Edmund Atkinson

An island in Behm Canal, Southeastern Alaska is named after Bell. He appears not to have pursued a naval career. Nothing else is known about him (11 February 2005).

He was appointed to command the brig Chatham, which would accompany George Vancouver. William Robert Broughton joined the Chatham on 01 January 1791 as commander. He left the voyage at Monterey on 25 November xxxx to carry dispatches back to Britain. Among his achievements on the voyage was suveying the Broughton Archipelago north of Vancouver Island and the Columbia River. No journal or log for Broughton on the Chatham now exists.

On his arrival in Britain, Broughton was made commander on 03 October 1793. He was given command of HMS Providence with instructions to rejoin Vancouver on the Northwest Coast of America. However, various events combined to delay their departure and it was in early 1795 that Broughton left Plymouth. Zachary Mudge, who had returned separately to Britain rejoined Broughton as first lieutenant on the Providence. At Monterey in xxxxx 1796, he learned that Vancouver had departed and, having reasoned that Vancouver would have completed their task, crossed the Pacific where he undertook a survey of the Yellow Sea and parts of Korea and Japan.

Broughton became the first Briton to visit Korea. At Macao, he purchased a schooner, Prince William Henry, as a companion vessel and this proved a most wise and fortuitous action. On 16 May 1797, the Providence struck a coral reef near the coast of Taiwan and was lost. The crew was all saved and the schooner returned them all to Macao. Most of the crew were discharged to other vessels while Broughton resumed the survey in the schooner. In May 1798, Broughton arrived in the Prince William Henry at Trincomalee in Ceylon where the voyage ended. Broughton sought a passage to Britain where he arrived in early 1799. He published the narrative of the voyage in 1804 as "Voyage of discovery to the north Pacific ocean...performed in HM sloop Providence and her tender in the years 1795-6-7-8". In his absence, Broughton had been promoted captain on 28 January 1797.

In 1803, Broughton had command of HMS Penelope cruising in the North Sea off Yarmouth in case of French attacks. The next year, Broughton faced a court martial at Sheerness on charges preferred by his first lieutenant Gedges but they were found to be frivolous and he was acquitted. In May 1804, the Penelope took part in an action off Ostend.

Broughton took command of HMS Illustrious and, in 1809, was part of the expedition under Lord Gambier against the French Brest fleet in Aix Roads. In 1810, still in Illustrious, Broughton went out to the East Indies, and was present at the capture of Mauritius in December. In early 1811, as commodore on the station, he had charge of the expedition against Java, which assembled at Malacca. Sailing in the June, Broughton was accused of being too cautious and it was already August when troops were landed for the attack on Batavia (Jakarta). On 09 August, Rear Admiral Robert Stopford arrived and assumed command, much to Broughton's anger. Broughton returned to Britain and later applied for a court martial against the rear-admiral for assuming command and the manner in which he did so. The Admiralty dismissed Broughton's request and the incident marked the end of his active service.

Broughton was made a Companion of the Bath on 04 June 1815. He had married a cousin, Jemima, daughter of Sir Thomas Delves Broughton, baronet. Together, they had three daughters and one son, William, who became a captain in the navy. On 12 August 1819, Broughton became a Colonel of Marines. The Broughtons moved to Florence in Italy where William died suddenly from an attack of angina pectoris on 12 March 1821. He was buried in the English burial-ground at Livorno. He left a will (FRC will; 23 May 11/1643).

Brown became a lieutenant in April 1811 and a commander in April 1814. When he died on 12 April 1828 he was living at Brompton Square in Kensington. He left a will, proven on 02 May 1828 FRC 11/1740.

Notes for the will.
Janet Menzies, Brown's sister, was the wife of Archibald Menzies, with whom Brown sailed on the Chatham.
Katherine Johnson was most probably another sister of Brown's and the mother of the two nieces and two nephews also mentioned.
Andrew Johnson would be one of Archibald Menzies' executors, fourteen years later.

Afterwards, he was promoted lieutenant in 1797. He was not listed as an naval officer in 1805. Nothing else is known about him (11 February 2005).

A FRC will, written and signed on 05 December 1791 in the presence of John and Eliza Clarke, exists for Thomas Clarke. It lists him as "Thomas Clarke, a midshipman of the Discovery, Capt. Vancoavre". The date must be wrong as the Discovery was already in the Pacific by then. The will was proved by Biddy Clarke of Chancery Lane, London, Clarke's mother, on 27 June 1798, number 11/1308. He had been promoted lieutenant on 15 November 1796. Clarke was a lieutenant on the Tribune when it was lost on 16 November 1797 on the Thrum Shoal, off Nova Scotia.

