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Thank you for that,

Any idea if a crew list exists for the Amethyst at that time?

Arthur

Aside from Captain Mends on Arethusa, casualties were severe on both sides. Amethyst had eight killed and 37 wounded from a crew of 222, while the French ship lost 47 killed and 73 wounded from a crew of 339 Recriminations among the British officers began within minutes of the French surrender: Mends took possession of Niémen and sent a note to Seymour informing him that he had seized the valuable French nautical charts and the French captain's personal stores. The note also requested that Seymour send back Arethusa's surgeon, who had gone aboard Amethyst to assist with the wounded, so that Mends could be ready to leave without notice. Seymour, who was still effecting hasty repairs and dealing with his casualties, responded angrily, forcing Mends to back down and return the stores. Seymour was also annoyed by Mends' late arrival, which meant that Arethusa was entitled to half the prize money from the captured frigate without having done any of the fighting. Repairs were completed on 7 April and Amethyst and Niémen limped back to Plymouth, arriving on 13 April.

On 15 February 1811, while anchored in Plymouth Sound, Amethyst was caught by a heavy storm and blown on shore. Although no men were lost in the wreck and many of the ship's stores were salvaged, the ship was too badly damaged to ever sail again.The Captain (by then a Captain Jacob Walton) and a number of the crew were found negligent in an ensuing court martial.

The Action of 6 May 1809 was a small naval battle fought between the French frigate Niémen and several British frigates, principally HMS Amethyst, as part of the blockade of Brest, France during the Napoleonic Wars. During the Wars, a central part of British strategy was to isolate French ports from international trade in an attempt to both restrict French imports of food and military supplies and simultaneously to damage the French economy. To achieve this, British warships maintained a constant vigil off the French coastline, attacking ships that attempted to enter or leave French ports. Despite the threat that their ships faced, communication and the transfer of supplies between France and her colonies was vital to the French war effort, and the French Navy made constant attempts to evade the patrolling British squadrons. In late 1808, a significant French squadron was deployed to Île de France to disrupt British trade in the Indian Ocean. This force required reinforcement and supply from France, and periodic attempts were made to reach the isolated convoy with new frigates, the first of which was Niémen.
Niémen was a new and fast ship, carrying 40 guns and a large quantity of much needed naval supplies. However, in order to leave her home port of Brest, it was necessary to avoid contact with the British frigates that constantly watched the entrance to the harbour in search of enemy movement. In April 1809, these ships were HMS Amethyst and HMS Emerald, loosely supported by other patrolling ships and tasked specifically with the capture of Niémen, acting on intelligence passed on by the Admiralty. When Niémen emerged on 5 April, she was immediately spotted and chased. Amethyst retained contact throughout the night and brought the French ship to action on the morning of 6 April. The ensuing battle was fiercely contested and both ships suffered severe damage and heavy casualties.
While the outcome of the battle was still undecided, a second British frigate arrived, HMS Arethusa. Outnumbered, the French captain saw no alternative and surrendered his ship. The late arrival of Arethusa, under Captain Robert Mends who claimed the victory for himself, sparked a furious argument that developed into a lasting animosity between Mends and Captain Michael Seymour of Amethyst. The failure of Niémen to reach Île de France also had serious repercussions for the French squadron there. With naval supplies severely limited, their ability to operate at sea for long periods of time was hampered and by late 1810 few of their vessels were still seaworthy.

Following on --- can anyone comment on the HMS Amethyst role in the Action of 6 April 1809 as part of the blockade of Brest, France during the Napoleonic Wars and her return to England?

Thank You

Arthur

Found, courtesy of Bryan a photo of the tombstone of William Jr - "only son of the late Capt William Porter, Master, RN"
William Jr's wife Barbara Ann nee Cooke, 2nd son William Cooke (Porter?), aged 3yrs 8 mths 4/9/1872 (b.12/1868 or 1/1869), Eldest son John Tyson Porter d. 30/7/ poss 1908/9, Walton (Porter?), died 1919 aged 4? yrs (40) Abram (Porter), d.1941 aged 88 AND Sarah Brockbank, for 35 yrs, friend & servent to Abram Porter d.25/11/1932 aged 50 yrs also buried there.
Anyone have access to the 1871 census (assuming there was one) to see where infant William was living.
or suggestions for Capt William
. - This isnt him -too late- but is it possible for someone local to take a look - ----- National Museums Liverpool: Maritime Archives and Library-- Captain William Porter and Mrs Porter: journals kept on voyages from Liverpool to Bombay, San Francisco and Australia 1864-78 (DX/2131) willing to pay costs.

Thanks for all the stuff so far - you have been great.
Ta
AJ.

Kay,

If the PORTER tree you refer to is titled ...
"A PEDIGREE OF THE FAMILY OF PORTER OF BOLTON, CUMBERLAND" Published 1911, this is MY family.

