. Temple, 1813 , © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Sir Henry Hart: Greenwich Hospital

Greenwich Hospital, English School, c. 1830 - 1840, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Sir Henry Hart: Naval Charities

Marine Society Trading Card, 1818, © British Museum.

Sir Henry Hart: Irish Election Petitions

Maynooth College in 1850, in A. C. Ewald The Life and Times of William Ewart Gladstone.

Sir Henry Hart: Anti-Slavery Prosecution

Am I Not a Man and a Brother, public domain image.Abolition of the Slave Trade in The Gentleman’s Magazine, July to December 1819.

Sir Henry Hart: Fund for Promoting Female

Emigration

The Needlewoman at Home and Abroad, unattributed, Punch, 1850, © The Illustrated News Ltd at Mary Evans Picture Library.

Sir Henry Hart: London Females Mission

Yard of Probationary House of the London Female Mission, © NMRC, English Heritage

Sir Henry Hart: Technical Inventions

The Repertory of Patent Inventions, Vol XIII, January – June 1849. London.

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan

• Born Westminster, 1783.• Joined the Royal Navy as

a Boy, First Class in 1795.

• Rose to the the rank of Admiral in retirement.

• Naval Aide de Camp to King William IV and Queen Victoria.

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan: Political Activities

Admiral Cadogan by Camille Silvy, © National Portrait Gallery.

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan: Protectionist Party

The Fallen Minister (after Delaroche), 1846, © The British Museum.

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan: Naval Charities

Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariners Royal Benevolent Society Medal, 1858, © Grosvenor Prints.

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan: Cultural Activities

The Antiquarian Society by George Cruikshank, 1812, © The British Museum.

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan: Walter Scott and

Abbotsford Subscription

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan by Sir Francis Grant, © Haggerston Press.

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan: Walter Scott and

Abbotsford Subscription

Abbotsford from Morris’ Country Seats, public domain image.

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan: Nelson Memorial

Committee

Nelson’s Column under construction by W.H.F. Talbot, © National Media Museum

George, Third Earl Cadogan: “the Beau Ideal of

a son of the sea”

La Sylphide, Literature, Beaux-Arts, Modes, II Serie, Tome V, 1847

George, Third Earl Cadogan: “the Beau Ideal of

a son of the sea”

Margaret, Countess of Blessington, by Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1822, © Wallace Collection

Thomas Groube

• Born Falmouth, 1774.• Joined the Royal Navy in

1794.• Governor of Naval

Hospital, Madras• Rose to the rank of Rear

Admiral in retirement.• Alderman of Borough of

Honiton.

Thomas Groube: Civilian Activities

Woolmer’s Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, Saturday September 23, 1848.

Thomas Groube: Income Tax Protests

The Penny Satirist, Saturday April 9, 1842, © The British Museum.

“Robert Peel as an oriental despot ordering his satraps to exact a

3 percent income tax.”

Thomas Groube: Income Tax Protests

The Western Times“A memorial to the queen numerously and most respectably signed is this day forwarded form Honiton and one also from Ottery against the income tax. That true friend of the poor man, Captain Groube RN, has most perseveringly accomplished it amidst clerical scorn and Tory sneers. His efforts to promote the best interests of this country are beyond all praise.”

Thomas Groube: Income Tax Protests

Plymouth and Exeter Gazette“At twelve o’clock the hour fixed for the meeting, the Whig radicals headed by Mr Isaac John Cox, the “kind hearted” Captain Groube, and Mr Gustavus Smith assembled in the room when to their great surprise (for they had calculated on having it all their own way) they were soon followed by a numerous body of the conservatives and in a  few minutes the looks of Mr Gustavus Smith unwittingly indicated and foreshadowed the defeat of his party.”

Thomas Groube: Anti-Corn Law Bazaar

The Anti-Corn-Law Bazaar, Theatre Royal Manchester, 1842, © West Sussex County Council.

Thomas Groube: Shore Scandal

Henry Philpotts, Bishop of Exeter, by John Prescott Knight, © Magdalen College, Oxford.

Conclusion: A life of duty and service

Midshipman, by Thomas Rowlandson, 1799, © National Maritime Museum.

Conclusion: A life of duty and service

Lieutenant, by Thomas Rowlandson, 1799, © National Maritime Museum.

Conclusion: A life of duty and service

Captain, by Thomas Rowlandson, 1799, © National Maritime Museum.

Conclusion: A life of duty and service

Admiral, by Thomas Rowlandson, 1799, © National Maritime Museum.

Further Information

• Indefatigable1797.wordpress.com– http://indefatigable1797.wordpress.com

• Heather Noel-Smith–Heather.noel-smith@sky.com

• Lorna M. Campbell– Lorna.m.campbell@icloud.com