Captain John Quilliam
RN;
MHK (
Marown,
Isle of Man
)
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, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
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, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
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in Europe ...
29 September 1771 –
Kirk Michael, Isle of Man 10 October 1829) was a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
officer who served as
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
on
HMS ''Victory'' at the
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...
. He was a farmer's son who was
impressed into the Royal Navy in 1791.
Biography
Early life
The eldest son of John Quilliam and Christian Clucas of Ballakelly, John Quilliam was born in Marown, Isle of Man, in 1771. It is said he did not care for farming and consequently he was apprenticed to a stonemason.
[Isle of Man Times, 21 October 1950, page 7.] However, he was
impressed into the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
from a collier in Castletown harbour.
Career
Unlike most
impressed sailors, Quilliam rose rapidly in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
. By 1797 he had risen to the rank of
midshipman and is recorded at the
Battle of Camperdown following which he was again promoted, this time to the rank of
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
, on the recommendation of
Admiral Duncan subsequently serving as
third lieutenant Junior lieutenant is a junior officer rank in several countries, equivalent to Sub-lieutenant.
Germany
In the National People's Army, the rank of () was introduced in 1956.
Eastern Europe
In many Eastern European countries, the rank of junior l ...
on the
frigate , under the command of Captain James Young.
On 7 October 1799 ''Ethalion'' captured the 36-gun Spanish treasure ship ''Thetis''. For his part in the capture, Quilliam received over £5000.
Battle of Copenhagen
At the
Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, Quilliam was
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
aboard the
frigate . The slight
draft
Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to:
Watercraft dimensions
* Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel
* Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail
* Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vesse ...
of the ''Amazon'' meant she was able to get close under the
shore batteries
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to facil ...
; however this in turn led to the ''Amazon'' receiving a high volume of damage, the result of which was that all the higher-ranking officers were killed, leaving Quilliam in command.
Quilliam's gallantry and calmness under fire following the death of
Captain Edward Riou
Edward Riou FRS (20 November 17622 April 1801) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary Wars under several of the most distinguished naval officers of his age and won fame and honour for two incidents in part ...
and all the senior officers of the ''Amazon,'' quickly came to the attention of
Lord Nelson
Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought a ...
who appointed him
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
on
HMS ''Victory'' when she was commissioned as Nelson's
flagship a period during which he was to become an accomplished officer.
Battle of Trafalgar
Quilliam was the senior lieutenant on the ''Victory'' being responsible for safety, part of this remit seeing him develop an emergency system in order to steer the ship.
He assisted in steering ''Victory'' into action at Trafalgar, his system coming into effect early in the battle, when having sustained damage to her steering gear ''Victory'' required all Quilliam's experience in order for her to continue to remain
seaworthy
Seakeeping ability or seaworthiness is a measure of how well-suited a watercraft is to conditions when underway. A ship or boat which has good seakeeping ability is said to be very seaworthy and is able to operate effectively even in high sea stat ...
.
A contemporary report stated:
Post Trafalgar
Following Trafalgar Quilliam was promoted to captain and placed in command of
HMS ''Ildefonso'', a Spanish ''74'' having to refit her at
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
and not arriving in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
until 16 May 1806. In 1808, he was captain of
Admiral Stopford's flagship
HMS ''Spencer'', subsequently taking command of the frigates HMS ''Alexandria,''
HMS ''Inconstant'' and
HMS ''Crescent'', seeing action on the
Newfoundland Station where he served as such until the defeat of
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
in 1815 when he retired from the navy.
On 18 September 1813, off Cape Row as
captain of the ''Crescent'', Quilliam captured the 14-gun American
privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...
schooner the ''Elbridge Gerry'' together with her crew of 66 men.
Personal life
Politics
Although still an active naval officer, in 1807 Capt. Quilliam was invited to become a
Member of the House of Keys
The House of Keys () is the directly elected lower house of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man, the other branch being the Legislative Council.
History
The oldest known reference to the name is in a document of 1417, written in ...
