Jack Aubrey
From WikiPOBia
John Aubrey[1][2][3] 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.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6][7] By the time of the Peace of Amiens, "he had spent two thirds of his life at sea ".[8] He first served "under a nephew of the amiable Admiral Boscawen".[9] This may have been aboard HMS Sylph, on which he served as a boy.[10]
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."[11]
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.[12] They were also midshipmen together in HMS Britannia,[13] nicknamed "Old Ironsides" in the Royal Navy,[14] and aboard HMS Surprise.[15] He was also aboard HMS Alert in the West Indies.[16] He almost drowned in the Bay of Biscay off Cape Ortegal while a midshipman in the 38-gun frigate Latona.[17] As the "most junior midshipman"[18] aboard HMS Resolution, "a discontented ship on the Cape station",[19] 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[20][21] in the cable tier.[22] 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."[23] Aubrey would later serve under Captain Richardson as master's mate in the Sybille. [24]
Besides Resolution, Jack served on HMS Success under Sir Henry Neale[25], HMS Colossus[26] aboard HMS Marlborough,[27] and as midshipman on HMS Namur.[28] 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.[29] 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), in which he "directed the fire of eight of" the fifty-two guns on the Leander.[30][31] It was this occasion which brought him into contact with Nelson.
He served as fifth lieutenant in HMS Hannibal under Captain Newman[32] and as a lieutenant aboard HMS Arethusa.[33] It is unclear whether is was from Arethusa or as 2nd Lieutenant of HMS Foudroyant that he lead the prize crew that took Généreux into Port Mahon[34] or [35] after her capture by a squadron under Lord Nelson on 18 February, 1800.[36] He messed in the gun-room of HMS Agamemnon and served aboard HMS Thunderer.[37]
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."[38]
The Ships of Jack Aubrey
Years | Name | Vessel Type | Station | Aubrey's Rank | Captain |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1786 c. | Sylph | Boy | [39] | ||
178? c. | Ramillies | "little chap"[40] | |||
"Long ago" as of 1812 | Euterpe | [41] | |||
1790 c. | Tonnant | Youngster | [42] | ||
1790 c. | Fortitude | "under the guns of San Felipe" | Midshipman | Captain Hartley[43] | |
1790 c. | Namur | "escorting the Archangel trade" | Midshipman | [44] | |
1791 c. | Resolution | Brest blockade | 17-year-old master's mate | [45] | |
1792 c. | Formidable | Master's Mate | [46] | ||
179? c. | Circe | Off Tenerife | Midshipman | [47] | |
1792 c. | Bellerophon | West Indies | Midshipman | [48] | |
1793 c. | Britannia | Midshipman | [49] | ||
1793 c. | Surprise | Midshipman | [50] | ||
179? | Resolution | Cape Station[51] | "Most-Junior Midshipman"[52] or "an oldster"[53] | Douglas[54][55][56] | |
179? | Latona | 38-Gun Frigate | Bay of Biscay | Midshipman | [57] |
1794 c.[58] | Goliath | 74-gun, 3rd Rate[59] | Youngster | [60] | |
1795? c. | Fox | [61] | |||
179? | Sybile | Master's Mate | Richardson[62] | ||
Unknown | Hannibal | Ship of the Line | 5th Lieutenant | Newman[63] | |
Unknown | Agamemnon | Ship of the Line | West Indies | Lieutenant | [64] |
Unknown | Alert | West Indies | [65] | ||
1797 Feb. Battle of Cape St. Vincent | Orion | First Rate | Atlantic? | Lieutenant | [66] |
1797 Oct. Battle of Camperdown | Ardent | 64-gun | Midshipman | [67] | |
1798 Battle of the Nile | Leander | 52 Guns | Toulon Blockade | Lieutenant | [68][69] |
1799 c. | Eurotas | "drew eighteen foot six abaft" | Western Mediterranean | 3rd Lieutenant | [70] |
Unknown | Arethusa | Ship of the Line | Lieutenant | Unknown[71] | |
1798 c. | Theseus | South of Wales? (The Penmarks) | 3rd Lieutenant | [72] | |
1800 | Foudroyant | Ship of the Line | 2nd Lieutenant | Unknown[73] | |
1800 | Généreux | French Prize | Prize Commander | Aubrey[74] | |
1800-1801 | Sophie | Brig (Sloop of War) | Western Mediterranean | Master and Commander | Aubrey |
1809-1811 | Boadicea | 38-Gun Ship | Cape Station | Commodore | Aubrey[75] |
1811-1812 | Leopard | 50-Gun 4th-Rate | Reinforcement of Botany Bay | Captain | Aubrey[76] |
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:
- Promoted to Master and Commander in Master and Commander.
- Promoted to Post Captain in Post Captain.
