My Ancestors

The story so far

Part 1 recounted how an inherited drawing set me on the trail of my whaling ancestor Thomas CLARK and his capture by the French in 1806. https://wordpress.com/post/myancestors.blog/199

In Part 2 I explained why English sailors were being held by the French and delved into a contemporary account of conditions in the Arras depot where I know that Thomas was held. https://wordpress.com/post/myancestors.blog/219

This third – and for now final – part pulls together what I know about the response in Hull (activities that would have been mirrored in many English coastal towns and cities) and what more I know of Thomas’ experiences.

Response back in Hull

The men would have been able to exchange messages with home, even though many would have been illiterate and post would have been slow and unreliable. Hull’s whaling families were close – often with brothers, cousins and nephews on the same ship – so letters received in Hull would have provided updates for many families.

In Part 2 I looked at how the men were free to supplement their rations by purchasing food and clothing in town. This required funds. On 28 November 1807 the Hull Advertiser announced the opening of a subscription for the relief of the distressed British Prisoners of War in France. By Christmas the total had reached £342 9s 6d (around £380,000 in present day relative income terms). It seems that the same subscription then restarted in February 1811 – the opening balance is recorded as £353 4s 6d. This time significant amounts were collected in churches – for example £102 at St John’s and £48 at Holy Trinity – with over £450 of new money being collected.

In May 1813 the following letter appeared on the front page of the Hull Advertiser.

Sir – I have received a letter from forty-eight natives of Hull, Prisoners of War at Besancon, dated 10th March last. They state that they have suffered a long and tedious detention from their native country; and, that the present state of affairs does not admit of the least prospect of their return, and humbly solicit that a Subscription may be set on foot for their relief, which, if complied with, will, in a great measure, alleviate their unhappy situations. They further state, that, with respect to the general Subscriptions which are made throughout Great Britain, for the relief of Prisoners of War, they are fully assured that Donations from the town of Hull have been very great, as they always are on suchlike occasions; but, as the natives of so many places of much less note than Hull, are continually receiving very liberal Subscriptions from their respective places, they trust their humble request will not be considered impertinent or unnecessary…

The list of forty-eight names includes five men from the Blenheim: J Simon (surgeon), Robert Duffie, John Davis, John Bricklebank and Thomas Garton. Over £25 is shown as having already been subscribed for the benefit of these men. Benefit concerts were also held in order to raise money from the towns more wealthy inhabitants.

Thomas’ experience

There is seemingly very little primary evidence of Thomas’ experience. On Google Books there is a copy of a 211 page document from 1812 entitled, Report from the Committee for the Relief of the British Prisoners in France; with a list of the prisoners (https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jxKsh7NU730C). This report lists all the men held in France along with their then location. The summary includes 14,086 names and the document lists 28 of the crew of the Blenheim. Thomas’ name appears on page 131. He is listed alongside the words, Seaman, Blenheim, Hull and as being held at Valenciennes (50 miles east of Arras, near the current border with Belgium).

Men were frequently moved around between depots (the main ones were at Sarrelouis, Arras, Cambrai, Briancon, Valenciennes, Longwy, Besancon, Givet, Sedan, Bitche, Verdun and Metz). The moves were used to free up capacity, separate groups of men, and presumably also to undermine morale. Surviving documents provide a number of glimpses of the Blenheim’s men throughout their captivity (I have garnered records for each of the Blenheim’s men). At least six of the 44 men on the muster roll died during their time in captivity – drink and disease being the principal causes.

In the early months of 1814, a full seven and a half years after the men were captured, Napoleon’s empire was collapsing. Paris surrendered on 31 March and Napoleon abdicated on 11 April. A list dated 4 May 1814 states that Thomas Clark of the Blenheim left France on 4 May 1814 on the British cutter Hero. Based on the accounts of others he would have been given some money, but left to find his own way back to Hull.

Loose ends

There is almost certainly more to be uncovered about Thomas’ time in France, but two centuries of time, the accessibility of archives and language each erect barriers. As well as the obvious gaps in the timeline, two key mysteries remain.

