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Jack Crawford (22 March 1775 – 10 November 1831) was a sailor of the Royal Navy known as the "Hero of Camperdown."

Biography
“JACK CRAWFORD, THE HERO OF CAMPERDOWN, was born at the East End of Sunderland, a few doors down on the left-hand side of the Sandywell Bank, then known as Thornhill's Bank, but now called the Pottery Bank, on or about the 22nd of March, 1775.

His father, who was of Scotch extraction, was a keelman on the Wear;” “Keelmen ferried coal from the staithes out to the sea-going coal ships.

Keels were small boats that could be sailed or punted on the river. Keelmen wore a uniform of a short blue jacket, grey trousers, yellow waistcoat, white shirt and blue cap. Although their job was important and the work was very hard, they were very poorly paid and at the bottom of the social scale.”

His father “naturally introduced his son to active life in the capacity of a "Pee Dee," whose duty it was to take charge of the rudder, and generally to act as cabin boy on board the paternal craft. But Jack left the keels when still quite a boy, having been apprenticed to the sea about the year 1786, that is, in his 11th or 12th year.”

The ship on board of which he served his time was the "Peggy," of South Shields, which gave its name to a deep place in Shields Harbour, long famous as "Peggy's Hole," where she used to lie moored when in port.

And he had no sooner finished his apprenticeship when he was “nabbed” by the pressgang, and sent on board the tender lying in the same part of the river”. “In 1796, he was press-ganged into the Royal Navy and served on HMS Venerable  under Admiral Duncan, the Royal Navy Commander-in-Chief of the North Seas.

Sunderland in Jack’s time in the late 18th century Sunderland, with the harbour, was a hive of industry and activity. Businesses included timber yards, boat builders, sailmakers, ropemakers, mills, warehouses, fish markets and many pubs. The town had grown rapidly due to river trade, in particular the export of coal.

With its population of seamen and skilled craftsmen, Sunderland provided a … perfect hunting ground for the feared press-gangs. Many men did not choose to join the Navy, they were forced or “pressed” into it by gangs of hired men known as “press-gangs”.

In the 18th century, there were many wars and this was the way that Britain ensured it had enough sailors for its warships. Only seamen should have been pressed, but as the wars continued, all kinds of men, from criminals to pensioners were taken. Life in the Royal Navy was tough. Sailors would be at sea for months, even years, living in cramped conditions where disease was common, and fresh food was rare. The sea and the weather were a constant danger, and many men were killed or badly injured in naval battles

In 1797, Britain was at war with France, Holland and Spain. On the 11th October the British and Dutch navies met in battle off the coast of Norway, near Camperdown, close to Bergen.” At the Battle of Camperdown off the Dutch coast (11 October 1797), Venerable was Admiral Duncan's flagship.

In the Autumn of 1797 Admiral Duncan was stationed off the coast of Holland to prevent the Dutch fleet from putting out to sea in order to join the French fleet, but having found it was necessary, after a heavy storm, to come to Yarmouth to re-fit, leaving only a small squadron of observation under the command of Captain Trollope, the Dutch Admiral, Jan Willem Van Winter, took the opportunity to put to sea, intending to join the French armament at Brest, destined to invade Ireland. But the British Admiral having been promptly signaled to, made all possible haste across to the scene of action, and arrived just in time to intercept the enemy.

His squadron was composed of sixteen ships of the line, remarkably well conditioned, and his officers and men were inferior to none that ever were in the British service, while he was himself an officer of acknowledged merit, and of remarkable intrepidity.

The Dutch fleet under Van Winter’s command consisted of four ships of 74 guns, five of 68, two of 64, and four of 56, all in the best condition, completely manned, and provided with every requisite, being destined, had they succeeded in reaching Brest, to make an impressive attempt upon Ireland, in conjunction with the French fleet, to enable the United Irishmen to throw off the yoke of England and establish a Hibernian Republic.

Admiral Duncan reached the coast of Holland on the evening of the 10th of October, and his first care was to station his squadron in such a manner as to prevent the enemy from regaining the Texel (sic), which, it was feared, he would endeavour to do on perceiving the presence of a superior hostile fleet. On the morning of the 11th he came in sight of the Dutch squadron, formed in line to receive him, at no more than nine miles distance from the land, between Camperdown and Egmont. He resolved, immediately, to break through the enemy’s line in order to prevent them from getting nearer to the shore—a step which, we believe, no other Admiral had ever dared to take before in similar circumstances, but which was successfully adopted by Nelson in the following year at the battle of the Nile.

