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First of all I thought I would find a good portrait of the Admiral at the
National Portrait Gallery. I received back a very kind letter, no portrait
on record but enclosed was a photocopy of a page that had been inserted into
the catalogues of several of the great auction houses in the 1970's. It
portrayed a miniature of Admiral Smith with a sad tale underneath.
Apparently the original had been stolen in the 1940's from a house in
Roehampton but the black and white photograph had only just been found. “If
anyone had any ideas of the miniature's whereabouts would they contact a
gentleman at a home counties’ address.”
I
wrote off to him but received no reply and thought it was over thirty
years ago, he might not even have been the then owner and could possibly
have died. Turning to my friend Angela Croome, the archaeological
journalist who specialises in naval areas, I asked her for some sort of
plan. She suggested I write to the Mariners' Mirror and various other naval
magazines and people and ask for assistance in tracing a descendant. I
carried all this out and several Editors laid plans to advertise for
descendants or a descendant of Smith.
After about three months, but fortunately before the magazines had gone to
press, I received a long letter beginning “I think I must be the needle in
the haystack you are looking for.” Here at last was Admiral Smith's
descendant through Smith's sister Ursula, since Smith never married. It was
my gentleman, very much alive and interested. He has since been to see
the tomb and met the Vicar and the Architect and hopes to be involved
raising funds.
Smith was sixteen when he jumped from Cook's longboat onto the Australian
shore enabling Captain Cook to plant the flag and claim Australia for the
United Kingdom. Of course others had been ashore and there were already
several million of the original inhabitants, the Aborigines; earlier the
pirate Dampier had landed and drawn maps of some of the coast, as well as
many Malay fisherman. But Cook was officially there on behalf of the British
government. So that is why Australia still has a small Union Jack in the
comer of her flag, thanks to our Admiral Smith.
Isaac had an interesting naval career, retiring in 1807 and I am hoping that
my gentleman can fill in some of the pieces of the jigsaw. We are both indebted
to Mrs Goodman of the John Innes Society for historical background. Isaac
left money for the maintenance of his family tomb but during the 1930's, the
Vicar told me, the Charity Commission swept up all small trusts and put them
into something more substantial, in the case of St Mary's, the almshouses.
Now
our poor Admiral, a friend and neighbour of Nelson, who cared for Mrs Cook
and his large family has to depend on the congregation of St Mary's, Merton
Park to help restore his tomb.
I am
writing to many trusts who support historic churches, the vicar is writing
to the 1805 society, does anyone out there have any ideas or know of a
potential benefactor, perhaps a sailor?
St
Mary's Treasurer, Mark Hackforth-Jones, has opened a special account for the
Admiral's tomb.
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