The first concerns the final three words of the inscription at the bottom of the sketch that began this story – ‘For MWC Hull’. Who was MWC? The most obvious explanation is surely that these three letters are someone’s initials … and the C could of course be CLARK. Unfortunately, exhaustive searches have not revealed any candidates. Perhaps his wife Mary had a middle name starting with W? I have no evidence. There were at least two prominent Hull men of the time with the initials MWC – Michael Wrangles Clarke (no obvious connection to ‘my’ CLARKs; a collector of maritime art) and Marmaduke William Constable (who in 1807 contributed £20 – around £20,000 in present day relative income terms – to the Prisoner Relief Fund). I am clutching at straws.

The final mystery is of course what happened to Thomas after his return? There may be more in Hull’s archives. The Hull Advertiser of 18 June 1814 reports on a list of 160 men returned or returning to Hull and measures being put in place to provide financial support and ensure they were able to find employment. The Hull Packet for 28 June 1814 reports that:

Yesterday, at the Evening Lecture at the Holy Trinity church, a very appropriate and impressive discourse was delivered to a numerous and attentive congregation, more particularly addressed to the Seamen who have recently returned from captivity in France, by the Rev J Scott, from 33d chap. 2d Chronicles, 11th, 12th and 13th verses. Appropriate hymns were selected for the occasion, and sung with great effect, after which a collection was made, and added to the very liberal subscription now in course at this town.

Were Thomas and his family among the congregation? Sadly Thomas CLARK is not an uncommon name, and the Hull press for late 1814 has one Thomas CLARK captaining a ship, whilst another drowns in the docks. Perhaps the most compelling reason to be hopeful that Thomas returned to family life is a small advert that appeared in the Hull Packet in 1837 advertising the freehold of:

… three dwelling houses with small gardens, on the west side of Dryden’s Entry, Salthouse Lane, each containing two Rooms, an Attic and a Cellar in the respective occupations of John Newsam, Thomas CLARK, and William CLARK.

I know that my 3 x great grandfather William Taylor CLARK (1795-1869) and Thomas’ widow Mary were living in Dryden’s Entry in 1841, so perhaps this small advert proves that Thomas lived until 1837 … but then I have been unable to locate a death certificate for him (civil registration of deaths in England began 1 July 1837).

Thomas’ wife Mary appears again in the 1851 census as a patient in Trinity House hospital (a charitable hospital caring for old sailors and their wives). She died in April 1853 at the age of 79 at Dryden’s Entry surrounded by her family. Her death certificate records her as the widow of Thomas CLARK, sailor.

Conclusions

Breathing life into the sketch of the Blenheim has been a passion for the majority of my life. Learning about and delving deep into the historical context has been interesting; doubly so because of the ever present thrill of the possibility of uncovering a new connection with the men of the Blenheim. I’ve now added to this the discipline of ‘publishing’ what I know, so that it might benefit others rather than – and this must sure be the greatest fear of any family historian – simply swept up and discarded after I am gone.

Part 4 will follow if and when I learn more!

Bibliography

1. ADM 103/480; France. British prisoners of war. Released prisoners, 1814-1815; The National Archives; Record set Prisoners Of War 1715-1945. Available at http://www.findmypast.co.uk. p509
2. Ferguson, T. 1812. Report from the Committee for the Relief of the British Prisoners in France; with a list of the prisoners. London: W Phillips.
3. Hull Advertiser. 1807. British Prisoners of War in France. 28 Nov, 2b
4. Hull Advertiser, 1807. British Prisoners of War in France. 26 Dec, 2d
5. Hull Advertiser, 1811. Mansion House Hull, February 5, 1811. 16 Mar, 3a
6. Hull Advertiser, 1811. Mansion House Hull, February 5, 1811. 23 Mar, 2c
7. Hull Advertiser, 1813. To the Editor of the Hull Advertiser. 15 May, 1e
8. Hull Advertiser. 1814. Prisoners of War belonging to Hull. 18 June, 3cd
9. Hull Packet, 1811. Mansion House Hull, February 5, 1811. 2 Apr, 2d
10. Hull Packet, 1814, 28 Jun, 3b
11. Hull Packet, 1837, 6 Oct, 1g