HMS Hecate

[Gordon163]

Hi,

My ggg-grandfather, Francis Marrack, was serving on the first HMS Hecate, at the time of his marriage, at Paul, Penzance, in 1802.

Is there any way of finding out who the skipper of HMS Hecate was, at that time, please?

The ship had 12 guns, which suggest that the skipper would have been a Lieutenant RN.

Thanks,

Gordon.

 

[ShaunJ]

Looking at newspaper reports, a Lieutenant Burlton was the commander of the gun brig Hecate in December 1801. Can't see any mentions in 1802 at the moment.

[ShaunJ]

"HM Gunboat No.32 - HMS Hecate


HMS Haughty was ordered from the shipyard of John Wilson & Co in Frindsbury on 7th February 1797 and her first keel section was laid later that month. The vessel was launched into the River Medway on 2nd May 1797 and was taken to the Royal Dockyard at Chatham, where she was fitted with her guns, masts and rigging, a process which was completed the following July. She commissioned under Lieutenant Charles Burlton into the Channel Fleet. She was formally named HMS Hecate on 7th August 1797.


Operating out of Plymouth, HMS Hecate was engaged in enforcing the blockade of French channel ports and shutting down French coastal shipping. On 26th June 1799, the merchant vessel Mary, out of Lisbon with a cargo of fruit and the merchant vessel Minerva out of Bordeaux bound for Emden arrived in Plymouth with prize crews from HMS Hecate.


In late 1800, HMS Hecate was patrolling off Lands End when she chased off a pair of French privateers which had attempted to attack a convoy. Unfortunately, the privateers managed to outsail her and escape. A few days after this incident, Lieutenant Burlton received a letter from Mr Evan Nepean, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty stating that they had received a complaint from a Mr James Jones. The letter stated that Mr Jones had allegedly been on a vessel in the convoy and that near ten vessels had been taken by the pair of French privateers and that the vessel he had been on had almost fallen victim too. The Admiralty required an explanation. Lieutenant Burlton replied stating that this was nonsense and gave his account of what had happened, supported by witnesses from aboard his vessel. Mr Nepean then replied stating that their Lordships were happy with his explanation and forwarding the letter, stated that he was free to make what use he liked of the complaint. Investigations by Lieutenant Burlton identified the source of the letter to be Mr William Hitchens, shopkeeper in Penzance and the handwriting was sworn by three witnesses to be that of Mr Hitchens. Lieutenant Burlton then instructed lawyers to deal with the case  and on 9th February 1801 a libel ruling was granted by the Kings Bench in the Lieutenants favour.


After the signing of the Treaty of Amiens, HMS Hecate was paid off into the Plymouth Ordinary. She was one of the few vessels of the class to survive the Peace of Amiens. On the outbreak of the Napoleonic War in May 1803, HMS Hecate was fitted for sea and recommissioned nder Lieutenant Thomas Parsons in July. Lieutenant Parsons was replaced in command in December 1803 by Lieutenant William Field. By 1804, the vessel was in the North Sea Fleet based at Yarmouth, but the following year, she was based at the Nore. In December 1804, Mr Field was replaced in command by Lieutenant Samuel Norman and he remained in command until HMS Hecate paid off into the Ordinary at Sheerness in 1807.


In August 1809, HMS Hecate was stripped of everything and was taken to Harwich, where she was sunk as a breakwater."

https://kenthistoryforum.com/index.php?topic=8.0#:~:text=HM%20Gunboat%20No.32%20%2D%20HMS%20Hecate

[Sc00p]

A Few newspaper references
27 Dec 1801 Weekly Despatch - Falmouth, Dec 21st. Sailed his majesty's gun Brig Hecate, Lieut Boulton for Mounts Bay
20 Feb 1802 Royal Cornwall Gazette - Penzance, Remain in our Roads, his majesty's ships ... Hecate and Borer gun-brigs.
15 Jun 1802 London Chronicle - (Extract of a letter from Portsmouth June 14th) Sailed.... Hecate, Prior, For Arundel

[Andy J2022]

Based on what Shaun has already found:
Lt Charles Burlton RN has a file at the National Archives
and some of his career details are mentioned here: Three Decks.org

[Andy J2022]

And here's Three Decks.org's record for the Hecate: Three Decks.org

[Gordon163]

Thanks very much for these replies. They are most useful and inteersting.

Gordon