Notes for the will.
It is fairly certain that this will is for the Thomas Clarke that sailed with Vancouver. However, it is dated December 1791 when the Discovery was already in the Pacific. The scribe writing the will must have made a mistake.
The Artois was a 5th rate of 38 guns, 984 tons, built at Rotherhithe in 1794. It was wrecked near Rochelle, France in July 1797.
The Melpomene was a 5th rate of 39 guns, 1,014 tons, captured from the French near Calvi in 1794.
The Tribune was a 5th rate of 36 guns, 916 tons, captured from the French off the Irish coast in June 1796. The Tribune, with Clarke aboard, sailed from Torbay on 22 September 1797 as part of a convoy to Quebec and Newfoundland. On 16 November, the captain, Scory Barker, allowed the ship's master to take the ship into Halifax without using a pilot from the port. The ship hit the Thrum Shoal and was wrecked with only eight men surviving. Clarke was not one of the survivors.

Dobson kept a log during the voyage Adm 51/4534 pt. 7 Discovery covers 15 Mar. 1794 to 02 Dec. 1794 and Adm 51/4534 pt. 8 Discovery covers 02 Dec. 1794 to 01 Jul. 1795. These are also entitled no. 2 and no.3. Nos. 1 and 4 are missing. After the voyage, he was promoted lieutenant on 09 November 1798. He was still present as such in a listing in 1805. Nothing else is known about him (22 January 2005).

There is a will for a Thomas Dobson of St. Paul's, Deptford proven 27 February 1813, FRC 11/1541.

John Miller Garnier joined the Chatham on 06 March 1791 as a midshipman until 01 February 1794. He then became clerk. On 29 September 1795, Garnier resumed as a midshipman. He spent the whole voyage on Chatham. He does not feature in the record of the voyage, nor does he appear to have kept a log.

After the voyage with Vancouver, Garnier was made lieutenant on 09 November 1795. He was promoted to commander on 27 August 1800. Shortly after, in early 1801, Captain John Miller Garnier was in command of HMS Hawke in the Leeward Islands in the West Indies. They took part in the landings, which led to the surrender of the Danish and Dutch possessions in the West Indies in the spring of that year. Afterwards Captain Garnier was given an acting order and rear admiral Duckworth's first lieutenant, George William Blamey, was appointed to succeed him. Garnier was made a captain on 03 August 1801.

Garnier died of yellow fever in the West Indies on 28 October 1802. He left no will.

Apparently, Byron was born with a caul (the inner membrane enclosing the foetus, which envelops the head of the newly born child). It was superstitiously regarded as a good omen and supposed to prevent drowning. Byron's caul was sold by Mrs. Mills, the nurse who attended Mrs. Byron to James Hanson but, unfortunately for Hanson, it did not work as he would die by drowning in a shipwreck.

Hanson was selected for the expedition to the Northwest Coast of America. On 17 November 1790 he became a lieutenant and joined the Chatham on 28 December in that rank as second-in-command to William Broughton, the ship's commander. After the storeship Daedalus arrived at Nootka and Vancouver learned of the death of its commander, Richard Hergest, Hanson was appointed as the replacement agent (or commander) in his place on 29 August 1792. Hanson took the Daedalus across to New South Wales on two occasions before returning to Britain.

Hanson was promoted to commander on 24 July 1795 and in 1800 he was placed in command of HMS Brazen. This event was noted by Byron in a letter to John Hanson:

The Brazen had been the French privateer, l'Invincible General Bounaparte, that had been captured in April 1799. Operating in the English Channel, Hanson took a prize off the Isle of Wight and sent it into Portsmouth. The following morning, 26 January 1800, Brazen was driven by a gale on to the Ave Rocks near Newhaven and was destroyed. Only one man survived and Hanson was among the dead. He left no will.

James Hanson had married Mary Ball on 16 February 1798 at Calverton, Nottinghamshire, close to Newstead Abbey, the home of the Byrons. His widow, who was in an advanced state of pregnancy, vainly offered a reward for the recovery of the captain's body. Hanson's arm was marked with an anchor picked out in gunpowder. There is now an obelix to Hanson's memory in the churchyard of St. Michael, Newhaven.

Whidbey called the southern point of Gray's Harbor on the Washington coast, Point Hanson, but the name was not retained and it is now known as Point Chehalis. However, an island deep in Queen Charlotte Sound, north of Vancouver Island, is still known as Hanson Island. No log or journal for Hanson from his time with Vancouver has been located.

Afterwards, he was promoted lieutenant on 06 November 1795. He was still on the Navy List as a lieutenant in 1805.

There is some confusion with regards Edwin Harris. The list of sea officers records him as being Edwin Charlton Harris. It also records him as dying in 1816. A marriage record also exists for an Edwin Charlton Harris marrying Charlotte Fox on 02 May 1814 at St. James, Westminster and together they had a daughter, Elizabeth Maria, baptised 12 April 1815 at St. Mary, Lambeth.

