Jack Aubrey

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He was in HMS ''Theseus'' as a man young enough that "he had been so small that he could easily sit on the middle [[crosstree]] with his legs dangling, lean forward on his arms folded over the after tree and go to sleep, firmly wedged in spite of the wild gyrations of his seat."<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 83</ref>
He was in HMS ''Theseus'' as a man young enough that "he had been so small that he could easily sit on the middle [[crosstree]] with his legs dangling, lean forward on his arms folded over the after tree and go to sleep, firmly wedged in spite of the wild gyrations of his seat."<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 83</ref>
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He was a midshipman aboard HMS ''Bellerophon'', serving with [[Heneage Dundas]] in the West Indies, where they engaged in a sword duel over a disputed game of backgammon, a duel in which Aubrey received a scar but which ended with the two friends reunited for life.<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Commodore''. (c)1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 117, 4-5</ref> He almost drowned in the Bay of Biscay off Cape Ortegal while a midshipman in the 38-gun frigate ''Latona''.<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Blue at the Mizzen''. (c) 1999 W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY 10110. p. 88</ref> Still a midshipman but now aboard ''HMS Resolution'', Aubrey was disrated by [[Charles Douglas|Captain Douglas]] and turned before the mast where he spent some months as a foremast-hand. He originally tells [[Stephen Maturin|Maturin]] that the cause of his disrating was that he kept a [[Sally M'puta|girl]]<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: pp. 137-8</ref><ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Reverse of the Medal''. (c)1986 First published as a Norton Paperback 1992. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 36</ref> in the [[cable tier]]. In [[The Reverse of the Medal]], however, Captain Goole, who was himself a midshipman on ''Resolution'' at the time, tells his wife that it was due to another liberty Aubrey took with the rule. "He stole most of the captain's dish of tripe by means of a system of hooks and tackles."<ref>''Ibid''.: p. 13, see also, O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Nutmeg of Consolation''. (c) 1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 97-98</ref> Aubrey would later serve under Captain Richardson as [[master's mate]] in the ''Sybille''. <ref> O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Hundred Days''. (c) 1998 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 238</ref>
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He was a midshipman aboard HMS ''Bellerophon'', serving with [[Heneage Dundas]] in the West Indies, where they engaged in a sword duel over a disputed game of backgammon, a duel in which Aubrey received a scar but which ended with the two friends reunited for life.<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Commodore''. (c)1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 117, 4-5</ref> He almost drowned in the Bay of Biscay off Cape Ortegal while a midshipman in the 38-gun frigate ''Latona''.<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Blue at the Mizzen''. (c) 1999 W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY 10110. p. 88</ref> As the "most junior midshipman"<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 220</ref> aboard ''HMS Resolution'', Aubrey was disrated by [[Charles Douglas|Captain Douglas]] and turned before the mast where he spent some months as a foremast-hand. He originally tells [[Stephen Maturin|Maturin]] that the cause of his disrating was that he kept a [[Sally M'puta|girl]]<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: pp. 137-8</ref><ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Reverse of the Medal''. (c)1986 First published as a Norton Paperback 1992. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 36</ref> in the [[cable tier]]. In [[The Reverse of the Medal]], however, Captain Goole, who was himself a midshipman on ''Resolution'' at the time, tells his wife that it was due to another liberty Aubrey took with the rule. "He stole most of the captain's dish of tripe by means of a system of hooks and tackles."<ref>''Ibid''.: p. 13, see also, O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Nutmeg of Consolation''. (c) 1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 97-98</ref> Aubrey would later serve under Captain Richardson as [[master's mate]] in the ''Sybille''. <ref> O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Hundred Days''. (c) 1998 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 238</ref>
    
