3 1 Thames-side district from Queen Elizabeth's time onwards, building ships and fighting and voyaging in them. There was an Anthony Adams of Rotherhithe, adjoining Deptford, in 1597. One of the earliest pay-lists of Deptford Yard shows that William Blunt entered as an apprentice in 1665, and he was a Shipwright in 1673, in which year his brother Henry Blunt entered, the latter becoming Shipwright and later Quarterman of Shipwrights and dying in 1697, leaving a son Henry Blunt (1637-1763), a Shipwright who served sixty years in the Yard, and a daughter Anne, who in 1712 became the wife of Anthony Adams, born at Deptford 1687 (son The Surprise was launched in February, 1746, followed in the same year by the Scorpion of 18 guns. Next the Woolwich of 44 guns was commenced by John Darley and finished in 1749 by Moody Janverin, who in 1748-49 also built two ships at Lepe, near the mouth of the Beaulieu river. Henry Adams was Overseer at Buckler's Hard to the building of the Surprise, Scorpion, and Woolwich. On 8 May, 1747, as "of Deptford in ye County of Kent," he married at Brockenhurst Elizabeth Smith, "Daughter of Mr Smith of ye Parish of Bewly." On 14 March, 1748 (new style), Henry Adams himself obtained a contract to build on the Beaulieu River in the New Forest, with the home of the Adams family at the lower end. (About 1900). of Anthony Adams), who entered the Yard in 1699, becoming Shipwright in 1709 (serving continuously with the exception of a twoyear period, 1712-1714) and in due course Quarterman of Shipwrights. enry Adams, born of this marriage in 1714, was apprenticed in 1726 to Mr. Benjamin Slade, First-Foreman of the Yard, and his younger brother Anthony Adams (born 1716) entered in 1728, serving his time to his father, both duly qualifying as Shipwrights. 'The family lived from at least 1712 to 1734 in French's Fields, Deptford, where Henry Blunt owned two freehold houses. at Buckler's Hard the Mermaid, a 24-gun frigate, which he launched in May, 1749, two months after Janverin had launched his ship. Thenceforward till the end of the Napoleonic war the Adamses were the Shipbuilders of Buckler's Hard. In January, 1752, we find Henry Adams putting in a tender at Southampton to build two "busses" (fishing vessels of about 80 tons) for the British Fishery Society. He launched in succession the Lion transport of 4 guns in 1753; the Kennington, 20, in 1756; the Coventry, 28, in 1757; and the Thames, 32, and Levant, 28, in 1758. In November, 1759, Mrs. Adams died. Their two little girls died in infancy. A year later, 13 November, 1760, he married Anne, daughter of Mr. William Warner, Steward of Beaulieu Manor to the Duke of Montagu, and niece of the Rev. Thomas Burman, Rector of Dibden, from whose family came the name Balthazar. In 1760 the Hayling (called a hoy), of 4 guns, was launched. Here we must mention that in December, 1756, Henry's mother died in New Street, Deptford, and that his brother Anthony (of New Street and later King Street), after twenty-nine years' service, left the King's Yard on 6 Aug., 1727, and died in 1761, leaving his widow Martha with a young family, of which three of the children went to their uncle's at Buckler's Hard. In February, 1762, Henry Adams began building the Europa of 64 guns, at Lepe, launching her 21 April, 1765. In 1763, now a man of some wealth, he entered into a partnership with Messrs. William Dudman and William Barnard (who had been building ships for the Honourable East India Company at Ipswich), and a lease was taken of Grove Street Yard (known subsequently as Dudman's Yard"), Deptford, and a large number of warships was constructed or repaired there by the firm of "Adams & Co." till the termination of the partnership in 1792. Henry Adams financed the business, but took no active part in its management. During the period, John Dudman succeeded his father as partner. as A report of 1764 from Deptford Yard states, with regard to the elder Anthony Adams, that he was 77 years of age, had received several hurts in the Yard, was lame in his left hand, and was "almost worn out by long Service." An honourable record of sixty-three years' service, eighteen Quarterman of Shipwrights. In February, 1765, he was pensioned, and went to finish his days, still amidst familiar scenes, at his son's at Buckler's Hard. Here this veteran Shipwright died on 13 Feb., 1773, aged 86 years, and he was taken to Deptford and buried with his wife as "Anthony Adams Shipwright from the Parish of Bewley in the County of Southampton." Henry's nephews, Anthony Adams (born at Deptford 1745) and William Adams (born there 1747), now became useful at Buckler's Hard, and the former was admitted as junior partner. With Anthony joining in the contracts, they built and launched at Buckler's Hard the frigates Greyhound, 28, Triton, 32, Thetis, 32, in 1773, and the Vigilant, 64-gun ship, in 1774. Henry's sons growing up, Anthony in 1790 took Clobo