“Instead of forming a line of ships, Admiral Duncan split the British fleet into two groups, which broke through the Dutch ships, firing damaging broadsides. It was a daring move, but successful, as the Dutch ships were not ready for battle. The victory stopped the Dutch fleet from joining the French navy. The Dutch and French had been planning to invade Ireland, and then to attack Britain.”

“The battle which now took place has been so many times described that it seems unnecessary to detail the particulars here. Suffice it to say that after a most obstinate combat, and a terrible loss in killed and wounded on either side, Admiral Van Winter struck, and eight ships of the line, two 56-gun ships, and two frigates remained as trophies of victory to the British but they were little more than trophies, being riddled in their hulls like sieves, and otherwise so cut to pieces as to be nearly all incapable of repair.

The battle was fought so near the shore that every manoeuvre might be distinctly seen from it, and the whole coast for many miles was crowded with thousands of spectators, who had the mortification of observing the entire destruction of their fleet without the possibility of affording it any relief.

It was during the heat of this terrible action that Jack Crawford performed the gallant exploit which has rendered his name immortal. The colours of the British Admiral’s flagship, the “Venerable,” had been six times shot away, and as often had their place been promptly supplied, but a seventh shot carried away part of the mast, which fell on the deck.” “The Union Flag (the original Union Jack without the red saltire of St Patrick) was the command flag of Admiral of the Fleet. In a time without electronic communication systems this flag was a very important identifier, and a proud symbol of British power. The loss of the flag could be a great blow to morale and could affect a battle.” “Lowering the Admiral's personal flag was a sign of surrender, and even an unintentional fall was unacceptable.”

“The phrases to “nail your colours to the mast” and “show your true colours” refer back to the original use and meaning of these flags.”

“The Admiral stepped forward and coolly tore his flag from the wreck, when, seeing Crawford stationed at his post near him, he turned to him and said, Go aloft, John; nail the colours up, and save all further orders about them.” On receiving this order Jack instantly ran up the shrouds, amidst the raking fire of the enemy, with a marlinspike in his hand, as a hammer; and, while rattlins and rigging were being cut to shreds under him, nailed the flag to the topgallantmast head, with the greatest coolness and intrepidity. He then nimbly slid down the topmast backstay, and jumped on deck amid the cheers of his comrades and the approbation of his commander.

But he had not escaped scathless. He had been shot through the cheek, the missile inflicting a wound which proved rather troublesome to heal. Only he had done his duty and vindicated the honour of Old England, as well as sustained the credit of the gallant seamen of the North Countrie.

Various versions exist of this ever memorable feat. Some are to the effect that Jack performed the act instinctively on his own account, without express orders. Others have it that when the Admiral stooped down and tore the flag from its fastenings, he called for some one to mount the rigging and nail the colours to the broken mast, as they could no longer be run up in the usual way. But as it was a very dangerous duty, and he who should dare it would take his life in his hand, a pause ensued before a volunteer appeared. After a few moments, however, Jack stepped up to the Admiral and offered to go aloft, and it was then that his commander, who had already learned his worth gave the order above-mentioned.

The first intimation of the success of the British was received in Sunderland about eleven o’clock on a Sunday morning, having been brought by the driver of the mail gig from Durham. As was usual on such occasions, horse and driver were decorated with ribbons. The postman hastened to the Market Cross, near the foot of Union Lane, where he announced the victory, to the great joy of the inhabitants, one of whom, whose name has not been preserved, was so elated with the news, that in passing St. John’s Chapel he opened the North door, and in stentorian tones bawled out, “Admiral Duncan has defeated the Dutch fleet at Camperdown!” This exclamation forthwith touched the loyal heart of Mr. Haswell, the organist, and he immediately struck U “Rule Britannia!” The congregation, determined to be no less loyal than he, notwithstanding they were at prayer at the time, instinctively rose as one man, and stood during its performance. Prayer was then quietly resumed.

On the morning of the same day, before the arrival of the glad tidings, the Loyal Sunderland Volunteers, commanded by Major Robert Hayton, had marched to South Shields to repay a visit which they had had from the Volunteers of that town. It was dark when they returned home, and hearing the glad news they immediately proceeded to the Barracks, where they got a supply of powder, and fired a feu de joie, while the band played the National Anthem amid the enthusiastic cheering of the townspeople, who crowded the Barrack-yard.

