Talk:HMS Triton

Triton 1740 1745

Mary DEACON b 25.1.1720/21, bp 7.2.1720 St Thomas, Portsmouth, d 2.1.1749/50 at sea ; buried in Norfolk church, Virginia on 8.3.1749/50. Named in father's will of 1748. Married 14.9.1749 Portsmouth church sp-Captain Matthew WHITWELL RN. JD: appointed command of HMS TRITON, a 6th rater - a forerunner of the frigate - on 12.10.1749. He was to take command of the British squadron at Norfolk,Virginia. Contrary to regulations he took with him his bride & 15 year old William DEACON [(10) below] who wished to visit his uncle William DEACON [17 in 1.3 below] in Maryland. They left for Gibraltar on 6.11.17401749 & Capt WHITWELL took command of the TRITON from Capt Marriott Arbuthnot on 10.12.17401749. The only mention of his passengers in his log was: "21 Dec pm Watched & quartered the People." They ran into gales 26-28.12 followed by moderate weather. Then tragedy: Mary died at 7am on 2.1.1749(50). TRITON anchored in Lindhaven Bay, Virginia on 28.1 then at Norfolk on 6.2. Mary was buried in Norfolk church, Virginia on 8.3.1749(50). For Wm's account of this trip see "Memorandums" & "[expanded version" in DFB.

source [1] - Kittybrewster ☎ 23:53, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

Colledge lists no ship named Triton in existence in 1740. The source indicates that he took command of a Triton in 1749. But then that he sailed for Gibraltar in 1740, nine years before he receives command. Suggests that the external source is in error, the ship in question was the Triton that was launched in 1745, and is listed both in Colledge and the disambiguation page. Benea (talk) 15:16, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

The source even says that Mary Deacon died during this voyage, but in 1749. I suspect the nearness of the 0 to the 9 on the keyboard is responsible for this error. For 1740 read 1749 it seems. Benea (talk) 15:21, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

Thank you. I have stricken (?) 1740 and added 1749. Maybe it will be useful in an article about the ship. Kittybrewster ☎ 17:27, 5 May 2008 (UTC)