18th-century sailor's journal up for auction in NH

[Story]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hamps..._auction_in_nh/

LONDON—"Fish for dinner."

Not surprising for a sailor, perhaps, but the laconic observations of George Hodge, who went to sea in 1790, have stirred interest in his native land.

Hodge's self-illustrated journal, recording an adventurous life as a sailor and a prisoner of the French during the Napoleonic Wars, is being offered at auction Saturday by Northeast Auctions in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The auctioneer estimates the journal, a rare record of the life of an ordinary sailor, will fetch US$35,000 to US$50,000.

[Raphael Misson]

After which purchase is made, will hopefully be published with appropriate foot/end notes. It's neat how these journals pop up from time to time after lying in state in family libraries and such. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

[Story]

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Aye-yup. Which is why I never hesitate to dumpster dive.

PS: more details.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2008/aug/15/3

The 500-page diary of George Hodge, a self-educated seaman, features sea shanties and paintings, as well as erratically-spelled tales of drownings and girls "brot onboard".

[Capt. Sterling]

After which purchase is made, will hopefully be published with appropriate foot/end notes.

It would be nice...one can only hope...

[Raphael Misson]

Say, you should buy it, Sterling!

Reading through Barlow, Teonge and Coxere, I am astounded at the research the people who edited and published these things (in the 1930s & 40s) put into the project. Just untangling the multiply-spelled location names would give me a migraine. The end/foot notes are a rich treasure trove of interesting facts and cross-references to period naval documents & records, other journals, newspapers and books from period. A proper publishing of such a journal seems to me to be a thorough adventure in research and preparation. In fact, I frequently discover the next book I want to read by reading foot and end notes in my current books.

[Capt. Sterling]

Say, you should buy it, Sterling!

I wish... I used to buy originals... not that highly priced though, but then I got married.... **If I sigh here, I will get clobbered and have to cook for myself.**

[Mission]

I was looking through the archives for something and I came across this post again. So far, no book has been published that I can tell. However, there were some other stories in the UK Telegraph that I'm reprinting here before they archive them or something. (This stuff is useful to my research and so it may be to others.) The first is just a listing of some entries, which comes from this article:

Diary entries of sailor George Hodge

The diary entries of seaman George Hodge

Published: 1:47PM BST 14 Aug 2008 (Collected from the internet)

Dec 25, 1806, Employ'd in watering ship and seting up the riger - fish for dinner.

July 15, 1807, On shore at Point [in Portsmouth] at 3pm returnd onboard from liberty brot a girl onboard MAK [initials of girl] at 5pm the girls orderd of the ship.

July 19, 1807, Light breeze at 5am picked up body of John Carter and buried him on the Isle of White.

July 20, 1807, I receved prize money from the brige Ben Sprance taking of the Isle of [obscured] 13..6

July 24, 1807, The Donnegal mand the yards and fired a Salute the Donnegal saild clear or lighter of wine and bread.

Dec 26, 1812, A fresh breeze a strange sail in sight. Empl painting quarterdeck. Fell from the for top mast Mathew Donelson and was drownded.

____

The second is from another article in that paper here:

Diary of 19th Century British Navy life 'below decks' for sale

A rare record of life "below decks" in the British Navy between 1790 and 1833 penned by a sailor who served under Lord Nelson has been unearthed.

By Richard Savill

Published: 1:43PM BST 14 Aug 2008 (Collected from the internet)

The diary of George Hodge, a lowly sailor, whose rank is unknown, contains colour paintings and the words to sea shanties that the men sang.

The self-educated seaman, who spells words as they sound, begins the journal: "George Hodge his Book Consisting of Difrint ports & ships that I have sailed in since the year 1790. Aged 13 years."

He recorded details of the ladies of leisure with whom he associated, and painted pictures of ships and flags as well as a self portrait. Images of ordinary seamen from the time of Nelson's Navy are rare.

Hodge lists one or two skirmishes, but many entries cover the mundane activities of life on board vessels.

He began his career at sea as a cabin boy in coaling vessels between Northumberland and London.

In 1794 he travelled to a Russian Baltic port and on the way back was captured by the French, but was then sent home in a cartel sloop.

He was captured again in 1797, but was returned home and then spent months on the run from press gangs.

But in 1798 he was caught and joined HMS Lancaster. For the next nine years he served mainly along the West African coast, but also in Ceylon and the East Indies.

In 1808 he joined HMS Marlborough, 74 guns, and spent the years until 1812 mostly on blockade duty around Europe.

In 1815 he returned to Britain and served at Greenwich, ending his career in the merchant navy. An addition made after his death shows he had children.

The 500-page journal includes lists of ships and their guns, lists of crew, and a list of 192 flag formations. These include: "1. An enemy is in sight. 2. Prepare for battle. 3. Sail by divisions... 5. Engage the enemy (If red penant shown engage more closely) ... 10. Enemy retreating at full speed."

It also shows that danger was ever present for crews, even when the ships were not in battle.

On Dec 26, 1812, an entry reads: "A fresh breeze a strange sail in sight. Empl painting quarterdeck. Fell from the for top mast Mathew Donelson and was drownded."

Another entry reads: "July 19 light breeze at 5am picked up body of John Carter and buried him on the Isle of White."

On Christmas Day, 1806, he writes: "Employ'd in wartering ship and seting up the riger ... fish for dinner."

Hodge writes that he was born "In the Parish of Tinmouth in the County of Northumberland" and that his career began under "Capt Edger" who commanded the "brig Margerey."

The journal belonged to the maritime collection of American J Welles Henderson, who died last year. He bought it at a rare book shop in London in the 1980s.

It is being offered for sale on August 16 by Peter Coccoluto, from Northeast Auctions in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, America, is expected to fetch £30,000.

He said: "It is very unusual because the man appears to be self-educated which is why he spells as the words sound.

[Guest]

the man appears to be self-educated which is why he spells as the words sound.

Maybe 'is spel cheker wasn't workin' rite.....

I somtimes 'ave that problem.......

[Red Cat Jenny]

Thats awesome...I wish someone would publish online..I've looked myself why not share these things instead of putting an price on history?

[Mission]

I just wish someone would publish it. I want to read it.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Either or...history shouldn't be on some wealthy persons shelf..but available to the public.