Tablet in Fareham, Hampshire in memory of Captain James Newman Newman RN and the other officers and crew of HMS ‘Hero’ wrecked on the Haak Sand, 1811

Location

Church of St Peter and St Paul, Fareham, Hampshire, England

Transcript

'IN MELANCHOLY TRIBUTE TO DEPARTED WORTH. / THIS STONE RECORDS / THE TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION OF H.M.S. HERO OF SEVENTY FOUR GUNS / WHICH WAS WRECKED ON THE HAAK SAND OFF THE TEXEL / THE 24TH DECEMBER 1811 / AND OF ALL HER BRAVE OFFICERS AND CREW, IN NUMBER ABOUT SIX HUNDRED MEN, NOT ONE SURVIVED!' / SHE WAS COMMANDED BY CAPTAIN JAMES NEWMAN NEWMAN, / ELDEST SON OF CHARLES NEWMAN ESQ. OF PRESTON NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BY HESTER / NIECE OF THE LATE MR JOHN LANGHAM BART. OF THIS COUNTY / A DEJECTED WIDOW AND AN AFFLICTED FATHER / BOTH DEPRIVED OF THEIR BEST COMFORT / BEAR TESTIMONY TO HIS VIRTUES / WITH GRATEFUL THOUGH EMBITTERED RECOLLECTION. / IN DISPOSITION GENEROUS YET JUST, AND GENTLE YET INTREPID / IN MANNERS ANIMATED AND ENGAGING / IN TEMPER FRANK AND PLACABLE, / BENEVOLENCE WAS SO NATURALLY THE INMATE OF HIS BOSOM / THAT IF DISPLEASURE ENTERED, IT WAS REPELLED AS IN INTRUDER, / ZEALOUS IN THE DUTIES OF HIS PROFESSION OF ARMS, / BUT DELIGHTING IN THE ENJOYMENTS OF PEACE, / HE WAS NOT LESS THE FIRM OPPOSER OF HIS COUNTRY’S FOES / THAN THE CORDIAL ADVOCATE OF HIS OWN FRIENDS. / HE FULFILLED IN ACCESS SO ESTIMABLY ALL THE RELATIONS OF LIFE IN WHICH HE WAS PLACED / THAT HE IS EQUALLY TO BE REGRETTED / AS A SON. A HUSBAND, A BROTHER, A FRIEND, AN OFFICER AND A MAN! / HAVING PASSED ABOVE THIRTY YEARS EXPOSED TO THE PERILS OF TEMPESTS AND OF BATTLES, / HE HAD NEARLY REACHED THE HIGHEST NAVAL RANK, / AND WAS WITHIN A FEW HOURS SAIL OF HIS NATIVE LAND / WHEN A DREADFUL STORM AND DANGEROUS NAVIGATION / CONSIGNED HIM TO AN UNHALLOWED GRAVE, / AT THE EARLY AGE OF FORTY FIVE. / MAY THE FOLLOWERS OF SUCH AN EXAMPLE BE NUMEROUS / THE VICTIMS OF SUCH A FATE BE SPARINGLY DEVOTED! / ANNE WIDOW OF THE ABOVE CAPTAIN JAMES NEWMAN NEWMAN / AND DAUGHTER OF FRANCIS BRACE IN THE COUNTY OF HEREFORD / DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON THE 30TH OF SEPTEMBER 1840, AGED 85 YEARS / SHE WAS A LIBERAL CONTRIBUTOR TO THE PUBLIC CHARITIES OF HER COUNTRY / NOR WERE HER NUMEROUS ACTS OF PRIVATE BENEFICENCE CONFINED TO THE / NEIGHBOURHOOD IN WHICH SHE RESIDED, BUT LIKE THE STREAM / OF CHARITY ITSELF, THEY WERE OF A DIFFUSIVE NATURE. / HE THAT HATH PITY UPON THE POOR LENDETH TO THE LORD, / AND LOOK, WHAT HE LAYETH OUT, IT SHALL BE PAID HIM AGAIN.'

Details

People

Extra