. At that time the body was self-elected, the members being chosen by the
lieutenant governor on the recommendation of the house. He resigned his seat in 1810 in order to return to sea, however on his return to the Island he was again invited to continue as a
Member of the House of Keys
The House of Keys () is the directly elected lower house of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man, the other branch being the Legislative Council.
History
The oldest known reference to the name is in a document of 1417, written in ...
in 1817.
Retirement
On the conclusion of his career in the navy,
Captain Quilliam returned to the Isle of Man, investing his considerable wealth in numerous properties. On 21 December 1807, Quilliam married Margaret Stevenson at
Castletown, his wife being part of a renowned Manx family from Balladoole.
The couple made their family home at Ballakeighan before they acquired a property on the Parade,
Castletown, living in the house known as the ''"Balcony House."'' The marriage produced no children.
Quilliam's main hobby was fishing, and he occupied himself with a small fishing boat which he designed and fitted out himself.
In 1826 Capt. Quilliam was instrumental along with
Sir William Hillary in the formation on the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
of a District Association of the
Royal National Institution of the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck. He also served as Chairman of the Committee for Shipwrecked Seamen. In addition he was one of a group of gentlemen who put forward the scheme for the erection of the
Derbyhaven Breakwater.
Death
Capt. Qulliam died on 10 October 1829. He was buried in the Stevenson family vault in the graveyard at
Kirk Arbory.
Memorial
There is the following inscription on his tombstone;
HMS ''Quilliam''
HMS ''Quilliam'' was a
Q-class destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
serving in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
from 1942 to 1945. She was then transferred to the
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...
, where she was commissioned as Hr.Ms. ''Banckert'' (D801) until 1957. During her wartime service ''Quilliam'' was involved in operations in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. While taking part in Operation Iceberg (
the Invasion of Okinawa), ''Quilliam'' was involved in a collision with the British aircraft carrier .
Commemoration
* A sculpture of Quilliam by Manx artist
Bryan Kneale
Robert Bryan Charles Kneale (born 19 June 1930) is a Manx artist and sculptor, described by BBC News Online as "one of the Isle of Man's best known artists."
Biography
Born in the island's capital, Douglas, Kneale studied painting at the Dou ...
was unveiled on Trafalgar Day 2005 at
Castle Rushen
Castle Rushen ( gv, Cashtal Rosien) is a medieval castle located in the Isle of Man's historic capital, Castletown, in the south of the island. It towers over the Market Square to the south-east and the harbour to the north-east. The castle i ...
. The sculpture won the 2007
Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture
The Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture is an annual award for public sculpture in the UK or Ireland.
The Award is funded by the Marsh Charitable Trust and is made on the recommendation of a panel of judges under the auspices of the Pu ...
.
* The uniform of Captain Quilliam is on public display at the
Manx Museum
The Manx Museum (Thie Tashtee Vannin) in Douglas, Isle of Man is the national museum of the Isle of Man. It is run by Manx National Heritage. In general, the museum covers 10,000 years the history of the Isle of Man from the Stone Age to the mode ...
,
Douglas, Isle of Man
Douglas ( gv, Doolish, ) is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,677 (2021). It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and on a sweeping bay of . The River Douglas forms part of the town's harbour ...
.
* To mark the 150th anniversary of his death in 1979, a series of postage stamps by the
Isle of Man Post Office
The Isle of Man Post Office ( gv, Oik Postagh Ellan Vannin), which formerly used the trading name Isle of Man Post, operates postal collection, ancillary mail services, philatelic goods and delivery services and post office counter services on ...
dedicated to Capt. Quilliam were released. The four stamps in the series depicted Quilliam being
impressed into the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
, his role at the
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...
, his time in command of
HMS ''Spencer'' and his subsequent career as a
Member of the House of Keys
The House of Keys () is the directly elected lower house of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man, the other branch being the Legislative Council.
History
The oldest known reference to the name is in a document of 1417, written in ...
.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quilliam, John
1771 births
1829 deaths
Manx people
Royal Navy personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars
Royal Navy officers
British naval commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
Members of the House of Keys