These demonstrations of joy were made in utter ignorance of what Jack Crawford had done to distinguish himself and do his country honour, in one of the most hardly-contested naval engagements that ever took place in either ancient or modern times. But no sooner did his fellow-townsmen become aware of the fact, then they set about to show their special appreciation of his bravery. In the month of March, 1798, an elegant silver medal, at the expense of the town, was presented to him. On the one side was engraved a view of two ships in action, with a scroll at the top bearing the motto, Duncan and Glory.” The reverse bore the Sunderland Coat of Arms, quadrant, and on the shield appeared the words “ Orbis est Dei. The town of Sunderland to John Crawford, for gallant services, the 11th October, 1797.”

In the great national demonstration observed in London, soon after the battle, to commemorate the victory, there was an open carriage in the procession with a sailor bearing the Union Jack. “This sailor,” says Captain Edward Robinson in his Life of Crawford, “was gallant Jack in proxy, for the real Jack could not be found, he being on the spree with his Pall. As the carriage passed through the streets of London the crowd showered into it money of all kinds, and the sailor reaped a rich harvest. This information,” continues the Captain, “I had from an intelligent old keelman named Edward Campbell, who remarked to me that ‘Jack, at that time, might hev meyde a gen’leman ov hissel, if he hadent been a fule.’ (sic) “.

It is said that when in London Jack was asked by one of the Royal Family what he could do for him, when he replied, “ Buy me an auld keel, an’ let me gan down ti th’ North Country.”.

When Vauxhall was in all its glory there was a grand representation of the Battle of Camperdown, and Jack was offered £100 per week to exhibit in the act of nailing the colours to the mast; but, although very poor at the time he sent this reply to the letter inviting him:— “No, I will never disgrace the real act of a sailor to act like a play fool.”, Jack was present at the burial of Nelson, in the month of January, 1806, and walked in the procession with his medal on his breast He likewise had the honour of being presented to King George III., and he ultimately had a pension of £30 a year conferred upon him, while Admiral Duncan was created a Viscount and received a pension of £2,000 per annum, in addition to the thanks of Parliament.

Unfortunately, in Jack’s case, promotion was out of the quest ion, as, besides that he was very illiterate, he was very fond of his grog. Teetotalism had not been heard of in his day, and grog and tobacco were almost the only luxuries of our gallant tars during those trying times. He was likewise generous to a fault, and would give his heart’s blood to serve a friend. After his return to Sunderland he followed the avocation of a keelman, and Captain Robinson was told by an old man who had “cust monney a cass wiv him, (sic)” that when Jack’s pension day was near he would say to his brother keelmen, “Tack time till haw get me penshon, an’ haw’l shar’d wi’ ye, (sic)” which he never failed to do. In other respects a more civil, better behaved man could not possibly be found in Sunderland. He never spoke of his daring act except when “he had had a glass or see,” for at other times one could not get a word out of him about it.

Improvident and thoughtless, like the most of his profession in his day, Jack was often reduced to hard straits for money. Eventually he pledged his medal, and for 29 years it lay at Mrs. Dunn’s, in the Low Street, before it was redeemed, Jack apparently thinking it safer there than in his own keeping. After his death his son John, a keelman like himself, but settled on the Tyne, got possession of the medal for a few months, and then handed it over to his mother, who sold it for £5 to an attorney in the town, out of whose hands it passed into those of two other gentlemen, the last of whom gave it to the Earl of Camperdown, whose father, Robert Dundas, eldest son of the illustrious Admiral, and second Viscount Duncan, was raised to the Earldom in I831. *

Jack was a great bird fancier, and spent much of his leisure time in catching the feathered warblers. He was married at St. Paul’s Church, London, in 1808, to the daughter of a Sunderland shipbuilder named Longstaff. He had a family consisting of three sons and one daughter. The daughter, who married in Sunderland, died, we believe, without issue, and two of the sons, who were sailors, left the town many years ago, and were altogether lost sight of. The eldest son, John, who supplied Captain Robinson with much of his biographical material, settled down as a keelman at Howdon Panns.

Jack’s demise took place on the 10th November, 1831. He was the second victim of the cholera morbus in this town, and it is said that ten minutes after he died his corpse turned quite black, but so little was known about the terrible Oriental disease at that time, when it paid its first visit to this country, that his body was kept three days before it was interred. ‘The Hero of Camperdown was then “left alone in his glory” in an unmarked spot in Sunderland Churchyard until the 6th August, 1888, when a headstone was placed at the grave.” “In 1890 a bronze statue commemorating his deed was erected in Mowbray Park and unveiled by the Earl of Camperdown, the grandson of Admiral Duncan.”


 * The medal was afterwards presented to the Borough Museum by the present Earl of Camperdown.

keelman until 1786 when, aged 11 or 12, he joined the crew of the Peggy at South Shields as an apprentice. He joined the Royal Navy in 1796, possibly as a result of being press-ganged but he may have volunteered, and served on HMS Venerable under Admiral Duncan the Royal Navy Commander-in-Chief of the North Seas.

