Matthew Michell
Matthew Michell | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Westbury | |
| In office 16 March 1748 – 29 April 1752 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c.1705 |
| Died | 29 April 1752 |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse | Frances Ashfordby |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Sir William Willys, 6th Baronet (uncle) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Branch/service | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1713–1748 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | HMS Terrible HMS Swift HMS Pearl HMS Gloucester HMS Worcester Downs Station |
| Battles/wars | |
Captain Matthew Michell (often misspelt Mitchell,[1] c.1705 – 29 April 1752) was an English politician and Royal Navy officer. He served in the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Westbury from 1748 until his death.
Early career
Matthew Michell was born in around 1705, the first son of Christopher Michell of
Michell moved commands in 1740 to join the 12-gun cutter HMS Swift, serving in the English Channel.[1] In June the same year he was promoted to post-captain. At this point he was given command of the 40-gun frigate HMS Pearl.[2][1]
With Anson
With the War of Jenkins' Ear ongoing, Pearl was appointed to join Commodore George Anson's squadron in a voyage around the world.[2] The force sailed to the South Seas on 18 September, and while at Madeira on 3 November Michell was sent to replace Captain Richard Norris as the commanding officer of another of Anson's ships, the 50-gun fourth-rate HMS Gloucester. The squadron subsequently rounded Cape Horn in terrible conditions that saw Gloucester receive great damage and high casualties amongst her crew. With the crew sick with scurvy and lacking water supplies, Michell succeeded in getting his ship to the rendezvous with Anson at the Juan Fernández Islands in July 1741.[2][1]
Michell's crew was so weak after their passage that despite having reached sight of Juan Fernández it took Gloucester a further four weeks to make harbour there. The ship was subsequently repaired and Anson sent more men on board to replace those lost.
Gloucester had a new mast
Downs Station
Without a command, Michell spent several months on
Political career
Despite Michell's success with the Downs Station he was not happy. In poor health due to the scurvy he had caught on Anson's expedition, he described his command as "this Cursed Station".[2] At the 1747 British general election Prime Minister Henry Pelham had Michell stand with Chauncy Townsend as the Whig candidate for Westbury, the constituency in which Chitterne sat. Anson had recommended Michell to Pelham. Michell was still at sea at this time and was represented locally during the election by his brother Robert. Pelham and Townsend jointly paid the fees Michell owed for the process. He lost the election and subsequently wrote to Anson that "By my brother's account I have had a great deal of injustice done me by the returning officer.[3]
Michell had the result of the election overturned in a petition and was seated on 16 March 1748.[2][3] He then resigned from the Royal Navy.[2] In parliament Michell consistently supported Pelham's administration until he died, apparently in the prime of his life, on 29 April 1752.[2][3]
Personal life
Michell married Frances Ashfordby, the daughter of John Ashfordby of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, on 4 March 1749. Ashfordby brought with her a dowry of £20,000, equivalent to £2,985,915 in 2019. Together the couple had a son and a daughter.[2] Their daughter, Anne, married the naval officer Captain Richard Onslow in 1773.[4]
Citations
References
- Cock, Randolph (2008). "Onslow, Sir Richard, first baronet". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- Laughton, John Knox (1894). . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 37. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- Williams, Glyndwr (2008). "Michell, Matthew". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)