However, there is a will (see below) for a lieutenant Edwin Charles Harris. It was written in 1804 and has him attached to HMS Scout. In it, Harris leaves his estate to his wife, Elizabeth Harris. The will is dated fourteen years later on 04 May 1818, FRC 11/1604. It is probable that Edwin Charlton and Edwin Harris were one and the same. His first wife, Elizabeth, may have died and he had not written a new will mentioning his second wife, Charlotte, and their child before he died.

Notes for the will.
The will was written in 1804, fourteen years before it was proven in 1818.

Heddington joined the navy in 1786 and, prior to joining the Chatham, he served on the Invincible, Pegase and Castor. Thomas Heddington joined the Chatham on 01 February 1791 as a midshipman. He spent the whole voyage on Chatham in that position. He was skilled as an artist and he drew several of the landscape drawings that survive from the voyage. Heddington kept a log during the voyage (Adm 55/15 Chatham covers 01 Feb. 1791 to 13 Jan. 1793 and Adm 55/16 Chatham covers 14 Jan. 1793 to 02 Jul. 1795).

After the voyage, he was promoted lieutenant on 06 November 1795 and appointed to various ships in British waters until 1802. He was not destined for life at and began a series of land-based positions. He was placed in charge of Hawkesley Signal Station, outside Birmingham, until becoming a commander on 25 September 1806. His career remained on shore and he was given positions during the Napoeonic Wars as agent for prisoners of war at Great Yarmouth, Valleyfield and Edinburgh. Near the end of the war, Heddington was a Regulating Captain in the impress service at King's Lynn. At the end of the war, he was on half-pay.

Heddington asked unsuccessfully for work in the Coastguard service in 1832. He was promoted to captain on the retired list in 1851 and died in Exeter on 02 April 1852 aged 77. He had married as his widow Fanny unsuccessfully applied for a widow's pension in 1860. The Admiralty had been unaware of his death until then and still listed him.

Johnstone signed on as mate of the Prince of Wales under James Colnett for a private, commercial sea otter fur trading voyage to the Northwest Coast of America, which left Britain in October 1786. In January 1789, Johnstone assumed command of the Prince of Wales in Macao when Colnett opted to take another ship, the Argonaut, back to the American coast. Johnstone took the ship back to Britain, arriving in July 1789. Rejoining the navy, Johnstone was appointed to superintend a division of ships in ordinary at Plymouth.

On 03 January 1791, James Johnstone joined Vancouver for his forthcoming expedition to the Northwest Coast of America as master of Vancouver's companion vessel, the Chatham. His old friend, Archibald Menzies, would join him on the voyage. Another friendship would develop with Adam Brown from Chatham's crew. Johnstone's experience of the coast and of surveying in small boats made him indispensable member of the expedition and he carried out many of the arduous surveys. He kept a log of which only a part survives (Adm 53/335 Chatham, 02 Jan. 1791-20 May 1792). He also made some drawings and charts. Johnstone Strait, north of Vancouver Island, is named for him as are Johnstone Bay and Johnstone Point in or near Prince William Sound.

After the voyage, Johnstone, who had been acting lieutenant on the Chatham since 11 June 1793, was confirmed in that rank. In 1798, he sailed to the West Indies on the Sans Pareil. In September 1801, the 18-gun ship-sloop Lark, under acting-commander lieutenant James Johnstone, was near Cuba, when it fell in with and captured the Spanish privateer-schooner Esperanza. Johnstone was made commander on 22 June 1802 and captain on 22 January 1806 before being appointed to HMS Leopard in 1808. On 06 May, Leopard was part of a convoy to the Cape of Good Hope and continued to the East Indies where it acted as flagship of vice admiral Bertie. In April 1810, Johnstone and the Leopard were part of a force that attacked the Ile de France (Mauritius).

In 1810, Johnstone transferred to HMS Scipion under Rear Admiral Stopford who took over the East Indies station. Stopford, with a fleet of Royal Navy ships and East India Company vessels captured the island of Java on 18 September 1811. Johnstone became Commissioner of the Navy in Bombay in 1811 but, in 1817, when he was to succeed Peter Puget (a colleague from the Vancouver expedition) in a similar role in Madras, his health failed. He returned to Britain with Puget.

Johnstone went to live in Paris and he died there on 01 April 1823. In his will (FRC will; 21 November 1823 11/1677), Johnstone named his old friends, Menzies and Brown, as his executors. As well as leaving items to them he also left items to his half-brother Thomas Johnstone, a minister in Berwick-upon-Tweed, and to his sister, Mary Clark (married to John Clark) of Annan.

Le Mesurier was an active participant in the small boat surveys and is mentioned several times in the journals. Lemesurier Points in Clarence Strait and on Kayak Island were named after him on the voyage. Lemesrurier Island in Cross Sound was named after at a later date.

