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George Thom was my fourth great grandfather who sailed Napoleon into exile. Fortunately many of George's personal letters and documents have survived the years, some of which I have documented here.
George was born on the 14 September 1779 in Old Machar, Aberdeen to George Thom and Jean Angus. He was the youngest of 4 children:-
Daniel - b: 08/06/1771 Bishop - b: 09/03/1774 Elizabeth - b: 06/11/1777
George's father was a man of means and the children were educated by a
governess. In 1790, George ran away from home at the age of 11 to
join the Merchant Navy. He served as an apprentice aboard the Two
Brothers, sailing to the continent. At this point, George was too
young to join the Royal Navy which was his ambition. Life would
certainly have been hard for him aboard ship, especially as he was
probably the youngest member.
In 1805 at the age of 25 years he joined the Royal Navy as a Master's
Mate aboard HMS Lucifer. This was a "bomb sloop", under the
command of Captain R Elliot. George served in this post until the 25
October 1805 when he was promoted to Sailing Master of the Lucifer by
Vice-Admiral John Holloway of the White Ensign on board HMS Utrecht.
On 28 March 1807 under the command of Admiral Sir John Duckworth on
board HMS Royal George in Abounder Bay, Egypt, George was appointed
Master of HMS Standard.
During 1810 George married Margaret Ferrall, who at this point not much is known. In 1811 George and Margaret's first child, Bishop Thom was born in Ireland.
On the 22 March 1811 by order of Sir Richard Goodwin-Keates on board HMS Milford in the Bay of Cadiz, George was appointed Master of HMS Implacable and later HMS Alfred. Aboard these ships George served under Commodore George Cockburn Esq. On 28 August that year, George joined HMS Grampus.
On the 4 August 1812 George was appointed Master of HMS Marlborough by a warrant from the Commissioners of the Navy. He served aboard Marlborough until the 28th June where upon he was appointed Master of HMS Sceptre by command of Sir John Bruluse-Warren.
On 29 June 1814 on board HMS Sceptre, off New London, Admiral George Cockburn appointed George to act as Master of HMS Albion. In November 1814, George and Admiral Cockburn were commanded by King George III to join HMS Northumberland. They were charged with taking Emperor Napoleon into exile in St Helena. During this voyage George and Napoleon struck up a respect for each other and before being banished to St Helena, Napoleon gave his gold pocket watch and two small replica brass cannons made from actual guns used at the Battle of Waterloo to George.
It was also at this time that George drew two maps of the uncharted
waters around St Helena.
"**The soundings, which are of much value in computing the original line of coast, are quoted from a chart by Mr. George Thoms, of H.M.S. Northumberland, under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, in the year 1815; they show that the sea bottom slopes gradually to depths of 60 or 70 fathoms at a distance of about a mile and a half from the present coast, but immediately beyond that there appears to be no bottom recorded at a depth of, in some places, as much as 250 fathoms".
One map is still in existence at the Royal Navy Research Establishment in Taunton, Somerset, UK ........ the other was unfortunately destroyed by my second great grandmother, she thought it was a worthless, tatty piece of paper!! George served aboard HMS Northumberland until late in the year of 1815.
Whilst aboard HMS Northumberland George captured three ships from the French - HMS Nestor, HMS Revenge and HMS Dolphin. These ships were originally English which had been seized by the French, hence the English names. Any ships captured by the crew became a prize, this meant on return to an English port they would be sold and all monies divided between Captain, Officers & Crew. George kept Nestor but for Revenge received £ 73 pounds, 3 shillings & 6 pence and for Dolphin he received £ 187 pounds.
In early 1816, George applied to the Commissioners of the Navy for a 12 month leave of absence to take his ship Nestor privateering to North America (at this time England was on a war footing with America). This request was granted and also another two consecutive leaves of absence. George did not return to the Royal Navy until 1819.
On 6 October 1819, George & Margaret's second child Helen Thom was born. Also during this year George was offered the post of Sailing Master on the Royal Yacht "The Royal George" by Admiral Sir George Cockburn at the special request of HRH The Prince of Wales -the Prince Regent (King George III was now insane). The pay was 12 guineas a month plus all sundries found free of charge eg Food and "6 pairs of white silk stockings". George declined this offer as he had sold Nestor to pay for his new home in Aberdeen. He felt he owed a debt of honour to the new owners of the ship, and this led to him being ostracised by the Royal Navy Board.
Apart from the birth of Isabella Thom, George and Margaret's third child, in November of 1821, not much else is documented of George's life after 1816.
Research of Shipping Lists shows George sailing Nestor, between 1817 & 1822 to Canada and Philadelphia with cargo and sometimes settlers.
He died aged 44 years of age on the 25th February 1823 of gangerene to the leg. This is believed to be from a wound sustained during the years he spent privateering. He died within two days of the death of his naval mate of the Nestor. A letter received by George's wife Margaret states:-
An invoice from Margaret's personal papers details the cost and description of the coffin that George was laid to rest in. He was buried in Belfast Cemetery, Ireland with full Naval honours.