    
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Besides ''Resolution'', Jack served on HMS ''Colossus''<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Thirteen-Gun Salute''.(c) 1989 William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., Glasgow: p. 88</ref> and as [[midshipman]] on HMS ''Namur''.<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Far Side of the World''. (c)1984 by William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd. Published as a Norton Paperback 1992: p. 373</ref> At a unknown time he served on board ''[[HMS Surprise (ship)|HMS Surprise]]'' as a midshipmen. He spent some time in HMS ''Minerva'', sailing to England from the Cape of Good Hope under Captain Soules.<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Wine-Dark Sea''. (c) 1993 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 17</ref> As [[lieutenant]], he took part in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent]] (1797) on board the ''Orion'' and in the [[Battle of the Nile]] (1798) on the ''[[HMS Leander|Leander]]'';  it was this occasion which brought him into contact with [[Horatio Nelson|Nelson]].  
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Besides ''Resolution'', Jack served on HMS ''Success'' under [[Sir Henry Neale]]<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 220</ref>, HMS ''Colossus''<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Thirteen-Gun Salute''.(c) 1989 William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., Glasgow: p. 88</ref> and as [[midshipman]] on HMS ''Namur''.<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Far Side of the World''. (c)1984 by William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd. Published as a Norton Paperback 1992: p. 373</ref> At a unknown time he served on board ''[[HMS Surprise (ship)|HMS Surprise]]'' as a midshipmen. He spent some time in HMS ''Minerva'', sailing to England from the Cape of Good Hope under Captain Soules.<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Wine-Dark Sea''. (c) 1993 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 17</ref> As [[lieutenant]], he took part in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent]] (1797) on board the ''Orion'' and in the [[Battle of the Nile]] (1798) on the ''[[HMS Leander|Leander]]'';  it was this occasion which brought him into contact with [[Horatio Nelson|Nelson]].  
He served as fifth lieutenant in HMS ''Hannibal'' under Captain Newman<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 138</ref> and as a lieutenant aboard HMS ''Arethusa'',<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Commodore''. (c)1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY.</ref> from which he lead the prize crew that took ''Généreux'' into Port Mahon<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 50</ref> after her capture by a squadron under Lord Nelson on 18 February, 1800.<ref> [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/liste.php?char=G#1005 Age of Nelson website's history of HMS ''Généreux'']</ref>
He served as fifth lieutenant in HMS ''Hannibal'' under Captain Newman<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 138</ref> and as a lieutenant aboard HMS ''Arethusa'',<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''The Commodore''. (c)1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY.</ref> from which he lead the prize crew that took ''Généreux'' into Port Mahon<ref>O'Brian, Patrick. ''Master and Commander''. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 50</ref> after her capture by a squadron under Lord Nelson on 18 February, 1800.<ref> [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/liste.php?char=G#1005 Age of Nelson website's history of HMS ''Généreux'']</ref>

Revision as of 15:33, 31 October 2009

John Aubrey[1][2] is usually known as Jack Aubrey in the Aubrey-Maturin series. One of two primary protagonists of the series, Aubrey begins the series as a Royal Navy lieutenant in Port Mahon, Minorca, in Master and Commander.

In the opening scene, Aubrey is at a concert at Governor's House in Port Mahon. He is described as "Between twenty and thirty whose big form overflowed his seat...with the silver medal of the Nile in his buttonhole...while his bright blue eyes, staring from what would have been a pink-a-white face if it had not been so deeply tanned gazed fixedly at the bow of the first violin." (Norton pg 7) Early in his career, "he was familiarly known as Goldilocks" because of the brightness of his long yellow hair.[3]

Contents

Family background and childhood

Jack Aubrey is the oldest son of General Aubrey of Woolcombe in the County of Dorset. His family has been lords of the manor for generations. When introduced in Master and Commander, he is "between twenty and thirty" as of March 31, 1800.[4] In The Surgeon's Mate he is said to have been 'a seventeen-year-old master's mate' on board HMS Resolution at the time of an action near Brest, and this would imply that he was born in 1774 or 1775, since such an action could only have taken place after the declaration of war against France in 1793; however, elsewhere he is said to have already gained his commission as lieutenant in 1792, and this suggests that he was born soon after 1770. His mother died when he was a small child and he was cared for by his cousin Queenie Keith. His education was intermittent, although a few Latin tags remained with him into maturity. Philip Broke, afterwards captain of HMS Shannon, was a childhood friend.

