IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0064 BLC
Held at: National Maritime Museum
Title: Belcher, Sir Edward, (1799-1877)
Date(s): 1843-1854
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 2 vols, 2 files, 1 box
Name of creator(s): Belcher | Sir | Edward | 1799-1877 | Knight | Admiral
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Belcher entered the Navy in 1812, became a lieutenant in 1818 and a commander in 1829. After early experiences surveying in Arctic regions and a lengthy survey of the Pacific, he was given post-rank and a knighthood in 1841. From 1842 to 1847 he commanded the SAMARANG, in which he surveyed the coasts of Borneo, the Philippines and Formosa (Taiwan). In 1852 he was appointed to the Assistance to search for Sir John Franklin (q.v.). He was court-martialled for abandoning his ships but acquitted; one, however, was recovered the following year. He saw no more active service and reached the rank of admiral in 1872.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Papers of Sir Edward Belcher comprising letter and order books, 1843 to 1847 and 1852 to 1854. There is a watch and signal book, undated, and some official service documents.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Conditions governing access:
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Finding aids:
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
The papers were acquired in two parts. The first came to the Museum in the 1930s and consists of 110 letters from Belcher to Sir John Phillipart (1784-1874) between 1850 and 1863. The second was deposited on loan by Mr J.R. Belcher, in 1964.
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Edited by Sarah Drewery, Jun 2011.
Date(s) of descriptions: 2011-03-08