He was promoted lieutenant on 16 November 1795. On 07 November 1802, Le Mesurier married Priscilla Seaman in Great Yarmouth. Priscilla had been born in Great Yarmouth in 1784.Le Mesurier wrote his will in 1812 and there is no mention of children. He became a retired commander on 26 November 1830 and died on 29 January 1833. His will (still with no mention of children) was proven by Priscilla, his widow, on 27 June 1833 11/1817.

Notes for the will.
Priscilla Le Mesurier
Naftel family

McKenzie was promoted to lieutenant on 06 June 1796 and was made commander on 01 January 1802.

On 02 January 1805, the 18 gun sloop Wolf, under Captain George Charles Mackenzie, was accompanying the Malabar, cruising off the south coast of Cuba, when two schooners, the Régulateur and the Napoléon, were seen sailing into Azeraderos. The Wolf, carefully made its way through rocks into the harbour and anchored close to the two privateers, which were awaiting an attack. The Wolf attacked for over an hour and took possession after the schooners were abandoned. McKenzie was still in command of Wolf when it was wrecked on Inagua in the Bahamas on 05 September 1806.

McKenzie was in command of the 18 gun sloop Cruiser in 1808. On 11 June, in company with the Euryalus, under Captain George Dundas, they discovered several vessels at anchor in Nakskov harbour on Lolland Island at the entrance to the Baltic. A gun-boat was captured and several Danish vessels set alight.

McKenzie was promoted to captain on 26 November 1808. In 1813, he went to Lisbon in command of the Creole. On 23 January 1814, the Creole and the Astrea, which had been cruising of North Africa, discovered two frigates and other vessels at anchor off Maio in the Cape Verde Islands.

The frigates proved to be the French Etoile and Sultane and all four ships began an engagement. After several hours heavy fighting, the Creole, which had been on fire and had suffered considerable damage, withdrew from the action. McKenzie nursed the Creole into Porto Prayo on Sao Iago. The Astrea was in a similar condition and joined the Creole. The Sultane and the Etoile, were in no better state and unable to pursue the action. The two pairs of combatants had been equally matched and had fought to a draw. In 1815, McKenzie and the Creole were based at Sheerness.

George Charles McKenzie returned to live in Scotland and had lodgings in the Royal Circus, Edinburgh. However, McKenzie died on 22 January 1828, while staying with Robert Walter Stuart, 11th Lord Blantyre at his home, Lennoxlove, near Haddington in East Lothian.

McKenzie made his will on the day he died. It makes no mention of a wife but refers to his "three natural children", George Ross McKenzie, Charles McKenzie and Georgina Hogarth(?) McKenzie, who shared his estate equally. In his will, McKenzie also left a gun to Lord Blantyre as mark of his friendship. His witnesses were younger brothers of Blantyre, the Honourables William and Charles Francis Stuart. McKenzie was buried nearby in Bolton churchyard; his grave records: "In memory of George Charles McKenzie, Captain in the Royal Navy, who died at Lennoxlove, 22 Jany 1828 aged 52 years." His will was proven on 23 October 1828 11/1747.

Notes for the will. Lennoxlove was the home of Robert Walter Stuart, 11th Lord Blantyre. It is situated just outside Haddington, a few kilometres ESE of Edinburgh.
Lord Blantyre
William and Charles Francis Stuart were younger brothers of Lord Blantyre.

Manby joined the Royal Navy in 1783 and went to sea on the Hyaena on the Irish station. In 1785, he went to the West Indies on the Cygnet before transferring to the Amphion and then the Illustrious. Manby was then selected for Vancouver's voyage to the Northeast Pacific. Thomas Manby joined the Discovery on 29 December 1790 as a master's mate until 01 June 1791. He was an A.B. from 01 June 1791 to 26 September 1792. Manby transferred to become master of the Chatham on 27 September. On 25 November 1794, Manby moved back to be 3rd lieutenant on the Discovery. He kept a log (Adm 53/403 ff 187 to 245. Discovery. 16 Dec. 1790 to 05 Jun.1792; ff 252 to 257. Discovery. 06 Jun. 1792 to 26 Sep. 1792; Adm 51/2251. Chatham. 27 Sep. 1792 to 08 Oct. 1794; Adm 53/403 ff 246 to 251. Chatham. 09 Oct. 1794 to 25 Nov. 1794; ff 257 to 300. Discovery. 02 Dec. 1794 to 02 Jul. 1795). His journal, which was written in the form of letters to John Lees in Ireland, is held at Yale University Library. Manby Point at Yakutat Bay was named after him.

After the Vancouver expedition, Manby, who had been acting lieutenant on the Discovery, was confirmed in that rank on 27 October 1795. He was posted to the Juste in 1796 and then, early in 1797, Manby was given command of the Charon having been promoted commander on 15 February 1797. An expedition to the Pacific was planned but did not eventuate. Instead the Charon transported troops, led convoys and cruised against privateers.

