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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Ade100 on Sunday 21 January 18 18:44 GMT (UK)
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Hello,
My 3rd Gt Grandfather Peter Parker was, I believe, Gunner on HMS Prince when he retired sometime before 1851. Ive managed to find a little bit on him but suspect if I knew where to look there'd be more to uncover. In the 1851 census for Portsea, All Saints he was listed as a 'Superanuated Gunner'. It would be great to know when he joined the Navy, where he was posted and on what ships etc. If anyone can offer any more info or point me in the right direction I'd be very grateful.
Thanks very much
Adrian
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Hallo, Adrian
Does the 1851 census give an age for Peter?
This would give us a clue as to when he might have joined the Navy.
Regards
Philip
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The Royal Navy were not helpful to descendants in his time frame. The National Archive guide is here:http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-navy-ratings-before-1853/
That said, http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8961761 has a record of a Peter Parker, joining in 1803 and retiring in 1835. Prince is listed twice, without dates, in a list of 9 vessels he served on between 1815 and 1826. Prince comes up as the 2nd and 7th in the list. There is also a pension record elsewhere showing a Peter Parker drawing a pension in 1846.
Neither has any identifying personal information.
MaxD
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Hello Philip,
Approx. 66 in 1851
Regards
Adrian
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Unfortunately, MaxD is quite right. Records of that era are far better for officers than "other ranks" both Navy and Army.
I had a look at the National Archive Trafalgar list just in case.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors/advanced_search.asp
- there is a Peter Parker age 28 born London on HMS Defence, but the age is a bit out to be your man. However, wikipedia has a page for HMS Prince (built 1788, scrapped 1837) which states that she was at Trafalgar, so you never know!
Regards
Philip
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Thanks to both of you for all your help. MaxD - i think that is the same Peter Parker based on a few other bits of info I have collected (but can't be 100% sure).
Philip - again can't be sure but I dont think he was on HMS Prince as early as 1805, but doubtless a serving man then just on another boat.
kr
Adrian
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Service began 1803, at the time of Trafalgar he was on L'Aigle, also known as Aigle. He was on Prince twice in the years between 1815 and 1816. He was a Warrant Officer Gunner from 1828.
MaxD
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Have you looked on Findmypast? My 3x great grandfather was also on HMS Prince c1810/12, I found his pension details on FindMyPast.
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MaxD - wasnt the Aigle captured from the French at BoT ??
Regards
Adrian
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You are right to query my linking of L'Aigle to Aigle. However, according to Wiki, the French ship
L'Aigle was captured in 1782 and lost 1798. There was then an Aigle 1801 to 1852.
A puzzle - the record we are looking at clearly has L'Aigle and a start date of 1803. NA has documents referring to HMS L'Aigle after the loss date of the French vessel. There are many newspaper references to the frigate L'Aigle after 1798 also (examples Jun 26 1809 Frigate L'Aigle arrived Portsmouth - in the Naval Register - April 1803 Captain Wolfe of Her Majesty's Ship L'Aigle etc)
Whether the later L'Aigle was the Aigle as I linked them, can't be sure but whatever, his record says L'Aigle 1803-1815 and there was one.
MaxD
s after 1801 hence my linking of L'Aigle and Aigle is wrong. Puzzle.
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H.M.S. L’Aigle was in Chatham in August 1845, it was lashed to the Hulk Hussar in the Medway being stripped of her mast and rigging. The boom accidentally hung from the mainbrace swung and hit a Customs Officer standing on the gangway of the Hussar, he was my 2x great grandmother's first husband.
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Small world!
MaxD
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Very confusing......but I think there was both a British built and French built ship in 1805 of the same name. I think the British boat was a frigate built at Bucklers Hard in 1801 (this is the one I think My GtGtGt Grandfather served on) This boat was in the Bay of Biscay in Oct 1805, then there was a French boat of same name captured at BoT by the British and then recaptured straight back by French, which then sank in the Med a few months later.
Fascinating stuff. Thanks for all the help. Thank-you too Jebber - small World indeed !
regards
adrian