To Cassandra, from Steventon, "I am sorry that our dear Charles begins to feel the Dignity of Ill-usage.-My father will write to Admiral Gambier.-He must already have received so much satisfaction from his acquaintance with & Patronage of Frank, that he will be delighted I dare say to have another of the family introduced to him.-I think it would be very right in Charles to address Sir Tho on the occasion; tho' I cannot approve of your scheme of writing to him (which you communicated to [p. 2] me few nights ago) to request him to come home & convey You to Steventon.-To do you justice however, You had some doubts of the propriety of such a measure yourself." - Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798
Admiral Gambier would have been James Gambier (1756-1833). He married Louisa Mathew, daughter of Daniel Mathew. Louisa was a cousin to Anne Mathew who was James Austen's first wife.
Here is an interesting link to Admiral Gambier, William Wilberforce, and Jane Austen.
http://claphamsect.com/2013/06/01/wilberforce-and-jane-austen-some-possible-connections/
Charles Austen would have been nineteen years old at the writing of this letter. He was already a Lieutenant serving on the HMS Scorpion or the HMS Tamar. I cannot find exact dates that he served on either ship.
Sir Tho' was Captain Sir Thomas Williams (1761-1841). He had been knighted in 1796 and was married to Jane Cooper, the daughter of Revd Dr. Edward Cooper and Jane Leigh Cooper who was a sister to Jane Austen's mother, Cassandra. So Jane Cooper William's was Jane Austen's cousin. At the writing of this letter Jane Cooper Williams had died in a road accident on 9 August 1798.
Captain Sir Thomas Williams was also the Captain of the HMS Endymion, a ship that Charles had served on as a midshipman, but later returned to as a Lieutenant in April 1803. He was then promoted to commander and given command of the sloop ship HMS Indian on 10 October 1804.
It seems the Austen's had a wide range of acquaintances does it not?
I hope you enjoy your day today!
Terrie
