William Mortimer (1782-1842)

East India Company ship’s surgeon
Voyage to India 1803 on the Devagnes

In 1803 William Mortimer aged 21 on arrival in Madeira is writing a letter to his parents at home in Trewellwell, St David’s, Pembrokeshire.
His parents are Mr Thomas Mortimer 1747-1838 and Catherine Maurice 1757-1837
William tells us in the family letter  that he has been 23 days at sea since setting off on board ship the East India Company ship bound for Madras from Portsmouth on a very tedious journey, though one on which he has proudly not been seasick.

He says, ‘from unfair winds the equatorial gales we have been tossing around in the Atlantic ocean ever since, for the first four days after our sailing there was but a light breeze and that against us from the south west on the 9th we were off Lands End the wind obliging to edge off towards Ireland but  a strong breeze came from the North West which enabled us to get fair out of the channel’

Then on the 11th ‘two strange sails appeared in sight which bore down upon us till nearly in reach of our cannon and then made off again were ready and clear for action and hoisted the English colours and fired a gun upon which they likewise hoisted English colours.’

Sailing closer it was discovered that the ships were one English one and one from Lisbon bound to London.’ From the 11th to the 14th the wind blew fresher till at last a gale in the Bay of Biscay listed us most dreadfully’ William goes on to describe the sea as being quite literally as high as a mountain during which time they spent three days being tossed about.
However, the calm that followed was almost worse than the gale as the sea had not subsided.
A fresh breeze enabled the ship to go at 9 knots an hour and the high hills of Madeira came into sight the next morning. The ship anchored at noon on the 27th.

William found Madeira to be ‘a really romantic place’ being taken with the high hills and rocks.
He reports that the island abounds with all kinds of delicious fruits - grapes, nectars, oranges, lemons, walnuts, figs etc. Wine of course being the main produce of the land. He seems happy that he also now has time to practice and study his medicine and reports to his parents that he is making good use of the books his uncle has given him. He expects to be on Madeira about a week and is excited to be going ashore with the Captain to dine at a merchant’s house the following day.

Apparently, the meal was good and was followed up with rabbit shooting ‘a considerable diversion but nothing equal to the sport I have enjoyed with you at Trewellwell and St Eloy.
William then describes how he has sold some items in exchange for wine hoping to gain profit twice when he sells it on arrival in India. The items were ham and cheeses, perishable goods which would not complete the journey.

Sadly William goes on to say that some men have deserted the ship, several of them drowning in the process whilst attempting to access the shore and two are to be court martially the following day. As ship’s surgeon William is unhappily going to be forced to attend the flogging.
He seems understandably very homesick for his family at this point. He finishes his letter’s go from here to Bombay where we will probably remain a month and then to Madras for perhaps three months and then home. He sends his love to all the family back home in Wales and his uncle in Bristol.

William Mortimer’s life.

William was born in 1782 the son of Thomas Mortimer and Catherine Maurice at Trewellwell, near St David’s in Pembrokeshire. He was firstly apprenticed to his uncle Joseph Maurice the Bristol apothecary in 1798 for four years becoming a pupil to Mr Richard Smith in 1802 at the London hospital. This was at the same time as his relative and contemporary John Howell of Abernant was training in London and then also joined the E.I.C as a surgeon.

In 1806 he arrived back in England and in 1807 joined a partnership in Bristol after his uncle Joseph Maurice loaned him the £1000 required to buy in.

In 1832 he was living in Richmond Terrace, Clifton and in 1833 he was finally aged 50 able to marry Sophia Ann Mansell in London. They had been together a while with a daughter Charlotte born in 1820 but had been unable to marry because Sophia’s first husband was still alive.He  was also in the E.I.C  and had deserted her for another woman.

William Mortimer died in 1842 and is buried in St Andrew’s Church, Clifton.

Contributed by Jeni Molyneax (12/12/2019)