Back from deepest darkest Devon

I’m just home from an immensely fun trip to Exeter with the lovely nodbear where we spent three days at Devon Records Office going through the Pellew archive with a fine tooth comb. Needless to say we were in our element and discovered all sorts of little gems which we’ll be spamming you with for months to come. The archive proved to be so entertaining that we were in serious danger of being thrown out as a result of having an uncontrollable fit of the giggles after discovering a press report about Ned’s dear friend, Jacques Bergeret, which mangled his name in a most unfortunate manner.


On Saturday we had a glorious afternoon at the rugby, where we saw my home team Glasgow Warriors beat Exeter Chiefs in fine style :D It was a highly entertaining game, with no cards, and I have to say that the staff and stewards at the Exeter ground are the most pleasant and helpful people you could ever wish to meet.

Before leaving today, we took the train down to Teignmouth to visit West Cliff House, Pellew’s final home where he lived throughout his retirement with his wife Susan and a veritable tribe of grandchildren. West Cliff is now known as Bitton House and it serves as Teignmouth council offices and town hall. It also happens to be at the top of a very, very steep hill, and, even if I say so myself, it took a heroic effort to get both of us up there! It was well worth it though :) Despite its conversion into council offices, the house still looks very handsome and Susan Pellew would be delighted to see her orangery renovated and well cared for. After the epic push to the top of the hill we were well in need of lunch, so like proper AoS fangirls we went to the Jolly Sailor pub, which purports to be Teignmouth’s oldest, having been built in the early 17th century, though they claim there has been a licensed inn on the site since 1162! By the time we had finished lunch, the heavens had opened and a gale was blowing up, so we had a quick, and very bracing, walk down to the sea front to watch the surfers, before high tailing it back to the train station. The train line runs right along the coast and the waves were breaking right over the train on the way back. We were both completely drenched by the time we got back to Exeter but we wouldn't have missed it for the world.

We've got lots more pictures of Pellew related landmarks which we'll post later in the week :)

A "new" account of the Droits de L'Homme engagement

Tonight marks the anniversary of the Droits de L’Homme engagement when Captains Sir Edward Pellew and Robert Carthew Reynolds in the frigates Indefatigable and Amazon took on Commodore Raymond de Lacrosse’s 74 gun ship of the line, Les Droits de L’Homme, and ran her into the surf off Hodierne Bay.



Vaisseau Droits de l’Homme by Leopold le Guen
nodbear and I have posted several accounts of this action over the years, but we were very excited to discover this “new” version of the engagement in Devon Records Office last week. This account is written by Edward Hawke Locker who served as Lord Exmouth’s secretary later in his career and the document is edited by Exmouth’s son George Pellew, Dean of Norwich. Neither Locker nor George Pellew were seamen and there are several slips and inaccuracies in the document that betray their lack of knowledge of the engagements they are describing. The final version of this account, which has been altered substantially from this draft, was published in the United Service Journal in 1833 in an article titled “Memoirs of the Services of Admiral Lord Viscount Exmouth, G.C.B., Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom”.

Sir Edward fell in with Les Droits de L’Homme a French 80 gun ship filled with troops returning from the expedition to Ireland, and steering for Brest Harbour which was then 30 or 40 leagues distant – Sir Edward running along side the chase closely engaged her for some time until he unavoidably shot ahead, and the Amazon shortly afterward following his example found herself similarly circumstanced - Having quickly shortened sail, the 2 frigates placed themselves on either side of their gigantic foe and with but a few interruptions from the cause already stated, continued the contest with unabated energy during the whole night, the men being often knee deep in water as they stood to their guns which they were obliged repeatedly to draw without firing – Meanwhile the enemy defended herself obstinately against her tenacious assailants, where fire had reduced her masts & spars almost to a wreck, and had committed great havoc among her crew still however she would not surrender but continued running blindly before the Gale with awful rapidity.

At this period Sir Edwd who, dreading the proximity of the iron bound coast of France, had dictated the strictest lookout to be kept, was informed of the appearance of land right ahead and almost about the same moment, of breakers close under the lee bow. This was one of those critical situations where the value of a clear cool head and firm heart is beyond all price – Not a moment was to be lost - Signals were made to the Amazon and both frigates instantly hauled off on different tacks. Almost immediately afterwards their brave enemy was descried lying on her beam ends amongst the rocks where, dreadful to relate, her whole crew consisting of 1600 persons perished - In her headlong rush for Brest Harbour she had missed her mark and gone ashore in Hodierne Bay – Nor was Sir Edwards situation when day dawned much to be preferred - a gale of wind - a dead lee shore, and an enemy’s at that – a crippled ship – an exhausted crew and the Penmark Rocks, that dread of seamen, to be weathered - these were the difficulties which presented themselves to him as the day dawned. By the ablest seamanship however and by the exertions as are only made when life depends on it they were all providentially surmounted and the Indefatigable reached Plymouth in safety – Her consort was not so fortunate – The next advices from France brought news that the brave Reynolds, failing to beat out of the bay, had been driven shore and was a prisoner with all his crew.