Paula - you might like to look at this too
look here:
www.edenlinks.co.uk/RECORDS/PORTER.HTM

Since they changed the a2a website, it is very difficult to search and to find the info from the hits. I just put Amethyst into the search box and this entry came up.
Information relating to document ref. no. R 304a/49

Name: Porter, William Address: Amethyst Green, Drigg, Copeland, Cumberland Occupation: Master in royal navy Contents: will. [Lancashire Record Office, Western Deaneries of the...]

Hi Arthur,
I googled..Porter amethyst green drigg.
About the fifth one down... cumbrian genealogy..
That seems to show him living there in 1847.
There is a porter tree on the list as well
Good luck
Kay

Back again,

Carol - 1873 is too late.
Now annlaurie - tried a2a, but couldn't fond will - can you provide more assistance.

Kay can you give more info -- Porter Wm Capt.Amethyst Green Drigg 1847 - I couldn't find it.

Hi Arthur,

Do you know if you have a Henry Porter also known as Aubrey in your family tree.

My maiden name is Porter and my grandfather Joseph Porter was born in Carlilse Cumberland in feb 1910.

I have been trying to research the Porter's for a while now and keep hitting a brick wall with them.

All i know is Aubrey or Henry was born c1881 he was living at the Castle in Carlilse in 1904 when he married Elizabeth Pearson Long he was in the Border Regiment army medical corps.

Let us know if you have them in your family tree.

Regards

Paula

Have you seen the reference to his will on the a2a site? He's described as Master, Royal Navy.

Dont know if youve seen this?
Porter Wm Capt.Amethyst Green Drigg 1847

Thats from ..Cumbrian Genealogy....so looks like hes a captain.
Kay

Hi Folks,

Pat - NO offence taken - with the "I'll just go & kill myself" - knew you had a sense of humour.

Col _ William was Master of the Amethyst - I've seen dramatisations of Napolionic era where it appears that a Naval ship is handled by a civilian Master following orders of the Captain. He appears to be in charge of the day to day sailing of the ship. Don't know if William held an actual rank.Possibly he did.

Amethyst Green is not a ship, but his home near Drigg (Cumberland/Lancashire?).. Again, an assumption that he built it after his Naval carreer. His daughter, mentioned earlier in the thread was baptised at Drigg.

Carol - NMM looks promosing, but no luck yet.

Thanks to you all.

Arthur

Do you know what rank your relative held on HMS Amethyst. I assume that he then built himself a merchant vessel which he called the Amethyst Green
He would have been Master of the merchant vessel but would have held a naval rate or rank on the RN ship however he may have also been a Master / naval rank in the navy

no offence was meant Arthur - we all got into the spirit of the thing and just wanted you in on the act - shall endeavour not to get too enthusiastic in future!!! I was barking up the wrong gum tree anyway

Hi Folks,

This may add clarity or just confusion to the thread -

HMS Amethyst
Eight ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Amethyst:The first Amethyst was originally a French 36-gun fifth-rate frigate called Perle, captured in 1793, wrecked in 1795 near Alderney.The second Amethyst, launched in 1799, was a 36-gun fifth-rate frigate, wrecked in Plymouth Sound in 1811.The third Amethyst, launched in 1844, was a Spartan-class 26-gun sixth-rate frigate, sold in 1869.The forth Amethyst, launched in 1871, was the lead ship of her class of wooden screw corvettes. Sold in 1887.The fifth Amethyst, launched in 1903, was a Topaze-class third-class cruiser. In World War I, the flagship of Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt, she fought at the battles of Heligoland Bight and Dardanelles. She was scrapped in 1920.The sixth Amethyst (T12), commissioned in 1935, was an anti-submarine trawler. She was sunk by a mine on 24 November 1940.The seventh Amethyst (U16/F116), launched in 1943, was built as a modified Black Swan-class sloop, and served World War II, pennant number U16. Post-War she was modified and redesignated as a frigate, renumbered F116. In 1949 she came under fire from the Chinese People's Liberation Army on the Yangtze River. Broken up in 1957.The Eighth Amethyst, launched in 1983 was a Minehunter originally called HMS Waveney, sold to the Bangladeshi Navy in 1994.

So, though mine may have been the first, I may be wrong about the 2nd, the 1811 wreck. But I still can find no info on anything that may have killed or disabled the senior officers.

Arthur

Thanks Carol,

I'm in Australia - is there anything available on-line.

AJ

Hey Greengables, be fair - it's less than 24 hrs since posting.

All I have is the entry from a monograph on the Porters. I have see both the Chinese & Peruvian info. The 1811 wreck is probably not the one I'm after. Just guessing that it may be a Napolionic thing.

William built "Amethyst Green" possibly after he left the Navy. As "Master" would this make him a member of the Merchant rather than the Royal Navy?

If anyone knows when "Amethyst Green" was built it would narrow down the time.
William Married Jane who died 8 February, 1880, aged 81. He died 14/July 1849, aged 67. Tablet in Drigg Church.

Thanks everyone for your responses.
Arthur

seems Arthur's gone to ground anyway!!

just off to kill myself now!!!!!