James Marr Brydone
Encyclopedia
James Marr Brydone born in Selkirk, Scotland
, was a Scottish
surgeon who served in the British
fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar
.
He is best remembered for being the first person in the main British battle fleet to sight the Franco-Spanish fleet, and did so without the use of a glass
. The information was signalled to the fleet flagship
, .
Brydone, a descendant from the Byrdone who was town clerk of Selkirk at the time of Flodden, was educated at the local school along with Mungo Park
. He took full qualifications as a doctor of medicine
and, after local experience, found himself ship's surgeon on a merchant ship, the 'Calcutta'.
Whilst at sea the ship met up with a naval vessel, or "King's ship" as they were then known, whose surgeon had died. He was transferred and thus started thirty years of service in the Royal Navy
.
21 October 1805 saw him as the ship's surgeon on with the fleet in search of the French
and Spanish
fleet.
In the days of sail, early information was important when advantage had to be gained with the use of the wind
. The British commander, Vice-Admiral
Lord Nelson
, had stationed a chain of frigates to watch the enemy fleet in Cadiz
, which had already signalled the combined fleet had put to sea, and reported on its movements. Byrdone was the first of the main battle fleet, patrolling off Cape Trafalgar
, to see the sails on the horizon - without the use of a glass - and the location of the Franco-Spanish fleet was signalled to HMS Victory, three minutes later battle orders were signalled beginning the Battle of Trafalgar
.
Brydone won renown in later years when, after his retirement from the Navy
, he was engaged by the Earl of Egremont to supervise the transport of Petworth Emigration Scheme
emigrants to Canada
. He laid down standards of accommodation on board ship and also of reception in Canada
, making four trips from 1834 to 1837 to supervise and maintain discipline on board and see the migrants settled on arrival.
In the summer of 1838 Brydone travelled to Ireland
with Colonel George Wyndham
, the 3rd Earl's son and heir, to inspect family estates in County Clare
and Limerick
, assisting the earl and encouraging emigration to Canada. After spending the winter on secretarial work for the Colonel he was asked to return to Ireland in 1839 to organise emigration. Most people by now preferred Australia
as their destination. 183 people from Limerick sailed on the Waterloo at the end of May.
He settled at Petworth
where he became accountant and later acting land agent for Colonel George Wyndham
, the 3rd Earl's son and heir and died at the age of 84.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
surgeon who served in the British
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
.
He is best remembered for being the first person in the main British battle fleet to sight the Franco-Spanish fleet, and did so without the use of a glass
Optical telescope
An optical telescope is a telescope which is used to gather and focus light mainly from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum for directly viewing a magnified image for making a photograph, or collecting data through electronic image sensors....
. The information was signalled to the fleet flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, .
Brydone, a descendant from the Byrdone who was town clerk of Selkirk at the time of Flodden, was educated at the local school along with Mungo Park
Mungo Park (explorer)
Mungo Park was a Scottish explorer of the African continent. He was credited as being the first Westerner to encounter the Niger River.-Early life:...
. He took full qualifications as a doctor of medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
and, after local experience, found himself ship's surgeon on a merchant ship, the 'Calcutta'.
Whilst at sea the ship met up with a naval vessel, or "King's ship" as they were then known, whose surgeon had died. He was transferred and thus started thirty years of service in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
21 October 1805 saw him as the ship's surgeon on with the fleet in search of the French
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
and Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
fleet.
In the days of sail, early information was important when advantage had to be gained with the use of the wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
. The British commander, Vice-Admiral
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
Lord Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
, had stationed a chain of frigates to watch the enemy fleet in Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, which had already signalled the combined fleet had put to sea, and reported on its movements. Byrdone was the first of the main battle fleet, patrolling off Cape Trafalgar
Cape Trafalgar
Cape Trafalgar is a headland in the Province of Cádiz in the south-west of Spain. It lies on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the Strait of Gibraltar...
, to see the sails on the horizon - without the use of a glass - and the location of the Franco-Spanish fleet was signalled to HMS Victory, three minutes later battle orders were signalled beginning the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
.
Brydone won renown in later years when, after his retirement from the Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, he was engaged by the Earl of Egremont to supervise the transport of Petworth Emigration Scheme
Petworth Emigration Scheme
The Petworth Emigration Scheme, sponsored by the Earl of Egremont and promoted by Thomas Sockett, anglican Rector of Petworth, sent around 1800 working-class people from the south of England to Upper Canada between 1832 and 1837...
emigrants to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He laid down standards of accommodation on board ship and also of reception in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, making four trips from 1834 to 1837 to supervise and maintain discipline on board and see the migrants settled on arrival.
In the summer of 1838 Brydone travelled to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
with Colonel George Wyndham
George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield
George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield , was a British soldier and peer.A direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham, he was the eldest natural son of George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont, and Elizabeth Ilive. He entered the British Army and achieved the rank of Colonel. His parents were married...
, the 3rd Earl's son and heir, to inspect family estates in County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
and Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, assisting the earl and encouraging emigration to Canada. After spending the winter on secretarial work for the Colonel he was asked to return to Ireland in 1839 to organise emigration. Most people by now preferred Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as their destination. 183 people from Limerick sailed on the Waterloo at the end of May.
He settled at Petworth
Petworth
Petworth is a small town and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 east-west road from Heathfield to Winchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some twelve miles to the south west of Petworth along the A285 road...
where he became accountant and later acting land agent for Colonel George Wyndham
George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield
George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield , was a British soldier and peer.A direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham, he was the eldest natural son of George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont, and Elizabeth Ilive. He entered the British Army and achieved the rank of Colonel. His parents were married...
, the 3rd Earl's son and heir and died at the age of 84.
Children
Brydone married Elizabeth Hislop on 11 June 1818 and the couple had four children;- Henrietta Jane, who mixed with the social elite of the PetworthPetworthPetworth is a small town and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 east-west road from Heathfield to Winchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some twelve miles to the south west of Petworth along the A285 road...
district and married George New, the Rector of DunctonDunctonDuncton is a village and civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England located one mile south of Petworth on the A285 road.The parish has a land area of 800.4 hectares...
.
- Walter Marr
- Elizabeth Caroline
- Henry Gray was an executor of the Reverend Sockett's will in 1859.