Manby was promoted captain on 22 January 1799 and, at the end of the year, was appointed to the Bourdelais, which was being refitted at Plymouth. A former French privateer, it had been captured in 1799. The Bourdelais was commissioned on 04 February 1800 by Captain Manby and sailed in a gale on 13 April for Cork. The weather off the south of Ireland was very bad and Bourdelais needed repairs, which necessitated a return to Plymouth. She came out of dock on 15 May and sailed on a cruise off the coasts of Spain and Portugal on 02 May. On 12 June, the Phoenix, a Danish schooner, was captured near Corunna.

Manby and the Bourdelais returned to Plymouth on 27 July. However, on 09 November, the ship was damaged in a gale in the Channel and had to go into Portsmouth harbour for more repairs. In early December 1801, the Bourdelais sailed from Portsmouth with a convoy to the West Indies but it was dispersed in a gale off Cape Finisterre, On 08 January 1801, off Palma, a strange sail was sighted to the south-east. Two boats were despatched under Lieutenant Robert Barrie (a colleague from the Vancover expedition) to investigate. After a 14 hour row Barrie recaptured the Adventure (a London vessel, recently taken by the Mouche, a French privateer). With knowledge gained, Manby searched for another vessel recently captured by the Mouche and retook the Aurora off Santa Cruz in Teneriffe.

In late January 1801, the Bourdelais was ordered to cruise off Barbados to provide protection for the scattered convoy and, on the 29th, Manby saw three enemy sail to windward, two brigs and a schooner. He shortened sail to allow them to come up and, at sunset, wore round to give them battle. One of the brigs was attacked while the others kept out of range. The Curieuse surrendered and first lieutenant Barrie took possession though it later sank. The other two French ships sailed away. Manby learned that the ships had been sent out from Cayenne by Victor Hugues 28 days before to intercept the outward bound West Indies fleet. The Bourdelais made for Carlisle Bay in Barbados, arriving on 01 February 1801.

During 1801 and early 1802, Manby was employed in cruising in the Bourdelais. When peace came he took over from Captain Dundas in the Juno and sailed it back to Britain, arriving on 08 July. In November 1802, Thomas Manby was given the appointment as captain of the Africaine by Earl St. Vincent. The ship was commissioned at Deptford and Manby was ordered to blockade two French frigates in Helvoetsluys. They remained on this service for two years until the frigates were dismantled. The Africaine joined other vessels watching the Dutch fleet in the Texel. During a gale off the Texel a piece of Africaine's rudder broke off and damaged the stern post causing a refit at Sheerness.

Manby then went back to the West Indies as the Africaine escorted a large convoy there on 19 June 1805, calling at Surinam, Demerara, and various islands. She arrived in Barbados with a crew of 340 men all in perfect health. Sir Alexander Cochrane ordered him to return to Britain with the homebound trade, taking as passengers invalids from the hospitals in Barbados. 48 hours after sailing, yellow fever broke out which killed one third of the crew in the six weeks it took her to reach Falmouth. The surgeon and the assistant surgeon died on the second day and Manby, himself, carried out their duties dispensing large doses of calomel on the advice of a doctor at St Kitts. Manby had an attack of the fever and it affected his subsequent health. After spending 40 days in quarantine off the Scilly Islands, the Africaine was put out of commission at Sheerness.

About the time of Manby's appointment to the Africaine, he was presented by Lady Townshend to the Princess of Wales, who was friendly towards him. It was suggested by some that the Princess had been too familiar with Manby and that Manby was even the father of one of her children! Manby swore an affidavit on 22 September 1806 that the rumours were 'a vile and wicked invention, wholly and absolutely false'.

In 1807, Manby sailed to Jersey in the Thalia (originally the Unicorn) to be in command of a small squadron. He captured a French privateer, the Requin, off Cherbourg on the morning of 29 October. The next year, 1808, Manby, in the Thalia and accompanied by the Medusa and Locust, was sent to the Davis Strait in a fruitless search for two French frigates supposed to be threatening the Greenland fishery. After 12 weeks of sailing in fog among icebergs, Manby found an anchorage on the coast of Labrador, which he named Port Manvers, before returning to Britain via Cadiz and Gibraltar.

Manby's health was no longer good and he gave up his command. He purchased an estate at Northwold in Norfolk, where he settled for the rest of his life. Thomas married Judith Hammond on 01 March 1810 at Northwold, Norfolk. Together, they had two daughters. One daughter was called Georgina Manvers Manby. Manby was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue in 1825 and of the white in 1830.

Manby wrote his will (see below) on 18 February 1833 when he was living at Somerford near Christchurch in Hampshire. The tone of the writing suggests he was very ill and had lost his sight. It may also be that he was living in Hampshire, estranged from his wife, though she is the principal beneficiary of the will. He died from an overdose of opium at the George Hotel, Southampton, on 13 June 1834 and, given the circumstances just mentioned, the action may have been suicide. The will was proven on 25 June 1834 11/1833).

