Journal kept by Major Kirkham, seaman, on board the ROYAL GEORGE, PROVIDENCE, SAN JOSEF, CASTOR and ABERCROMBIE

  • Life at Sea
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Title
Journal kept by Major Kirkham, seaman, on board the ROYAL GEORGE, PROVIDENCE, SAN JOSEF, CASTOR and ABERCROMBIE
Reference
JOD/277
Collection
  • National Maritime Museum, UK: Journals And Diaries (JOD)
Document Type
  • Artwork, Illustrations and Photographs
  • Diaries, Journals and Logbooks
Date
1798-1817
Description
This richly illustrated journal was written by Major Kirkham. The journal contains 58 separate watercolours, alongside detailed information about his voyages and the places and customs of the people he met along the way. The ROYAL GEORGE was previously named the UMPIRE and renamed in September 1782, after the famous loss of the ROYAL GEORGE at Spithead a month earlier. The journal contains information about Napoleon and a section about cities and places around the world. Ships mentioned include HMS ROYAL GEORGE, HMS SAN JOSEF, HMS PROVIDENCE, ROYAL WILLIAM, CASTOR TRANSPORT and the Brig MARTHA. Kirkham also mentions Cadiz and the Spanish prison hulks, discussing the way in which dead prisoners were disposed of overboard- over 100 a week, which resulted in many floating bodies in the water, a sight he could not get used to.
Theme
  • Leisure
  • Warfare