Stonehouse, Devon - COTTELL Births during 1820s

[BHSyd]

Here's what I have to date on James Cottell, Captain in the Royal Marines.

I have seen reference on the WWW to a James Cottell of the Royal Marines on board the HMS Tonnant at Trafalgar.  I also found a description on the WWW of a Lieut James Cottell's involvement in a landing at Mauritius.

The Capture of Mauritius in 1810, excerpts from Part 5 of “The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to the Present Day” by W.L. Clowes.  “The Sirius reappeared before Ile de la Passe on August 13th, when, however, the other craft were still far to leeward. Anxious to effect a surprise, Pym decided not to wait for his consorts, and in the evening sent in five boats, containing 71 officers and men under Lieutenants William Norman, John Wyatt Watling, and Henry Ducie Chads, together with Lieutenants (R.M.) James Cottell and William Bate. The attack was most successful, although the enemy opened fire before the boats had landed. Norman fell, shot through the heart as he was endeavouring to enter a battery; but Watling took his place, carried the work in spite of a determined resistance, and then crossing the islet, joined hands with Chads, who had been similarly successful on the south-east side. Thereupon the French garrison, of about 80 regulars, surrendered, having inflicted a loss of 7 killed and 18 wounded.”
Web site: http://home.planet.nl/~pdavis/Mauritius.htm

There is a naval biography on the WWW for a William Grant who had two cousins in the Royal Marines named William & James Cottell.  “A Naval Biographical Dictionary – Every Living Officer in Her Majesty’s Navy”, 1849, pg 423, biography of Lieut William Grant (available on ancestry.com).  This could be a good way to trace the Cottell lineage.

"William Grant was born 14 May 1789, at Taunton, in Somersetshire, and died 1 Dec. 1845.  He was son of Capt. John Grant who obtained a medal for his services in the 40th Regt. during the first American war, and who afterwards, when belonging to the Prince of Wales' or Leicestershire Fencibles, fought in Ireland during the rebellion of 1798.  One of his cousins, Wm. Cottell, Lieutenant R.M., was mortally wounded on board the ROBUST 74, at the defeat, in the latter year, of a squadron under Commodore Bompart ; and another, the late Jas. Cottell, R.M., who died in 1842, served in the TONNANT at Trafalgar.  He has left a brother, a Surgeon in H.M. 10th Regt., now at Calcutta."

Google Books has a copy of the New Annual Army List, 1841 which contains the following details for James Cottell of the Royal Marines in its list of Captains:

2nd Lieut etc: 17 Sep 1798
Lieut: 5 May 1804
Captain: 18 April 1814
When placed on half pay: 20 Mar 1835
Note: Captain Cottell served at the battle of Trafalgar.

There is reference to a James Cottle, 2nd Lieutenant, Marine, on the web site of the National Archives, under Trafalgar Ancestors, HMS Tonnant.  Ship’s pay book number ML123, 1 Nov 1804.
Web site: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors/

There was an exhibition held a few years ago of watercolours by James Cottell, Captain RM.  SeaBritain, watercolour exhibition at Uppark near Petersfield, 6 Sep – 20 Oct 2005, collection of contemporary watercolours by Captain James Cottell, RM, a veteran of the Trafalgar campaign, the Ratepayer Magazine, Oct 2005, ph 01730825415.
Web site: http://www.theratepayer.co.uk/Magazine%20Folder/RpMagOctober2005v4.pdf

I'm wondering whether there was only the one James Cottell in the Royal Marines... Cottell is only a moderately common surname in the UK (mostly Devon & Cornwall).  May need to look into naval records at Portsmouth to confirm the links.

[gmr]

Thanks very much Chris...

it's going to take a while for me to enter that info into my tree 

The account of the battle for Mauritius was certainly an interesting window into Naval warfare two centuries ago.

Here are the details I found on James's death...

From National Archives Catalogue      
ADM  Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Division within ADM  Records of Accounting and Pay Departments
ADM 45  Navy Board, and Admiralty, Accountant General's Department: Officers' and Civilians' Effects Papers
ADM 45/15  Series 4, Nos. 501-750. Described at item level
 
Record Summary   
Scope and content   Number: 556
   James Cottell, Captain Royal Marines, who died: 30 April 1842. Notes on executor's application for money owed by the Royal Navy.
Covering dates   1842-1843
Availability   Open Document, Open Description, Normal Closure before FOI Act: 30 years
Held by   The National Archives, Kew

It seems unlikely to me that there would be more than one Captain James Cottell / Cottle in that time period. But I agree the Naval records would be good to access, they have some details on next of kin as well I believe.

I was checking the National Achives for references to Cottells and found several promising looking leads including evidence that we are not the first to research the Cottell family Tree... in Devon
http://www.devon.gov.uk/localstudies/
MATCH COTPED1871   . Pedigree of the Cottle family. 1871.
MATCH GRAADD1908   . Additional notes to W.H.Cottell's ms. on the Cottle family. 1908.
MATCH COTHIS1871   . A history of the Cotel, Cottell or Cottle family of the counties of Devon.... 1871.
MATCH COTCOT1908   . The Cotel, Cottell or Cottle family of the counties of Wilts, Somerset, Gloucester, Devon and Cornwall.... 1908.
 and Somerset   http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/
DD\X\CTL    PEDIGREES, ETC., OF THE COTTELL [OR COTTLE] FAMILY    12th century-20th century
DD\X\CTL/1    Cottle family tree of Radstock, Somerset and Wellington, New Zealand.

Some are several pages, one 2 "bundles" !! I'm thinking there is a lot of information there.... maybe related to our guys.  Some of this was researched by William Henry Cottell in 1871... have you heard of him?

Talk to you later

GMR

[BHSyd]

Dear GMR,

Thanks for your response.

I have a copy of James Cottell's death certificate.  The date of death was 30 April 1942 which precisely matches the naval record that you found.  The location was Richmond Terrace.  His age was 60.  Do you think we could request a copy of the executor's document from the National Archives at Kew?

I have seen reference on the WWW to W H Cottell's 19th century research on the Cottell/Cottle family history.

The Cottell Family, by W H Cottell, The Genealogist, Vol 1, page 340.

The History of the Cotel, Cottell or Cottle Family of the Counties of Devon, Somerset, Cornwell & Wiltshire, published 1871.

I made a note that book is available on ancestry.co.uk but you need a "World Membership" to access it.

It may go back to time of the Norman conquest... Sir Robert de Cotele, Knight of Camerton (Somerset), arrived from France around 1102.

I have some information on the families of Arthur Patrick Cottell, Adelaide Pounsbery & Louisa Pounsbery but I haven't written it up yet.  Maybe another time...

Best regards,
CM

[ewpc]

I am Edward Pounsbery Cornish.Gx2  grandson of Adelaide Cottell and James Edward Pounsbery. Gx3 of James Cottell. Would be pleased to hear from you all if your still in correspondence. Have some info.