and Purnell Farms, and died at Clobb House in 1814. William married and left Beaulieu. Their sister Ann was married at Beaulieu in 1774 to Mr. James Dann, who from 1789 to his death in 1795 was MasterShipwright's First Assistant of Deptford Yard. In the Hampshire Chronicle of 10 Oct., 1774, we read: On Thursday last was launched by Messrs. Adams at Bucklers-hard, a fine Ship of 65 guns, called the Vigilant, at which their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, with a great number of gentlemen and ladies were present. His Royal Highness was launched in her and had an exexceeding fine launch; she in allowed to be as fine a ship as any of her class in the Navy. The following Tuesday she sailed to Spithead with the Duke and many gentlemen on board. Henry Adams subsequently launched the Hound, 18, in 1776; the Pelican, 24, Pacific, 20, and Romulus, 44, in 1777; the Hydra, 24, in 1778; the Sybille, 28, Hannibal, 50, Pandora, 24, and Brilliant, 28, in 1779. Was All these ships had an honourable share in the operations of the British Navy; but we now come to one in the fact of having constructed which the Adamses took especial pride. The Salisbury and Winchester Journal of 10 April, 1781, says: launched at Buckler's Hard the Agamemnon, a fine 64-gun ship, built by Mr. Adams of that place." This was the ship Nelson loved, "the finest 64 in the service," and in which he won fame; and whilst commanding her he lost his right eye at the siege of Calvi. Later she was at Copenhagen and Trafalgar, and was finally wrecked in the River Plate. The Gladiator, 44, Heroine, 32, and Indefatigable, 64, were launched in 1783. The last, reduced to the armament of a frigate, was distinguished under the command of the gallant Sir Edward Pellew. The Sheerness, 44, followed in 1787. The Hampshire Chronicle of Monday, 6 July, 1789, tells us that their Majesties the King and Queen and the Princesses had on the previous Monday visited Beaulieu, adding: "They were within three quarters of a mile of Buckler's Hard, where a 74 gun a ship is ready to launch, and Mr. Adams, the builder, had got every necessary in readiness, in case he had been honoured with visit; but they returned to Lynhurst" (sic). Mr. Adams consoled himself by firing in honour of his sovereign a royal salute of 21 guns from the Illustrious whilst still on the stocks-probably the only such salute ever fired. She was launched a few days after, and we read: "A great concourse of very genteel people assembled on the occasion, about 150 of whom stayed to dinner, and the day was spent with great conviviality." son In the diary of Henry Adams's youngest John Adams (Attorney-at-Law, of Beaulieu and London) for the year 1791, he says under date Wednesday, 4 May: "The Beaulieu a 40 Gun Frigate was launched this Morning at 12 OClock from my Fathers Yard Bucklershard we dined about 80 after which had a dance and kept it up until 3 OClock the next Morning Sir Harry Burrard christened her & staid dinner & the Evening." The house possessed a large dining-room and ballroom, and unbounded hospitality was shown on such occasions. The Beaulieu was with Duncan at Camperdown in 1797, and gained further distinction in 1801 by the cutting-out by her boats with others from Camaret Bay of La Chevrette, one of the most brilliant feats of the kind in the history of the Navy. The family always showed keen interest in the ship-launches, taking a lingering farewell of the vessels for some days as they gradually dropped down the river, visiting them at their moorings off Gilbury and lower moorings off Gins, and sometimes even proceeding in them to Portsmouth. Elizabeth Adams, then seventeen years old and staying at Bath, says in her diary 25 Sept., 1794: "The Cerberus was launched, the first launch I was ever absent [from]." John mentions visits to "Grove St. on Business of my Fathers," etc. Writing in 1792, a Navy Board official says: "I called on Mr. Adams the Shipbuilder at Buckler's-Hard, who I believe has built more men of war for Government than any other private Builder in the kingdom." Henry Adams was now well advanced in years and a sufferer from gout. His sons, Balthazar (called "Balty") Adams, born 1766, and Edward Adams, born 1767, at this stage undertook the contracts, commencing with the Beaulieu, and launching up to the end of the war in 1814 no less than twentyfive warships, the chief of which were the Spencer, 74, in 1800, Euryalus, 42, in 1803, Swiftsure, 74, in 1804, Victorious, 74, in 1808, and Hannibal, 74, in 1810. Of the dashing 14 gun brig Dexterous, launched February, 1805, Midshipman George Adams was appointed to the new rank of Sub-Lieutenant second-in-command, and was soon engaged in action off Gibraltar. The Swiftsure and Euryalus, with the Agamemnon, were at Trafalgar. Many merchant ships were built at the Hard, also various lighters and small craft for the Navy. For the protection of the yard and to assist