At the Battle of Camperdown off the Dutch coast (11 October 1797), Venerable was Admiral Duncan's flagship. During the battle, part of the Venerable's mast was felled, including the admiral's flag. Lowering the Admiral's personal flag was a sign of surrender, and even an unintentional fall was unacceptable. Despite being under intense gunfire, Crawford climbed the mast and nailed the colours to the top.

Transcribed from Book no. 1 from the Sunderland Antiquarian Society

Sunderland Notables: NATIVES, RESIDENTS, AND VISITORS: BY WILLIAM BROCKIE JOURNALIST SUNDERLAND: PRINTED BY HILLS AND CO., 6 FAWCETT STREET. 1894

https://web.archive.org/web/20110807061950/http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=6963&p=0

. Jack Crawford from “The Monthly Chronicle 1888” Pottery Bank from “The Monthly Chronicle 1888” City Library and Arts Centre Local Studies Centre, Fawcett Street Sunderland, SR1 1RE Tel: 0191 514 8439 Email: local.studies@sunderland.gov.uk All images were supplied from the Local Studies Centre collection, Sunderland Public Library Service Find out more about Jack Crawford For more information, visit the Local Studies Centre at Sunderland City Library and Arts Centre, which has many books on Jack Crawford, such as: • “Jack Crawford. The Hero of Camperdown” by Michael Maclaren (1997) • “A sketch of the Life of Jack Crawford” by Capt. John Todd (1889) • “The Life of Jack Crawford, the Sunderland Sailor and Hero of Camperdown” by Captain Edward Robinson (1866) • “The Jack Crawford Medal” (Library Circular, unknown date) To experience what life was like on in an 18th century seaport and on board a war ship of the time, visit Hartlepool Historic Quay (www.destinationhartlepool.com) and HMS Trincomalee (www.hms-trincomalee.co.uk). You can also find out more about the history of Sunderland as a seaport and shipbuilding town, by contacting Sunderland Maritime Heritage (www.sunderlandmaritimeheritage.com) and visiting them on Open Days. For more information about Britain’s maritime heritage see the National Maritime Museum web site at www.nmm.ac.uk. The web site www.nelsonsnavy.co.uk has more details about the Navy at the time of Lord Nelson while www.portcities.org.uk explores the maritime history of five key ports in the UK – Bristol, Hartlepool, London, Liverpool and Southampton.

LOCAL STUDIES CENTRE FACT SHEET NUMBER 4 Jack Crawford http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=6963&p=0

Legacy
Towards the end of the nineteenth century interest in the 'Hero of Camperdown' was renewed, in part through the success of the popular play "Jack Crawford the Hero of Camperdown" by Sunderland-based playwright James Roland MacLaren, which went on tour during the 1880s. This resulted in the erection of a headstone in Holy Trinity, Sunderland churchyard in 1888. Two years later public donations led to a monument being erected in Mowbray Park, opposite what is now Sunderland Civic Centre.

A pub in Monkwearmouth was named the Jack Crawford and sported a carved figure of him on the side of the building. This is referred to in the North-Country Lore and Legend magazine for April 1887 (page 91). After the pub was destroyed during World War II, the figure was removed. In 1987 it was loaned to Sunderland Museum and put on display in the local history gallery but has been returned to the owner. The Museum holds Jack Crawford in high regard. There was an exhibition about him on the bicentenary of the Battle of Camperdown and there was a display about him in SeaBritain Year (2005). One of the Learning Rooms is named after him and there are several pieces of nineteenth-century Jack Crawford commemorative pottery on display in the Pottery Gallery. The silver medal that was presented to him by the Town following the battle in 1797, and given to the Museum by the Earl of Camperdown in 1880, is proudly on display in the Sunderland Heroes section of the Museum Street near the entrance of this award-winning Museum.

Doubt has been raised about Crawford's heroics. Possible evidence that Crawford was not a volunteer, that he was forced to climb the mast, or that he was drunk is debated. One book, written by the American Sheri Holman, attracted criticism from the city's Mayor. However, local historian William Corder had already made the criticism in the 1890s; Corder thought little of Crawford. He claimed that it was reported by reliable witnesses that Crawford was "drunk, acted without orders, and should have been court-martialled". Furthermore, Corder dismissed as a "deplorable monument" what others called the "fine headstone" of 1888.

A folk song about and entitled Jack Crawford – written by Johnny Handle, the Tyneside singer and former member of the High Level Ranters – is frequently on British folk singer, Bob Fox's, set list.