Notes for the will. Somerford has now been consumed by Christchurch and is a suburb to the east of the town centre. It has been tranferred from Hampshire into Dorsetshire.
I do not know the name of the widowed daughter (dec. 2005).
The use of the name Manvers is intriguing. In 1808, Manby had named an inlet, Port Manvers, on the coast of Labrador. Charles Herbert Pierrepont succeeded as 2nd Earl Manvers in 1816. He was a captain in the Royal Navy at the same time as Manby so it is possible they became close friends.
Thomas Savery - a connection between Manby and Savery (albeit thirty years after Vancouver's voyage) may explain the name for an island in the Georgia Strait. Saverys (or Savarys) lived in Norfolk.
Stillwell had been a partner with the Sykes family of naval agents until they died off. John Sykes had been a companion of Manby on the Vancouver voyage.

Hope, then Professor of botany, encouraged Archibald to study at the University of Edinburgh, where between 1771 and 1780 he attended classes in medicine, surgery, chemistry, and botany. In 1778, Menzies toured the western Highlands to collect rare plants for two London physicians. After studying at Edinburgh, he became assistant to a surgeon in Caernarvon, Wales.

In 1782, Menzies entered the navy as assistant surgeon on board the Nonsuch, under Captain William Truscott, which took part in Rodney's victory over the Comte de Grasse on 12 April 1782 at the battle of the Saintes in the West Indies. The Nonesuch carried Hessian troops home from New York and Menzies was paid off in August 1783. In 1784, he was appointed surgeon's second mate on HMS Assistance, which was posted to the Halifax station. The Assistance was the flagship of Sir Charles Douglas and was commanded by Captain William Bentinck. Also on board was James Johnstone, who was ship's master, and he and Menzies began a long friendship. From Halifax, Menzies began a correspondence with Sir Joseph Banks and sent him seeds and specimens. Menzies and Johnstone were discharged at Chatham in August 1786.

Banks was most probably instrumental in securing Menzies the position of surgeon on board the Prince of Wales, under James Colnett, which undertook a fur-trading voyage to the Northwest Coast of America. Before the Prince of Wales voyage, which departed at the end of 1786, Banks allowed Menzies to use his library and herbarium where Menzies was able to examine specimens brought home by Cook's expedition to the Northwest Coast of America in 1778. During the Prince of Wales voyage, Menzies collected specimens from several locations, including Nootka Sound. When Colnett left the expedition at Macao, Menzies accompanied Johnstone, who assumed command and sailed the Prince of Wales back to Britain in 1789.

In 1790, Menzies was elected fellow of the Linnean Society, in whose Transactions for 1791 and 1798 he published accounts of his natural historical findings. Banks used his influence once more to obtain a berth for Menzies on Vancouver's expedition to survey the Northwest Coast of America. Vancouver and Banks had a disagreement and it is believed that Vancouver resented Banks' interference. As a result, Vancouver would not have Menzies as his surgeon. Instead, Menzies was allowed to sail on Discovery but only as a botanist and a supernumerary. His friend, James Johnstone, was on the companion vessel, the Chatham, as master. Alexander Cranston had sailed as the expedition's surgeon on the Discovery, but he proved unsuitable and was sent home. Vancouver asked Menzies to assume the role of surgeon and would later praise Menzies' performance in the preface to his account of the voyage. Only one man died from ill health on the expedition. However, relations between Menzies and Vancouver were strained in later parts of the voyage. When many specimens were lost during a rainstorm coming up the Atlantic, a quarrel led Vancouver to recommend a court-martial for Menzies, but Menzies later apologised and Vancouver withdrew his charges. Menzies had also refused to hand over his journals.

Menzies collected specimens throughout the voyage beginning in southwestern Australia and continuing in New Zealand, Hawai'i, the Northwest Coast of America and in Chile. He was the first person to describe most of these specimens. Many still reflect Menzies' involvement in that they carry his name in their botanical name. Among the great variety of plants brought home were Thuya plicata (Red Cedar), Cornus nuttalii (Pacific Dogwood), Araucaria auricana (Monkey Puzzle) and Arbutus menziesii (Pacific Madrone), as well as other natural history objects. He was the first to gather Sequoia sempervirens, the giant Redwood.

Menzies was very slow in writing an account of the voyage from his journal and describing his specimens. A short account of the voyage was carried in John Loudon's Magazine of Natural History. Copies of his journals are held at the British Library (Add MS 32641 Dec. 1790-16 Feb. 1794) and in the National Library of Australia (MS 155 21 Feb. 1794-18 Mar. 1795). Menzies Point in Burke Channel was named after him on the voyage. Menzies Bay and Mount Menzies on Vancouver Island were named later.