in repelling the threatened invasion of the country, the Beaulieu Volunteer Infantry was raised in 1798, commanded by Major Balthazar Adams, with Edward as Adjutant, Anthony of Clobb one of the Lieutenants, and Henry's eldest son, the Rev. Henry Adams of Beaulieu, as Chaplain. Charles Pocock, of Sowley House, husband of Lucy Adams, was a Captain. They served till the peace of 1801; and in 1803 the Duke of Gloucester's New Forest Battalion was raised, serving till 1813. The colours of the former corps are now in the possession of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu. and son a Henry Adams attained the age of nearly 92 years, dying 25 Oct., 1805, four days after Trafalgar, and was interred in Beaulieu Church. Anthony, as has been mentioned, died at Clobb in 1814, aged 69. John was drowned the same year on the Gore Sand off Berrow, Somerset, in the wreck of the Sulterton, trading vessel owned by Messrs. Adams. Balty died in 1821, and Edward, aged 82, in 1849, the latter's widow Captain John Adams being the last to reside in the old house up to 1852. Edward's eldest son, Henry Adams, the last to be connected with shipbuilding, was Lloyds' Surveyor of Shipping at Hull. The Rev. Henry Adams, M.A., of Wadham College, Oxford (though Rector of Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset) officiated as pastor of Beaulieu for forty-nine years, dying 1839, aged 74. The final members of the family at Beaulieu were the maiden sisters Mary Ann and Elizabeth Adams, who attained the ages of 84 and 90 years respectively, the latter dying in 1867. Members of the family served as officers in the Navy and Army during the wars with France, Lieutenant Charles Montagu Pocock being at Toulouse and Waterloo and Mr. John Adams, R.N., ten years prisoner-of-war at Verdun; Mr. Balthazar Burman Adams, R.N., served fifty-one years; Balty's son, Major Henry Balthazar Adams, completed fifty-five years' actual service; Colonel William Henry Adams (son of Captain William Adams, 34th Foot) served forty-nine years, including twenty-seven as Professor of Fortification at the Royal Military College (Sandhurst); and numerous descendants in each generation have similarly served the State, their campaigns including Syria, Sutlej, Baltic, Crimea, Persia, New Zealand, Burmah, Tirah, South Africa, China. Of those who took part in the Great War, members fell at Neuve Chapelle, at Messines, and in Gallipoli. The grand old ships whose roll has been given helped our country to rule the waves. This supremacy appears to be passing from us. But our future lies in another element, as expressed in the following extract from some lines of my own: To the Air, Britannia! There must ye meet your foe! In grip of death, with bomb, with ram, And doughty blow for blow! R. BINGHAM ADAMS (late Royal Sussex Regiment and Royal Engineers). THE EAGLE IN HERALDRY. - English heraldry has four forms of eagles, not to say more, and I will briefly classify these. The earlier form has one head, usually turned towards the dexter side of the shield and with dropping wings, the points downwards. This variety is found on old brasses and in stained glass windows. Later the German breed arrived with its oval bristling wings, and the Austrian double head, a sure sign of origin. I can always safely predict its habitat when it occurs in coats-of-arms. Later we got the close" eagle and the flying bird; both these, I believe to come from the Continent. The last I suspect is an Italian importation. Much confusion exists between the birds' heads when used as an heraldic charge. They are called indescriminately eagle, griffin, falcon, or "bird." The latter is a safe noncommittal form. The early form of eagle seems to have existed up to the sixteenth century at the latest. There are after that hybird varieties, each with a significant difference of outline; useful when one wants to date a shield. Even in heraldry a practical working knowledge of ornithology and botany is needed, to say nothing of shells, fishes and animals. One science always sooner or later introduces to other and deeper studies. E. E. COPE. Readers' Queries. THE MSS. OF WILLIAM CHAPPLE, A DEVONSHIRE ANTIQUARY. - William Chapple was born at Witheridge, Devonshire, in 1718, and is known to local antiquaries for his unfinished 'Review of part of Risdon's Survey of Devon' and for his 'Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus Provincialis.' For the purpose of the 'Review' he made a very extensive collection of notes, abstracts, etc., which, after his death, were purchased from his daughter by Sir Robert Palk and placed in the Library at Haldon House, where they were known to be in the time of the first Lord Haldon, who died in 1883. I am informed that a sale of books, etc., took place at Haldon House about 30 or 40 years ago; it is possible that it was at this time that Chapple's MSS. changed hands. Haldon House was sold in 1920, when