Nelson & His World

Hello everyone.

This is my very first post on the forum so please excuse any errors I may make.

My ancestor was George Prescott Wingrove, an officer in the Royal Marines who served as Captain of Marines in HMS Leviathan at the Battle of Trafalgar. In fact he was the senior Royal Marine officer present at the battle (based on date of seniority in rank). He went on to become Commandant of the Woolwich Division of Marines and retired with the Army rank of Major-General.

I have compiled a detailed account of his life and service but there is one thing I am having problems with and that is compiling details of the Marines that he had serving under him in Leviathan. I have found information on all the officers and even the Marine Drummer (appropriately named John Bull!) but finding information on the privates is proving much harder. I have the names of about a dozen of them - two of whom were killed boarding the San Augustin - but that's all the information I have. I'm not even exactly sure how many marines would have served in a 74-gun ship like the Leviathan. Any information would be gratefully received.

George Prescott Wingrove's father, George Fownes Wingrove, was the first of the family to serve in the Marines and was commissioned in 1776. Since then many generations of the family have served in the RN, RM and RNZN. My mother was a Wingrove and an officer in the WRNS. I left the Royal Navy ten years ago as a Lieutenant-Commander. I'm extremely proud of my family history but especially proud of my ancestor's service at Trafalgar.

Many thanks for your help.

Peter

Hi Peter

What an interesting story.

You can find details of the RM's on Leviathan at Trafalgar in 2 ways.

Firstly all the original muster books for the Trafalgar ships are in the National Archive. So if you can get to Kew you can see George Wingrove's entry in the original Leviathan muster - plus you can get details of all the other RM's.

Alternatively you can get the information from the Ayshford Trafalgar Roll. This is a CD which was produced/sold several years ago. It contains a database of all the muster entries (plus other info) for all the ships at Trafalgar. So you can easily search for all the RM's on Leviathan and it will produce a user-friendly list in the blink of an eye.

I would willingly do the latter for you - except for one problem. I just looked for my copy of the CD and I can't for the life of me see what I have done with it. The nightmare will be if it has got caught up in a file. If so it might not see the light of day for some while

So if anyone else has a copy of the ATR maybe they could help Peter out.

All the best and good luck with your research.

Mark Barrett

Good news - the CD has turned up!

Some provisional information.

There were 74 RM's on Leviathan - including George Prescott Wingrove.

There were:
66 Privates.
2 Corporals = Benjamin Alport & William Hunter
2 Sergeants = Michael Hinds & John Wright
1 1st Lieutenant = Nathaniel Cole
1 2nd Lieutenant = Thomas James W Tane
1 Drummer = John Bull
1 Captain = George Prescott Wingrove

Hello Mark

Many thanks for the information re the marines aboard Leviathan. I really appreciate you taking the time to look it up. I can see that I still have quite a way to go!

I have compiled quite a list of the officers and crew of the Leviathan now. Apparently as the senior officer of marines Captain Wingrove wouldn't have taken part in the boarding of the San Augustin - he was expected to remain aboard Leviathan and organise resistance in the event of the boarding failing and the Leviathan then being boarded by the Spaniards. I have been informed that was the normal procedure. One of the naval Lieutenants who took part in the boarding married Captain Wingove's sister in early-1806 following their return to England. Captain Wingrove also got married at about the same time (to the daughter of a naval Captain) but he also found time to compose an 'epic' poem about the Battle of Trafalgar which was advertised in various Gentlemen's magazines!

Strangely, enough I have another link to Nelson. My wife's cousin is currently serving in H.M.S. Victory (again!) and thanks to him I have been able to visit parts of the ship normally closed to the public. Victory is apparently haunted by the ghost of a marine drummer who paces the upper deck and has reportedly been heard and seen many times. A trick is often played on new members of the crew who are required to keep watch overnight. Before the rest of the crew go ashore at night they place ice cubes under a cannon ball in the shot racks. The ice slowly melts until the cannon ball drops down into the shot rack with an echoing crash!

Thanks again for your help.

Regards

Peter

Hi Peter

People who know me know that I love all the small detail of these men's lives.

So I just took a quick look in a newspaper database that I have access to and I found a notification of GPW's marriage. It is from the Hampshire Telegraph and dated 25th January 1806.

You probably know that information but I thought it might be of interest to others reading this thread.



Just out of interest have you found a copy of his poem? Was it published in his name or anonymously? A lot of things in that period were published as e.g. "by a Captain of Marines" or "by a Lieutenant of the Royal Navy".

Peter, you could also look up the names of the marine privates (and other ranks) using the advanced search on the National Archives Trafalgar Ancestors website: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/traf ... search.asp

Tony

Crikey - because I have the Ayshford Tafalgar Roll disk here I had forgotten about that facility on the National Archive website.

