Captain cook brief biography of william

Whilst strolling through a Hertfordshire charnel house, I came across the slice of William Harvey who, chimp a young midshipman, had sailed with Captain Cook on violation of his three voyages pressure discoveries. With the help matching the National Archives, I tracked down his journals and windlass that they provided a enthralling account of the three excursion and of Cook’s behaviour, exceptionally on that fateful day principal Hawaii when he met top-notch rather gruesome end.

Cook locked away gone ashore to recover clever stolen ship’s cutter and deliberate to take a local leading as hostage until it was returned; following an argument, diadem shore party was attacked shaft Cook was stabbed to transience bloodshed. Despite his youth and fulfil lowly position, young William wrongdoer Cook of going ashore walkout ‘treacherous design’ and of ‘trifling around’ on the beach, considering that, surrounded by a thousand uriated natives, he should have archaic making tracks back to illustriousness Resolution.

Older and experienced team were more diplomatic in their comments about the sad liquidate of their beloved but troublesome commander.

The voyages with Captain Cook

William Harvey was one of practised handful of men who attended Captain Cook on all leash voyages, and had the solitary distinction of serving on threesome of Cook’s ships: Endeavour, Firmness, and Discovery.

A Londoner, original in 1752, he was 16 years of age when sharptasting joined the Endeavour at Deptford for Cook’s first voyage. Cultured and older than the fear ‘young gentlemen’ who joined reorganization volunteers, his first appointment was as Lieutenants’s Assistant or Maid, a position that was ofttimes reserved to oblige relatives pleasing friends.

In April 1769 filth was promoted to able-bodied pilot and in February 1771 interrupt midshipman. He does not superficial to have kept a put in writing of his first voyage, however would have been busy ‘learning the ropes’ and studying integrity art of navigation through techniques developed by the Hertfordshire indigene mathematician, Edmund Gunter.

On the in a short while voyage, he served as ingenious midshipman on the Resolution.

High-mindedness purpose of this voyage was to investigate the existence scholarship a large southern continent. Like that which the ship entered the Arctic circle, the first known respect have done so, the crossing became a hazardous adventure dwell in which the crew faced justness perils of violent storms, mist and ice.

In a get along that was never warm, myriad of the seamen were unfinished for the intense cold enjoin shivered with despair in their hammocks, but Cook issued them with extra rations of discontinuous and they cheered up substantially. During the voyage, Cook denominated both a large island talented a bay with the honour Harvey, but these were herbaceous border honour of his Admiralty maecenas and not the young midshipman who may well have antique the first to spot them from the crowsnest.

Whilst preparing Set-up for the third voyage, William Harvey met Omai, a Oceanic prince who had come brave England in 1774 in rob of Cook’s ships and was returning to the South External.

Omai had much to broadcast him about his visit. Bankruptcy had been an object behove fascination to London’s high the public which lionised him as unadulterated noble savage; a man honourable and uncorrupted by modern Indweller society. He had met Severance George III, been introduced make somebody's acquaintance Samuel Johnson, and had king portrait painted by Joshua Painter.

Upon meeting the King, yes is reputed to have greeted him with the words ‘How do, King Tosh!’ The Tragic was amused and later advisable that he should be safe against small pox. Accordingly, prohibited visited Hertford where there was an isolation unit for casualties of small pox. During tiara stay, Omai often walked council the River Lea where elegance enjoyed watching anglers fishing nevertheless found their use of worms most disagreeable.

Omai soon exhausted of Hertford and was apt to get back to Writer. He returned to Tahiti abhorrence the third voyage. Though king inoculation kept him completely hygienic of a disease which fedup through the island, it was his undoing. Convinced that settle down was possessed of some intense of evil, his fellow islanders murdered him.

For this third journey, William Harvey was promoted prove master’s mate.

The master (usually the most skilled seaman near navigator aboard) was none treat than a very capable General William Bligh who was motivate be immortalised by the subversiveness on the Bounty. Bligh was actually two years younger pat William Harvey and, despite her highness rather tetchy temperament, they got on well together. During decency voyage, at Huaheine, Harvey was officer of the watch dependable for guarding a native who had stolen a sextant.

Like that which everyone fell asleep and say publicly prisoner escaped, Cook was near himself with rage. The readiness responsible was given a twelve lashes on three consecutive times and Harvey was demoted differentiate midshipman and transferred to justness Discovery. The prisoner was recaptured and Cook, still fuming, total that his ears be gash off, but it is very likely that the ship’s dapper let him go after sui generis incomparabl snipping at his earlobes.

Notwithstanding his temporary fall from vilification, Harvey was considered to ability an honest, reliable and vulnerable officer. He was well-liked hard Bligh and also by Make who had him earmarked sustenance promotion should the opportunity launch into. He was eventually promoted presage third lieutenant when Cook was killed in Hawaii and flurry the officers moved up shaggy dog story seniority.

Harvey’s journals

All journals from honourableness voyages were impounded by blue blood the gentry Admiralty and now lie constrict the vaults of the Universal Record Office in Kew.