Menzies was made an honorary MD of Aberdeen University in 1799 and, in the same year, he returned to sea joining the Sans Pareil in the West Indies, under Captain Penrose. In 1802, asthma forced Menzies to resign from the navy and he moved to London. He lived in Chapel Place between Oxford Street and Cavendish Square, from where he ran a medical practice at his home. Archibald Menzies married Janet Brown, the sister of Adam Brown, who had sailed with him on the Chatham in 1802 but they had no children. He retired from his practice in 1826 and the Menzies moved to 2 Ladbroke Terrace, Notting Hill. Janet died first in 1836 and Archibald followed on 15 February 1842; both were buried at Kensal Green cemetery in north London. Menzies left a will, proven on 04 March 1842, FRC 11/1959. (see below).

Between 1783 and 1795, Menzies gathered at least 400 species new to science. However, his slowness or inability to write up his findings was frustrating. His small number of written publications has resulted in him never achieving the deserved universal acclaim his work warranted. He was also a skilled botanical artist and Hooker published several of his accurate and sensitive drawings of plants.

Menzies is commemorated in the names of several of the plants he collected, though some have subsequently been renamed. His portrait by Eden Upton Eddis hangs at Burlington House, London, in the rooms of the Linnean Society. A number of place names in present-day British Columbia, notably Menzies Bay and Mount Menzies, honour him. His private herbarium is in the Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh, and there are numerous specimens collected by him in the herbaria of the Natural History Museum in London and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

A commemorative plaque was unveiled in 2004 at Castle Menzies in Scotland, close to two monkey puzzle trees, examples of probably the most-famous species that Menzies introduced to Britain.

Notes for the will.
Greenhall is a farm at Madderty, 10 kilometres east of Crieff, Perthshire.
Andrew Johnson was a nephew of Menzies' wife Janet.
Charles Mitchell was a witness of Adam Brown's will.

Mudge joined the navy as a ten-year old in November 1780 on board the Foudroyant, under Captain John Jervis. He is said to have been present when the Foudroyant captured the Pégase in the Bay of Biscay on 21 April 1782. Mudge continued to serve on the Foudroyant but also served as midshipman on the Pégase. On 24 May 1789, he was promoted lieutenant. In December 1790, Mudge was appointed to the Discovery to sail on the projected voyage of exploration on the Northwest Coast of America.

Mudge kept a journal (Adm 51/4533 pt. 52, 04 Jan. 1791-01 Oct. 1792), which included two views. He then left the expedition on xxxxx to carry communications back to Britain from Vancouver on the state of negotiations with the Spanish. Cape Mudge, the southern point of Quadra Island, at the head of the Strait of Georgia was named after him.

In early 1795, Mudge returned to the Pacific on the Providence, with Commander William Robert Broughton.

On 24 November 1797, Mudge was promoted commander and, in November 1798, he was given his first command on the sloop Fly. In February 1799, the Fly captured the French privateer Gleneur off Portland after a long chase. Mudge and the Fly then moved to North American waters, based at Halifax, before returning to Portsmouth in May 1800. The Fly next cruised in the Channel and captured a French privateer cutter, the Trompeur.

On 15 November 1800, Mudge was promoted captain and, in April 1801, was appointed to the Constance, which sailed from Portsmouth and safely escorted a fleet of merchantmen from Falmouth to Lisbon and Oporto. In June 1801, the Constance captured the Spanish cutter Duides. In the July, 6 km off Cape Ortegal, the Constance captured several vessels including the privateer Cantara. On 04 September, the Constance returned to Portsmouth having sprung her main-mast, fore-mast and main-yard in a gale.

In September 1802, Mudge transferred to the frigate Blanche. The Blanche operated in the English Channel for most of 1803 before sailing to the West Indies where she took part in the blockade of San Domingo under Captain Loring. The Blanche was placed at the entrance of Manchineel Bay, near the Caracol Passage, the eastern entrance of the harbour of Cape Francoise on Hispaniola (Haiti). In less than a month her boats took and destroyed twenty-four small vessels. In February 1804, 800 marines and sailors landed on Curaçao, off the South Anerican mainland, and took possession of the island except for Fort Rebublicain. Since they had no artillery to reduce the fort, and it was impossible to take it by storm, the men were withdrawn and returned to Jamaica. The island was kept in a state of blockade by the Blanche and two Government schooners. During the following 18 months, Blanche took many other prizes including the Dutch schooner Nimrod. The French schooner privateer Hazard was captured on 05 April 1805 while the Spanish sloop Diligente and the French schooner Amitie were also taken.

Mudge's luck ran out on 19 July 1805 when the Blanche was some 150 miles north of Puerto Rico. It encountered a French squadron consisting of the frigate Topaze, two heavy corvettes, and a brig. Mudge prepared for action as escape was out of the question. After 45 minutes fierce fighting Blanche was a complete wreck, unable to answer her helm, with 8 men killed and 15 wounded, so Captain Mudge struck his colours to save further loss of life. A few hours later, after Mudge and the rest of the officers and crew had been taken off, the Blanche sank.