That should be very useful to Peter.

MB

Yes, 'Trafalgar Ancestors' and the Ayshford Trafalgar Roll were a strange duplication of effort, but it means that for Trafalgar, we are spoilt for choice. Of course, with the difficulties of transcription, neither are perfect. Trafalgar Ancestors does occasionally provide service histories for some men, but the Ayshford Trafalgar Roll goes much further, and provides a wealth of information, although unfortunately sometimes gets things wrong by using unsupported supposition when marrying up records.

Firstly, many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply re my initial query. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Mark - re the information on Wingrove's marriage to Martha Laugharne on 25th January 1806. I did know the details but I had not seen the entry from the Hampshire Telegraph. So another piece of information gained! Strangely enough, all reports of the wedding are incorrect in stating that Martha's father was 'the late Captain Thomas L. of the navy'. Confusion may have arisen because Laugharne was a relatively common surname in the Navy Lists of the time. Her father was in fact Commander Morgan Laugharne RN (appointed Commander 4th November 1780 and Captain on 25th October 1809) who died in 1810. Her only sibling was a younger brother, William Laugharne, who was also a naval officer.

January 1806 was a busy time for weddings because, as I mentioned earlier, on 2nd January George's sister, Martha, married Lieutenant John Baldwin at Titchfield, Hampshire. Lieutenant Baldwin served as 3rd Lieutenant in H.M.S. Leviathan with George Wingrove. He led the party which boarded and captured the San Augustin.

It is amazing the extent to which naval families intermarried at this time. Another of George Wingrove's sister's also married a naval officer.

Re George's 'epic' poem on Trafalgar. This was advertised in various Magazines in early-1806 as either 'Wingrove's (Capt.) Ode on the Battle off Trafalgar. 1s.) or 'Ode on the Battle off Trafalgar. By Captain Wingrove. 1s.). Unfortunately, I have never been able to find a copy of the infamous Ode but I have the feeling that it may be rather dire! However, it would be fascinating to read as he appears to have left no other account of the battle.

Like others on this site I am also interested in the everyday lives of the officers and men serving at this period. The fact that I am descended from George Wingrove makes the study of his life particularly relevant to me personally, but I am also fascinated by the world these men (and women) inhabited and the part the Royal Navy played in British life at this time. However, I am aware that I can become a bit obsessive, so please forgive me if I do!

Best Wishes

Peter

Regarding the poem I have tracked down something interesting. (see attachment below)

It looks as if the poem was dedicated to Sir Henry William Bayntun - GPW's captain on the Leviathan at Trafalgar - and that the Somerset archive holds something relative to it.

But I am not sure if they are saying that they have a copy of the poem itself or just correspondence relating to it. I'm pretty sure it's the former but I'm not 100%.

Peter, it would probably be worth giving them a call to determine exactly what they have got there, and if it is of interest to discuss the possibility of getting a copy.

If you decide to follow this route be sure to come back and let us know how you get on.

MB

Thanks for the pointer Mark.

Been rather busy in the run-up to Christmas. I think I will have to pursue this in the New Year. I will keep you informed of what I find.

Regards

Pete

Peter

I have recently discovered that I am a descendant of George Prescott Wingrove. I am writing this in Australia and as such information is difficult to find. I have a marriage record of George and Martha which matches your information. I cannot help you find the Navy information your are interested in, however I was hoping that you may help me with information regarding his birth - which I cannot find anywhere, and other family information.

Regards
Sue

Firstly, many apologies for my prolonged absence. I'm afraid that work commitments meant that I have spent most of this year abroad and since my return I have been busy finishing work on a book.

Sue - really great to meet another descendent of George Prescott Wingrove!

George Prescott Wingrove was born 29th November, 1779. He was christened on the 29th December 1779 at the Abbey, St. Albans, Hertfordshire. He died 6th October 1850.

Father: George Fownes Wingrove. Born 1757. Officer, Corps of Marines - commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 15th February, 1776. He eventually reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel RM (the Corps of Marines became the Royal Marines in 1802), and became an equerry to His Majesty King George III during the period of his 'madness'. Died 22nd July 1811.

Mother: Martha Parker. Born 1758 at Gosport, Hampshire. Died May, 1828.

"Wingrove, George-Fownes, of Portsmouth, gentleman, lieutenant, Corps of Marines, 21, bachelor, & Martha Parker, of Gosport, spinster, a minor, with consent of her mother, Hannah Parker. Married on 30th March 1778 at Holy Trinity, Gosport, Hampshire".

Although very belated, I hope the above is of use. Please contact me if you want any further information or you have any further questions. I will gladly pass on anything I have - I have amassed quite a bit over the years!

I apologise again for my prolonged absence from the site.

Peter Stokes