hi folks I have a sailor narrative where he served in 1801 onboard HMS Melampus in the West Indies before he deserted and made his way back to London via Cadiz. In the narrative an officer is named - Tibbett - but I can find no record of him. The narrator tends to be vague with names - usually the first few letters of a name are on the money, but after that point it can be anything. So I'm hoping that one of you with access to Steel's or a hunch might help. If not then I'll need to have a check made of the Pay Books / Musters. Here is the extract and rough dates: "After our cruize was out we returned to Port Royal where Captain Moor left us [this would be August 1801] and returned to England. Captain Gosling [Thomas Gosselin (1765-1857)] who was appointed to our ship, being absent on a cruize, the First Lieutenant of the *Sans Pareil* [HMS] took charge of us for the cruize. His name was Tibett and he prooved [proved] to be a tartar but however his command did not last long, for in two months captain Gosling joined us off the Havanah where we was stationed; with several other ships blockading the port and frequently for deversion [diversion] we was to stand close in and amuse the Spaniards by fireing [firing] a broadside or two at the forts." Any suggestions gratefully received. Chris

Hi Chris, I have only a hunch to offer - since he seems to have spelled Gosselin the way he heard it, have you tried Tippett? A google search finds mention of a Lieutenant Tippett around the right time. Cheers, Katherine On 27 July 2011 13:42, Chris Maxworthy <cgmaxwor@gmail.com> wrote: > I have a sailor narrative where he served in 1801 onboard HMS Melampus in > the West Indies before he deserted and made his way back to London via > Cadiz. > > In the narrative an officer is named - Tibbett - but I can find no record > of > him. The narrator tends to be vague with names - usually the first few > letters of a name are on the money, but after that point it can be > anything. > So I'm hoping that one of you with access to Steel's or a hunch might help. > If not then I'll need to have a check made of the Pay Books / Musters. > Here > is the extract and rough dates: > > "After our cruize was out we returned to Port Royal where Captain Moor left > us [this would be August 1801] and returned to England. Captain Gosling > [Thomas Gosselin (1765-1857)] who was appointed to our ship, being absent > on > a cruize, the First Lieutenant of the *Sans Pareil* [HMS] took charge of us > for the cruize. His name was Tibett and he prooved [proved] to be a tartar > but however his command did not last long, for in two months captain > Gosling > joined us off the Havanah where we was stationed; with several other ships > blockading the port and frequently for deversion [diversion] we was to > stand > close in and amuse the Spaniards by fireing [firing] a broadside or two at > the forts." > >