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The Greensitt Family
Thomas Greensitt's family
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The Greensitt FamilyThomas Greensitt's family |
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Thomas was christened on 21 September 1766 at St Mary and St Cuthbert parish church, Chester le Street, Durham
We are not sure when he joined the Royal navey, but he became a master on 24 December 1794. His first ship as a master was the lugger HMS Experiment on which he served as a 4th class master.
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Thomas and Mary were married on 20 May 1809 in All Saints parish church, Newcastle. One of the witnesses to the marriage was a George Howey, this was most like to have been her father although it could have been her young brother. Thomas Greensitt was a sailing master who died before his son Richard's wedding to Jane Bright in 1845 as the marriage certificate started he was deceased. It is almost certain that he died before 1837 as there is no record of his death in the civil registration indices between 1837 and 1845. We now know from his will that he did actually die in 1828. In the parish records for the christening of their five children of his eight children, Thomas gave his occupation as 'Master in the Royal Navy'. Between 1820 and 1825 we know that the family lived in Byker Bar, Newcastle. Byker is the area to the east of All Saints in Newcastle. Masters were the ealiest warrant officiers in the navy to rise in both social and professional standing. In 1808, they were officially recognised as 'Warrant Officers of Commissioned Rank'. This meant that from this time onwards they were accepted amongst the wardroom officers. In the nineteenth century, this was considered the social test of gentility! Thomas Greensitt would therefore have had considerable social standing at the time of his marriage in 1809. |
Although Thomas was in the Royal Navy, searches of the following naval records at the Public Record Office, Kew has not produced any further details:
However, further research uncovered the fact that Thomas became a master on 24 December 1794 when he joined the lugger HMS Experiment as a 4th class master. According to the 1794 ship's musters, Thomas joined the Experiment at Meleager on 5 April 1795. Although ship's musters give the ages of the crew and were they were born , they do not give this information for the officers.
Thomas Greensitt's 1795 muster entry on board HMS Experiment
He stayed with the Experiment until 1796 when he joined what appeared to be the HMS Terpsichore. He served on this ship as a 5th level master for eleven years.
Thomas Greensitt's official signature as a Master in the Royal Navy
Thomas was master of the Terpsichore during Nelson's campaigne in the Med. In particular, the Terpsichore was involved with the activities just prior to the Battle of the Nile in 1798.
While on partrol during June, they boarded a Tuscan brig on 26 June. The next day they saw a further '3 Strange Ships of War':
Captain's log 26 and 27 June 1798
At that time the Terpsichore was part of Admiral Hope's squadron and was used to take a letter from Hope to Nelson on 13 July 1798.
On the 21 July, the Terpsichore saw a fleet of 18 sails at anchor. Although this was the first sighting of the French fleet, the news never got back to Nelson.
The next day at ten in the morning, they sighted and boarded a Greek ship bound for Alexandria.
Captain's log 21 and 22 July 1798
On 9 August, the Terpsichore was dispatched to Naples. Three days into this trip, on 12 August there was an explosion on board which badly damaged the vessel.
On this day they practiced using some French and Spanish rockets. An accident happened which blew up part of the half deck, including the captain's cabin and dreadfully injured 22 men. A number of others were slightly burnt, including the captain, first lieutenant, the master (Thomas Greensitt) and the surgeon. One man, William Trimmer, died and his body was 'committed to the Deep'. It is likely that this explosion is why none of Thomas Greensitt's masters logs for this period exist.
Captain's log 12 August 1798
In 1801, the Terpsichore was on active patrol around the UK. For example, at 6 am on 26 April 1801, they fired upon a lugger:
Thomas Greensitt's masters log am 26 April 1801
Thomas Greensitt, as master, was responsible for discipline which at this time was harsh. Thus, one seaman recieved a dozen lashes for contempt while the article of war were being read. At this time, the Terpsichore was sailing in the company of HMS Nemisis and HMS Savage.
Thomas Greensitt's masters log pm 26 April 1801
Harsh punishment did not seem to be that unusual at this time. For example, a few weeks earlier two marines were punished for drunkeness. On 24 March 1801, Thomas Greensitt ordered that one marine recieved six dozen lashes and another 44 lashes for 'Drunkenness & Neglect of Duty'.
Thomas Greensitt's masters log 24 March 1801
The list of ships Thomas served in as sailing master are as follows:
It is likely that he was in the navy prior to 1794.
According to the 'Naval and Military Magazine' (1827), 32 members of the Terpsichore's crew were killed during 1797.
In 1800 Thomas had a promotional move to a new ship but he requested that he remained on the Terpsichore due to ill health. This ill health may be related to the injuries he suffered in the 1798 explosion aboard the Terpsichore.
Accord to the navel lists from 1785 to 1829 Thomas served as a master. Although he stopped serving as a master in 1829, there is no record of his receiving a pension as his name was no listed in the 1829 pension remittance book. As yet we do not know on which ships he servered between 1817 and 1828.
Copies of the letters of recommendation from captains under whom he served have been obtained and clearly show that Thomas was an excellent master. Indeed, John Bacland Captain of His Majestys Ship Meander wrote on 30 June 1816:
"Mr Greensitt is a clever, intelligent officer in every branch of his profession, a great navigator ...."
Thomas' wife Mary Ann Howey was christened at All Saints Parish Church, Newcastle on 4 August 1793 and her parents were George and Mary Howey. George Howey was a labourer at the time of her christening but was a yeoman at the christening of his first son Richard in 1805.
Mary Ann Howey's birth register entry 1793
Mary Ann Howey had four sisters (one died as an infant in 1801/2) and two brothers. On the christening entries for her brother George and her sister Jane, her mother's maiden name was given as Greensitt. This christening entry also gave George's grandfather's name and occupation.
Jane Howey's birth register entry 1803 showing her grandfather's name and occupation
Her grandfather's name was Richard Greensitt and he was initially a waggon-wright but then later a wine merchant in Chester le Street. Her mother Mary was baptised on 23 December 1764 in Chester le Street. Because of the rarety of the name Greensitt, it is likely that Thomas and wife Mary Ann were cousins. There were a number of Greensitt (Greensit) families living in Chester le Street in mid to late 1700's. We have also found references to Greensitts in Harraton, a few miles north west of Chester le Street.
Richard Howey Greensitt's birth register entry 1825
When Richard Howey Greensitt married Jane Bright in 1845, his father was already dead. Thomas Greensitt died in the spring of 1828, his will being proved on 6 May 1828 in Northumberland. In this will Thomas left 'all my pay arrears of pay prize money' to 'his beloved wife Mary Ann'.
A portion of the offical transcript of Thomas Greensitt's will
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page last amended 25 October 2000
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| © copyright Oultwood 1999/2000 |