- Marries Sophia Williams after the end of HMS Surprise.
- Posted as Commodore to command a squadron tasked to pry the French out of the Mauritius island group in The Mauritius Command.
- Cashiered from the navy after conviction for stock exchange fraud in The Reverse of the Medal and earns a fortune commanding HMS Surprise as a letter of marque.
- Becomes a MP on the death of his father and is reinstated in the navy in The Thirteen-Gun Salute.
- Posted as Commodore tasked to interdict the slave trade off the coast of western Africa in The Commodore.
- Promoted to Rear Admiral at the end of Blue at the Mizzen.
References
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 17
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Treason's Harbor. ©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. ©1989 William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., Glasgow: p. 88
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels:The Reverse of the Medal. ©1987. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 3698
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Nutmeg of Consolation. ©1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 133
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: pp. 11 and 17
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 32
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. H.M.S. Surprise. © 1973. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 367; c.f. Aubrey, in Post Captain (novel), saying "I have been afloat since I was fourteen". (O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 127)
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 18
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Truelove. ©1992 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1992. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 191
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Nutmeg of Consolation. ©1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 221
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 83
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Commodore. ©1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 117, 4-5
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 191
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. H.M.S. Surprise. © 1973. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 147
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. H.M.S. Surprise. © 1973. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 106
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 115
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Blue at the Mizzen. ©1999 W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY 10110. p. 88
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 220
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 304
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: pp. 137-8
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Reverse of the Medal. ©1986 First published as a Norton Paperback 1992. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 36
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Desolation Island.(c)1978. Stein and Day, Scarborough House, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510:pp. 72-3
- ↑ Ibid.: p. 13, see also, O'Brian, Patrick. The Nutmeg of Consolation. ©1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 97-98
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Hundred Days. ©1998 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 238
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 220
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Thirteen-Gun Salute. ©1989 William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., Glasgow: p. 88
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 74
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Far Side of the World. ©1984 by William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd. Published as a Norton Paperback 1992: p. 373
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Wine-Dark Sea. ©1993 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 17
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 378
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 356
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 138
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Commodore. ©1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY.
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 50
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 209
- ↑ Age of Nelson website's history of HMS Généreux
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 14
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 41
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Nutmeg of Consolation. ©1991 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 221
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Mauritius Command. ©1977. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., Glasgow: p. 76
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Fortune of War. (c)1979 William Collins Sons & Co Ltd, Glasgow: p. 261
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Desolation Island.(c)1978. Stein and Day, Scarborough House, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510:p. 17
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Treason's Harbour. ©1983 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY 10110: p. 49
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Far Side of the World. ©1984 by William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd. Published as a Norton Paperback 1992: p. 373
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. The Surgeon's Mate. ©1981. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY: p. 306
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels:The Far Side of the World. ©1984. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 3352
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. The Mauritius Command. ©1977. William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., St. James’s Place, London: p. 33
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Commodore. ©1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: pp. 117, 4-5
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 191
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. H.M.S. Surprise. © 1973. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 106
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 304
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 220
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Mauritius Command. ©1977. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., Glasgow: p. 57
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: pp. 137-8
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Mauritius Command. ©1977. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., Glasgow: p. 76
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels:The Reverse of the Medal. ©1987. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110: p. 3726
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Blue at the Mizzen. ©1999 W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY 10110. p. 88
- ↑ Admiral Henry Harvey was not promoted to that rank until after The Glorious First of June in 1794. Admiral John Harvey, his nephew, did not become an admiral until 1813.
- ↑ Wikipedia's page on H.M.S. Goliath
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Fortune of War. (c)1979 William Collins Sons & Co Ltd, Glasgow: p. 200
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Desolation Island.(c)1978. Stein and Day, Scarborough House, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510:p> 17
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Hundred Days. ©1998 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY: p. 238
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 138
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Mauritius Command. ©1977. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., Glasgow: pp. 48, 68
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 115
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 378
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Desolation Island.(c)1978. Stein and Day, Scarborough House, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510:p. 145
- ↑ O’Brian, Patrick. Post Captain. ©1972. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York: p. 356
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Mauritius Command. ©1977. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., Glasgow: p. 57
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Treason's Harbour. ©1983 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY 10110: pp. 306 & 321
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Commodore. ©1994 by Patrick O'Brian. First American Edition, 1995. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY.
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Desolation Island.(c)1978. Stein and Day, Scarborough House, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510:p. 188
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 50
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Master and Commander. ©1969 by Patrick O'Brian. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, First Edition: p. 50
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. The Mauritius Command. ©1977. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., Glasgow: p. 57
- ↑ O'Brian, Patrick. Desolation Island.(c)1978. Stein and Day, Scarborough House, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510:pp. 13-14