Nelson & His World

Margarette Lincoln's book again! I had never heard of 'crimps' and 'crimping'. Crimps were gangs of men and women who got seamen drunk and then delivered them to the press gang on payment of head money, though crimps also waylaid other travellers as well as seamen. The verb 'crimp' with the definition 'to impress seamen or soldiers; to entrap' is in the Shorter Oxford - not quite exact, it seems - and its earliest recorded usage was 1812 - though, of course, it may have been in the oral vocabulary long before.

I wonder how widespread the practice was. It is interesting that a word was coined to describe the practice and that it was an imprisonable criminal offence. Both these facts suggest that it was pretty well established. Or maybe the authorities took a firm line against it because crimping could and did, as ML records, lead to serious public disorder when mobs attacked the crimpers themselves and their establishments.

The Times Digital Archive has some interesting material on the subject of crimping.

There are regular reports of trials of defendants who have 'kept a crimping house', including one Edwards, (August 1st 1796) who was found guilty but attempted to claim for damage caused by the burning of his house by a mob.

His co-defendant was the versatile 'Doctor' Gale who was 'occasionally Captain, Surgeon and Magistrate. He approved them as Captain, examined them as Surgeon and assessed them as Magistrate'.

He too was found guilty.

It would appear that the authorities were fearful of retribution by the mob on crimpers and crimping houses not least because the protests often took on a political edge. The Times leader of 22 August 1794 notes that with 'the popular cry against crimping, the mob are also instructed to vociferate the cry for peace and against the multitude of taxes'.

'Instructed?' By whom, I wonder? Simply disaffected citizens or more organised agitators with a political agenda?

Dangerous stuff in those revolutionary times. The Times sympathises with the victims of crimpers but denounces violence on the streets:

'We know that the enrolment of individuals is not only liable to abuses, but that very great ones actually exist, and that many a poor man is swindled out of his liberty. We have no sort of compassion for the wretches who can commit such enormities.' Nevertheless, no one should take the law into his own hands and 'every species of riot should therefore meet with a summary punishment.'

Confusion is caused by the interchangeable use of the terms 'crimping' and 'impressment'. The edition of Jan 13 1795 refers to a sergeant in the 'crimping service'. Soldiers too were subjected to crimping.

The Times of May 15 1829 reports the setting up of the Sailors' Home Society with the object of 'putting an end to the many frauds practised upon sailors by what is called the 'crimping system'.

Incidentally, one of the speakers and supporters at this meeting was Captain Bazalgette RN who spoke 'most eloquently'. Is this Chasbaz's ancestor?

That is interesting indeed. I have a copy of a Times report on the annual meeting of the Sailor's Home, Destitute Sailor's Asylum and Episcopal Floating Church, but omitted to record the date. It states that 'the only enemies of the Sailor's Home are the Jews and crimps who infest the docks'.

I appreciate the definition of 'crimp'. Thanks.

Chasbaz: there are also several references in The Times to Captain Bazalgette as Secretary to the Naval and Military Bible Society - 13 August 1819 is one, though there are others. Another flash of the blue light?

Heavens! I've just Googled the Naval and Military Bible Society and it still exists! 'Serving those who serve since 1779' apparently. Free bibles, pamphlets etc. www.nmafbs.org - and for the Royal Air Force too, now of course.

Yes, another flash! The NMABS (now includes the Air Force of course) has some records deposited with the London Metropoilitan Archives. I had them do an hour's work for me and they managed to retrieve some documents for me mentioning my ggggfr. I have read somewhere that Joseph was also even a member of a society 'to encourage Christianity amongst the Jews'. There's hopeful, isn't it?

There was the London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews and there are papers (1815-1963; ref GB 0193 SPCJ) held at University College London.

Maybe you will find some reference to Captain B. - if only to confirm that he paid his subs!

Thanks for that tip, Tycho - I will contact them.

The history of that society was written in a book, downloadable from:
http://www.archive.org/details/historyo ... 00gidnuoft
I did a search for Joseph, and retrieved this passage:
..........
In the month of January 1830, a new magazine of eight
pages was commenced, entitled Monthly Intelligence, for
gratuitous circulation, which was changed to Jewish Intelligence
in 1835. The issue of The Jewish Expositor was continued
by a separate editor, the Rev. Thomas Boys, tutor at the
Seminary, at his own risk and responsibility, but only till
June 1831, when it ceased, apparently owing to lack of
funds. The Jewish Records also were continued throughout
the Period.

With regard to the personnel of the Society during the
same time. Lord (formerly Admiral) de Saumarez became
a Vice-Patron in 1832 ; the Marquis of Westminster in
1834, and Lord Ashley, afterward seventh Earl of Shaftes-
bury, in the next year. On the death in 1837 of the Bishop
of Salisbury (Dr. Burgess), the Bishop of Ripon (Dr. Longley),
who was afterward Bishop of Durham, Archbishop of York
and of Canterbury successively, became Patron. The prominent
new lay members of Committee during the Period were Captain
Bazalgette, Captain Hope, C.B., Major Sotheby, W. Wynne
Willson, J. B. Hyndman, Colonel Jourdan, and John Spurling.
Prominent clerical members were but few, the Revs. A.
Brandram (Secretary to the British and Foreign Bible
Society), and J. Pratt, Junior, only needing mention. Sir
George Rose, Sir Robert Inglis, Thomas Pell Platt, and
John Labouchere were added to the Trustees, vice Messrs.
Thomas Babington, Basil Woodd, Simeon, Hawtrey, and
King deceased. The last named had held the office of
chapel warden since its opening. A. Frampton, M.D.,
became Honorary Physician in 1831.
.........................................

And his Christian zeal continued to his death bed:

the announcement of his death in The Times of 16 January 1849:

10 January inst. at Ryde, Joseph William Bazalgette RN, in faith and hope of the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for [?] years, Honorary Naval Secretary of the Naval and Military Bible Association.

None of the other death announcements makes any mention of religion at all, so these were clearly carefully chosen words, not a formula trundled out for the occasion.

Please keep us informed of any other information you discover on your ancestor.

Thanks Tycho. It appears to be the case. I don't suppose he'd like to know his ggggrandson is an atheist...

My real problem is I cannot find out where he lived in his last years.
He died in Lind St, Ryde in 1849 and is buried at Brading. He had sold his London house (in Hamilton Terrace, Maida Vale) in 1847. He must have had a house in the parish. All enquiries of the IOW FHS, the IOW record office and the Hampshire Record Office have turned up nothing at all. I have also approached the present Vicar of Brading but have received no replies.

I just hope that something will turn up....