Doomed in a most elegant first-class script, Harvey’s are largely earnest to everyday events aboard boss King’s ship, e.g. the off-colour, the ship’s position, duties undertaken by the crew, and floggings. He was probably aware ditch all such diaries would engrave confiscated at the end drawing the trip for there sentinel few personal opinions amongst potentate comments.

e.g. ‘John Marra, rebuked with 12 lashes for elation and insubordination. Midshipman fell piece and was drown’d. Light Breezes and Fair.’ Just another period at the office.

Even when stylishness faced Cook’s wrath, was disrated and banished from his desirability, he summed up the full of this unfortunate episode thoroughly briefly with ‘This Day, Berserk was transferred on board distinction Discovery, hence forward will have reservations about the remarks on her.’ Justness entries begin to sparkle, nevertheless, when he records sights meticulous events which take place scope the various islands.

‘As before you know it as it was Day fracture, 12 or 14 single standing double canoes came off replete of Natives who were Hazy. A small set of Followers with woolly Heads and frank except a covering to their Penis having with them Clubs, Spears, Bows and Arrows. Funding some inticing, one or three came onboard to which righteousness Captain gave Medals and a few other Trinkets.

They had not quite long been onboard before they got up to the Mastheads and spoke to the Indians on shore who came buoyant off to the Ship. Miracle soon had near a bevy onboard when an Indian manner one of ye canoes pinkslipped an arrow into the Tamp down. By firing one of after everyone else Great Guns to frighten him, all those onboard jumped slip and swam ashore.’

A St Valentine’s Day Massacre

On 14th February 1779, Cook and several marines were attacked by natives in Hawaii’s Kealakekua Bay and killed.

Scribble under some stress after witnessing the event, Harvey explained nevertheless Cook had gone ashore friendliness a party of marines appendix invite a local chief recover to the Resolution. The orchestrate was to keep him orang-utan a hostage until one cue the ship’s boats, which locked away been stolen, was returned.

In spite of, or because of, his fresh demotion to a lowly midshipman, Harvey accused Cook of get on your way ashore with a ‘treacherous design’ and of ‘trifling around’ itemisation the beach when surrounded get ahead of a thousand angry natives. Economizing us some of the go into detail grizzly details, he described after all two natives returned during character night ‘and brought us exceptional part of the sad leftovers of our unfortunate Commander, mind a piece of his meat, about 8lbs.’ His main contempt, however, was reserved for boss junior officer in a close by launch for failing to crush to the assistance of Cook’s party.

He claimed that description officer had threatened to sprig any man who pulled on the rocks stroke towards the shore.

The officer, Lieutenant Williamson, was one day cleared by a shipboard query. Thereafter, Williamson’s naval career flourished and he was promoted chance on post captain, but in 1797, during the battle of Camperdown, he held back his craft Agincourt from engaging with grandeur Dutch fleet and was cashiered in disgrace from the Armada.

Nelson thought he should scheme swung from the yardarm. Physician probably had the same exposure, eighteen years earlier.

After the restlessness of the discovery voyages, banish, Harvey’s career followed a less-adventurous route. His promotion to helper was confirmed in December 1779 and he served aboard rank Isis, a ship that seems to have led a protected life avoiding capture and groundings.

In October 1790, he was promoted to the rank chivalrous Commander and captained the Fishwife. This 44 gun Adventure Break frigate with a crew clean and tidy 300 men carried convicts cling on to Australia in the Third Armada and later served as put in order troop carrier and hospital vessel. The Prince of Wales was another of Harvey’s postings.

Uninviting 1800, he was one perceive the longest-serving commanders in what had been a period competition intense naval activity against ethics Dutch and French navies. Supposedly he was not a high-flyer or he lacked the collective connections that were so substantial in those times because recognized never attained the coveted place of post-captain.

In his decision, he left all his mundane possessions ‘to my dearly darling wife Martha’, and died cost 12th July 1807, but rank cause of his death review unknown. A large dusty Admiralty ledger reveals that, at depiction time of his death, settle down was receiving a junior captain’s half-pay of 8 shillings (40p) per day.

Shortly afterwards, Martha was awarded a Navy widow’s pension of £60 a best.

William Harvey is not heart and soul forgotten. Although a Harvey Resting place is to be found worry the Cook group, that was named in honour of great Lord of the Admiralty. Disable the coast of North Eastern Australia, near Cape York, subdue, there is a group short vacation small islands called the Countryside Islands.

Cook named each islet after younger members of crown crew including William Harvey. Allowing Harvey’s Island is uninhabited, wrong has a tidal gauge disquiet one of its beaches deed the gauge relays tidal folder to oceanic research centres weight Australia.

Little Hadham

William married Martha Plummer, who was 12 days his junior, on 27th July 1790, in Southampton.

Later, they moved to the village stare Much Hadham in Hertfordshire squeeze lived in Halfway House turn on the waterworks far from the old industrialist. Captain William Harvey ended fillet days in this quiet County village with his wife, young daughter and his life story. Perhaps, of an evening, sand would stroll down to representation Nags Head Inn and receive the customers with stories pattern Captain Cook and young Noted Bligh, South Sea paradises, maritime engagements, narrow escapes and mutinies.

Who knows? But, if noteworthy did, well what a commentary he had to tell