everything then remaining was removed; the house demolished in 1926. was I have for some time been trying to find the present location of Chapple's MSS. but have not yet succeeded. If any of your readers can assist me I shall be very grateful. They may still be in private hands or they may have got in a public or college library. Mr. Esdaile, of the British Museum, informs me that they are not at the British Museum. While at Haldon House a catalogue of them appears to have been made by the Rev. S. Badcock; this catalogue was copied by the Rev. George Sercombe Luke into Volume 3 of his 'Collections for the History of Exeter,' now in the Exeter Guildhall. He mentions some thirty-five items. I printed a complete transcript of this list in 'The 13th Report on Manuscripts and Records existing in, or relating to Devonshire,' which I submitted to the Devonshire Association in 1927 (See Trans., Vol. 59, pp. 173-195). It is too long to repeat here in full. The list includes common place books, extracts from printed books, copies of 'Risdon's Survey of Devon,' re-arranged, enlarged and indexed by Chapple and Gullet, extracts from Domesday relating to Devon, with identifications by Chapple, an alphabetical list of the rectories and other cures in Devon, extracts from the 'Ledger Book or Costumal (sic) of the Priory of Otterton, transcripts of deeds belonging to the family of Crewys of Cruwys Morchard, transcripts of deeds belonging to the family of Tracy from the reign of King John to Charles II, Bremridge family deeds from the Fax eleventh century onwards, a translation of a perambulation of Dartmoor and of deeds relating to the Monastery of Buckfastleigh, copies of charters relating to Crediton, Exminster, etc., and similar items. H. TAPLEY-SOPER, F.S.A. University College and City Library, BELL-RINGER'S TERMS. Where can 1 find a list of the terms used by bellringers with their meanings, such as a peal, changes, etc., as well as the names such as "bob major," triple bob major," and sc on, which are often to be seen in bell towers. ، A. R. JOHN HORT: LORD DUNKERON. I have a copy of 'The Peerage of Ireland,' by Aaron Crossley, Herald Painter of Dublin,' dated 1725. On the back of the front cover is a bookplate under which is printed "John Hort Esq: Dub: 1757." On the flyleaf is written "This book was lodged with me by Lord Dunkeron." Who were John Hort, Esq., of Dublin, and Lord Dunkeron, of those dates? And what was a "Herald Painter"? EDWARD MCC. S. HILL, F.S.G. Coogee, Sydney, N.S. Wales. NAPOLEON IN HADES. Such is the title a photograph in Napoleon, the Gaoler,' by E. Fraser, 1914, beneath which is the line "From the Wierz Collection, LORD LEIGH. - The fifth and last Lord ،، Brussels." Who was the painter, and → where is the Collection" housed? The picture itself is reminiscent of a little volume popular in certain circles some seventy years ago known as 'Hell opened to Christians.' Napoleon stands in a column of fire in his usual cocked hat and military overcoat, and surrounded by some ten women staring at him with angry looks and arms outstretched ready, apparently, to tear him to pieces, while the great conqueror himself fixes with brooding, undaunted eye the foremost of his attackers. The idea of the artist is apparently to convey to the onlooker some notion of his conception of what Napoleon 3 deserved to meet with in hell for his cruelties to his prisoners of war. Perhaps some Bruxellois could and would kindly provide me with details of both artist and picture. J. B. McGOVERN. LISTS OF DOCTORS AND ATTORNIES. -Can any reader inform me where I can find lists of doctors and attornies, either printed or in manuscript? C. ROY HUDLESTON. THE FAIR THIEF.'-In A Collection of Poems, Mostly Original, by Several Hands (edited by Joshua Edkins), Dublin, 1790, volume 2, page 87, is a poem 'The Fair Thief,' by Oliver Goldsmith, which is not printed in his Works. It is in octosyllabic couplets, and is 36 lines long. opening lines are: I tell, and tell with truth and grief, The Leigh, who died s.p. in 1786. Can any one tell me whether this nobleman was insane? MONOGRAM YHS. The sacred monogram IHS, representing the first three letters of JESUS in Greek, is shewn in fifteenth and sixteenth century carving on the Continent as YHS. How did this form originate? G. S. G. WILLIAM HAMPDEN. In the Walsall Town Chest are three ancient documents, dated respectively, Feb. 17, 1586; June 23, 1586; and June 20, 1587; which bear witness to the fact that William Hampden, gent., of Ascot, Berks," acted in a legal capacity on behalf of "the Mayor and Commonalty of the Burrowe and Foren of Walsall" in their ،، endeavour to recover the Town Lands which had been filched from them during the troubled times of the Reformation (Henry VIII, Edward VI), and the usurpation of power by John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. Dudley was for a time Lord of the Manor of Walsall |