Early career

Aubrey's name was first put into a ship's books when he was nine years old, though he did not actually go to sea until three years later.[5] He first served "under a nephew of the amiable Admiral Boscawen".[6] This may have been aboard HMS Sylph, on which he served as a boy.[7]

He was in HMS Theseus as a man young enough that "he had been so small that he could easily sit on the middle crosstree with his legs dangling, lean forward on his arms folded over the after tree and go to sleep, firmly wedged in spite of the wild gyrations of his seat."[8]

He was a midshipman aboard HMS Bellerophon, serving with Heneage Dundas in the West Indies, where they engaged in a sword duel over a disputed game of backgammon, a duel in which Aubrey received a scar but which ended with the two friends reunited for life.[9] He almost drowned in the Bay of Biscay off Cape Ortegal while a midshipman in the 38-gun frigate Latona.[10] As the "most junior midshipman"[11] aboard HMS Resolution, Aubrey was disrated by Captain Douglas and turned before the mast where he spent some months as a foremast-hand. He originally tells Maturin that the cause of his disrating was that he kept a girl[12][13] in the cable tier. In The Reverse of the Medal, however, Captain Goole, who was himself a midshipman on Resolution at the time, tells his wife that it was due to another liberty Aubrey took with the rule. "He stole most of the captain's dish of tripe by means of a system of hooks and tackles."[14] Aubrey would later serve under Captain Richardson as master's mate in the Sybille. [15]

Besides Resolution, Jack served on HMS Success under Sir Henry Neale[16], HMS Colossus[17] and as midshipman on HMS Namur.[18] At a unknown time he served on board HMS Surprise as a midshipmen. He spent some time in HMS Minerva, sailing to England from the Cape of Good Hope under Captain Soules.[19] As lieutenant, he took part in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797) on board the Orion and in the Battle of the Nile (1798) on the Leander; it was this occasion which brought him into contact with Nelson.

He served as fifth lieutenant in HMS Hannibal under Captain Newman[20] and as a lieutenant aboard HMS Arethusa,[21] from which he lead the prize crew that took Généreux into Port Mahon[22] after her capture by a squadron under Lord Nelson on 18 February, 1800.[23] He messed in the gun-room of HMS Agamemnon and served aboard HMS Thunderer.[24]

Aubrey received his step to Master and Commander after getting "knocked on the head, once at the Nile and then again when the Généreux took the old Leander: rewards were obliged to be handed out, so I being the only surviving lieutenant, one came my way at last."[25]

In the Canon

SPOILER WARNING:  Plot or ending details for "the whole series"  follow.

Highlights of his life and career as presented in the Canon:

References

  1. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 17
  2. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Treason's Harbor.(c)1983. W.W. Norton and Company, New York, NY; p. 173: Aubrey signs his letter home "your most affectionate husband, Jno Aubrey." Jno was the common abbreviation for John at the time. See also, O'Brian, Patrick. The Thirteen-Gun Salute. (c)1989 William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., Glasgow: p. 88
  3. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Nutmeg of Consolation. (c) 1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 133
  4. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: pp. 11 and 17
  5. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 32
  6. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Truelove. (c)1992 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1992. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 191
  7. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Nutmeg of Consolation. (c) 1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 221
  8. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 83
  9. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Commodore. (c)1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 117, 4-5
  10. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Blue at the Mizzen. (c) 1999 W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY 10110. p. 88
  11. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 220
  12. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: pp. 137-8
  13. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Reverse of the Medal. (c)1986 First published as a Norton Paperback 1992. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 36
  14. ↑ Ibid.: p. 13, see also, O'Brian, Patrick. The Nutmeg of Consolation. (c) 1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 97-98
  15. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Hundred Days. (c) 1998 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 238
  16. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 220
  17. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Thirteen-Gun Salute.(c) 1989 William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., Glasgow: p. 88
  18. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Far Side of the World. (c)1984 by William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd. Published as a Norton Paperback 1992: p. 373
  19. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Wine-Dark Sea. (c) 1993 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 17
  20. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 138
  21. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Commodore. (c)1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY.
  22. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 50
  23. ↑ Age of Nelson website's history of HMS Généreux
  24. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 14
  25. ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. (c) 1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 41
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