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« on: Friday 08 December 06 19:17 GMT (UK) »
There is a large amount of information in the local Maritime Museum here at Newhaven about the sinking of HMS Brazen together with many artefacts recovered from the scene of the wreck. Jeremiah HILL, the only survivor of the wreck was a non-swimmer. The widow Louisa Hanson was pregnant at the time of his death and gave birth at Dartford in Kent on 5th May 1800 to James Hawsey HANSON. The son however died 17th May 1802. Louisa HANSON lived to the age of 103 and died at a municipal home in Bexley in Kent. Records show that in 1867 a conveyance was made to Louisa HANSON of two pieces of land and "Mari House" in Parkhill Road, Bexley, Kent. Mari House burned down in 1891. Louisa had only been married for 18 months when she was widowed at the age of 20, and she drew a Navy pension for over 80 years, believed to be the longest recorded pension in Naval history. The Brazen had sailed from Morwellham on the River Tamar in Cornwall on the 23rd January 1800, and having captured a French Privateer the following morning, Captain Hanson placed a prize crew on board and sent it to Portsmouth while the Brazen then continued up Channel until running aground in a severe storm at about 6am on the 26th January. In the grounds of St Michaels Church at Newhaven, is a monument erected to the memory of the 105 men who died. Although many bodies were washed ashore from the wreck, the Body of Captain Hanson was never found.