John Braithwaite (1696–1740), was an

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author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

Career

Braithwaite (also spelt Brathwaite and other variants) was the author of ''The History of the Revolution in the Empire of Morocco upon the Death of the late Emperor Muley Ishmael'', published in 1729 and translated into

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in 1729,

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in 1730, and French in 1731. In his preface Braithwaite describes himself as being in the service of the African Company, and as having, when very young, served in the fleet in

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's reign, and then having been a

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in the Welsh fusiliers, ensign in the Royal Guards, and

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to his kinsman Christian Cole, the

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, with whom he travelled through

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. Braithwaite married Christian's niece Silvia, whose father was a merchant in

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. He also states that he was in the Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent expeditions, and was present at the siege of

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(1727). Thence he crossed to

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

and joined the British

consul-general A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...

, John Russel, in his expedition in the emperor's dominions, the experiences of which he relates in his book. The diary of the narrative extends from July 1727 to February 1728.

Death and family

Col John Braithwaite was killed when the vessel "Baltick Merchant" was attacked and captured by a Franco-Spanish privateer (the "Biscaya") off the Scilly Isles. Braithwaite was murdered after the surrender. He was survived by his wife, Silvia (nee Cole), his elder daughter Caroline, who married Robert Armitage, his only son Major-General

Sir John Braithwaite, 1st Baronet Major-General Sir John Braithwaite, 1st Baronet (3 February 1739 – 16 August 1803) was Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army. Background He was born in South Carolina, the only son of Colonel John Braithwaite (1696–1740), author, soldier an ...

and a younger daughter, Sylvia. The last is assumed to have been born after the death of Colonel Braithwaite. She married the

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

Bonnell Thornton Bonnell Thornton (1725–1768) was an English poet, essayist, and critic. He was educated at Westminster School, and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1747. In 1752 Thornton founded the ''Drury Lane Journal'', a satirical periodi ...

. Her mother remarried Reverend Thomas Winstanley and had a further son, Thomas, who died at 21. The elder Silvia died in 1799. A

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Braithwaite is mentioned in the '' London Gazette'' as being appointed in 1749 to command the ''Peggy'' sloop, and again in 1761 as commanding the ''Shannon''. However, this was Richard Braithwaite, a younger cousin. In February 1768, a John Braithwaite was removed from the post of secretary to the

governor of Gibraltar The governor of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of the governor is to act as the ...

; but it is certain this is not Col John Braithwaite.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Braithwaite, John 1696 births 1740 deaths 18th-century English writers 18th-century English male writers Scots Guards officers