Ellen Jefferies née SainsburySeaman, naval commander 1750 to 1750
July 19, 2022
Ida Roper – BotanistSeaman, naval commander 1750 to 1750
December 15, 2022
Home life
Joseph was born 1772 in Whitby, a seafaring town.
He married Catherina Rowe (also known as Catherine) on 3rd December 1801 at St Mary, Portsea, Hampshire.
Catherina was born in 1785 and she was 16 when she and Joseph married.
The marriage registry reads:
Seymour, Joseph, of Whitby, co York, and late of the ship Saturn, master, 21, b., & Catherina Rowe, of Portsea, a minor, with c. of her f., Alexander Rowe, of the s., surgeon, at P., 3 Dec 1801. (In the registry of the Bishop of Winchester, Allegations for marriage licences. Vol 2)
They had three children:
- George Alexander born 1802
- Augusta born in 1805
- Eliza born in 1809
Tragic death
Sadly Catherina died in 1809 and was buried on the 14th April 1809 in the St Mary’s Churchyard, Portsea, Southampton.
Catherine was about 25 when she died.
He never remarried
Master in the Royal Navy
According to Mackenzie’s Trafalgar Roll, he was Appointed Master Royal Navy in 1796.
He was a Sailing Master was responsible for the navigation of the ship, which is a distinct role from the Captain.
Master of the Amphitrite
Joseph served as Master of the Amphitrite at the capture of Devil’s Island off Cayenne; of Surinam; and St Martin’s; and of the Danish and Swedish islands; also of seven large privateers
He was also in command of her and captured a French armed schooner lying near a privateer, and in the face of a heavy fire. He subsequently boarded a Spanish armed schooner off Barbados.
Master of the Conqueror and other ships
He was also Master of the Conqueror at Trafalgar, 21 Oct 1805; of the Commander in Chief’s flagship at Corunna; of the Barfleur, flagship in the Tagus, 1809-12, and was one of the officers selected to fit for sea the Spanish line-of-battle ships in Ferrol.
He became Master of the Ramillies during American war, 1813-14.
Master of the Conqueror and other ships
He was also Master of the Conqueror at Trafalgar, 21 Oct 1805.
HMS Conqueror was a 74-gun battleship built at Graham’s Yard, Harwich in 1801 and first commissioned in 1803, so was a fairly new vessel at Trafalgar where, commanded by Capt Israel Pellew, she was the fourth ship in the weather column led by HMS Victory. Her losses were 12 killed and wounded.
She was designed by Sir John Henslow as part of the middling class of 74s, and was the only ship built to her draught. Whereas the common class carried 28 18-pounder guns on their upper gun decks, the middling class carried 30, and only ten 9-pounder guns on their quarterdecks instead of the 12 of the common class.
Subsequently he was present at the battle of Corunna (1809, and of the Barfleur , 1809-12 which was the flagship at the Battle of the Tagus.
He was one of the officers selected to fit for sea the Spanish line-of-battle ships in Ferrol.
He became Master of the Ramillies during American war, 1813-14.
In 1846 he retired as a Commander.
He was awarded a Naval General Service medal and two clasps which were awarded by to him by Queen Victoria in 1847.
He retired to Bristol and then died at 17 Saxon Place, Clifton, Bristol
In memory of JOSEPH SEYMOUR Esq Commander R N Born at Whitby 1772 died at Bristol 1862 This stone is placed In affectionate remembrance by his son GEORGE ALEXANDER SEYMOUR Esq Captain R N ******** JOSEPH SEYMOUR aged 14 years 1864 GEORGE ALEXANDER SEYMOUR 66 years 1868 GEORGE ALEXANDER SEYMOUR 32 years 1877 St John XIV Also in loving memory of ELIZABETH SEYMOUR Beloved wife of Captn SEYMOUR R N OBIT October 1st 1896
Family information on the grave
Elizabeth is Joseph’s daughter in law was married to George Seymour Snr
Grave J 371 Details
1st Joseph Seymour, Burial 05/06/1862
2nd Joseph Seymour, (Grandson 1850 -1864)
3rd George Alexander Seymour, (Son 1802 – 1868)
4th George Alexander Seymour, (Grandson 1845 – 1877)
5th Elizabeth Greaves Seymour, (Daughter-in-Law 1795 – 1809)