Captain Mudge had to face a court martial in Plymouth on 14 October 1805. While it had been questioned whether Mudge had done all he could to defend the ship, he was honourably acquitted of blame for the loss of his ship and even complimented on his able and gallant conduct. The Admiralty, on 18 November, appointed Mudge, his officers and part of his crew to the Phoenix. They operated for the next five years in the Bay of Biscay and on the coast of Portugal. Mudge's last active command was HMS Valiant, which he took via Cork to the West Indies in 1815.

Zachary Mudge married Jane Granger on 06 December 1802 at St. Martin in the Fields, London and, together, they had several children. He became rear-admiral on 22 July 1830, vice-admiral on 23 November 1841, and admiral on 15 September 1849. He died at his residence, Sydney, near Plympton Maurice in Devon, on 26 October 1852, and was buried at Newton Ferrers church. He left a will (FRC will; 26 November 1852 11/2162). A memorial window was placed in St Andrew's Church, Plymouth. Mudge's eldest son, Zachary, a barrister, corresponded with Charles Darwin on scientific matters.

Notes for the will.
The Reverend John Yonge (born 05 December 1788) was Mudge's nephew. Mudge had married Jane Granger, whose older sister, Ann, had married the Reverend James Yonge. The name appears written as Youge in the will. Puslinch is at Newton Ferrers in Devon where Mudge was buried.
Mudge's wife, Jane, had died in 1834.
The Jane Mudge refered to in the will married O'Hara Baynes on 23 February 1813 at St. Mary Magdalene, Woolwich. They had four daughters, two of whom were already dead in 1849.

In May 2005, I was offered the following letter by Maggie New, married to a descendant of Thomas New, and given permission to reproduce it here, for which many thanks. It was written in May 1794 by Thomas New senior from Sydney to his wife in London. I have reproduced it as I received it with original spelling, punctuation, etc.

After sailing with Vancouver, John Nicholas made lieutenant on 06 May 1796. He was promoted commander on 11 September 1797 and captain on 14 February 1801.

Nicholas died in 1805 when in command of HMS Eurydice. He had escorted a convoy of ships from Canada in 1804 carrying furs. In 1805, the Eurydice went into quarantine on returning from the Mediterranean so Nicholas may have died from a disease caught at that time. His name does not appear on the list of captains published later in 1805. Nicholas left a will, written 23 March 1804 in which he leaves everything to his sister, Mary Nicholas, of Chelsea. He would only have been about 34 years of age and had presumably not married. The will was proven on 08 June 1805 11/1427.

Notes for the will. His Majesty's Ship Eurydice

He may have had earlier astronomical training as he was regularly used to make observations. Port Orchard, off Puget Sound in Washington, was named after him.

Orchard died in 1825 after an illness that severely reduced his financial situation. He left a will. He is listed as being a purser in the Royal Navy and living at Stoke Damerel, outside Plymouth. The only family member mentioned in the will is a nephew, Francis Orchard (probably the son of Henry's brother, Francis, born 1753), living in Exeter. The executor of the will was George Pedlar, a commander in the navy. There will was proven on 16 March 1825 11/1697.

Robert Pigot was made a lieutenant on 27 September 1796. On 13 June 1805, Pigot was serving as a liuetenant in the Cambrian, under Captain John Beresford, in the North Atlantic, north of the West Indies. Pigot was dispatched to attack the Maria, a Spanish schooner and he successfully captured the vessel.

A few weeks later, on 03 July 1805, the Cambrian chased and captured the French schooner Matilda. The schooner surrendered in shallow water and it was through the exertions of Lieutenant Pigot that the crew of the schooner was saved. Pigot and a party of officers and men went on board the prize with orders to take it to St. Mary's River (the boundary between Georgia and Florida) and search for a Spanish schooner and two captured merchant ships. Pigot arrived at St. Mary's, and on 07 July and proceeded 20 kilometres up the river, through enemy fire. Reaching the three vessels, which were lashed across the river, the Matilda attacked. The enemy quit the brig and schooner and Pigot, after taking possession of them, turned the fire of all three vessels upon the militia drawn up on the river bank and eventually they were routed. Adverse winds prevented their escape until the 21st when the returned to sea and rejoined the Cambrian. Robert Pigot was among those wounded. He was hit by musket-balls in three places, two in the head and one in the leg. He refused to leave the deck, except to have his wounds dressed, during the whole action. Pigot is believed to have been promoted to the rank of commander for his bravery and leadership. However, there is no official record of him having been made commander. Nothing further is known about Pigot's later career and life, including when he died though he may have died from the wounds suffered at the St. Mary's River. It certainly appears to have put an end to his active naval career. There is no FRC will.

In 1792, Pitt's sister, A