Family Scrapbooks  >  Westcott  >  Letters  >  Susannah Westcott  >  Petition for pension

Susannah Westcott: Petition for Pension, 1799

After her son Captain George Blagdon Westcott was killed in action, Susannah Westcott and her daughters applied to the Crown for a pension. The request was granted (after review by the Admiralty): but only to her, as mother of the deceased officer -- not to her daughters. The documentation is rather repetitive, so key sections have been emphasized.

At the Court of St. James's
the 9th of January 1799
Present
The King's Most Excellent Majesty
in Council.

Upon reading this Day at the Board, the humble Memorial of Susannah Westcott, Mother, and Margaret, Mary, and Elizabeth, three Sisters of the late Captain George Blagdon Westcott of His Majesty's Navy, Setting forth, that he was unfortunately killed in the Action of the 1st. of August off the Mouth of the Nile whilst commanding His Majesty's Ship Majestic; and praying that in Consideration of the straitened Circumstances the Memorialists are left in, by his Death, His Majesty will be Graciously pleased to bestow on them such Mark of His Royal Bounty, as to His Majesty shall seem meet; It is Ordered by His Majesty in Council, That the said Memorial / a Copy whereof is hereunto annexed / be, and it is hereby referred, to the Right Honourable, The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to consider the same, and Report, Their Opinion thereupon, to His Majesty at this Board.

W Fawkener


To the King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council.

The Humble Memorial of Susannah Westcott, Mother, and Margaret, Mary and Elizabeth, three Sisters of the late George Blagdon Westcott a Captain in Your Majesty's Navy.

Most humbly Sheweth

That the said Captain George Blagdon Westcott served in Your Majesty's Navy thirty two years and was promoted to the Rank of Post Captain on the first of October one thousand seven hundred and ninety __ That in the late ever memorable Action, off the Mouth of the Nile between, a Squadron of Your Majesty's Ships commanded by rear Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, K.B and the French Fleet, he was unfortunately killed whilst he commanded Your majesty's Ship Majestic, of seventy four Guns.

Your Majesty's Memorialists therefore most humbly hope from the testimony borne of the gallantry and Good Conduct of the said Captain George Blagdon Westcott by the Commander of the said Squadron and other Officers under whom he has served _ and in consideration of the straitned [sic] Circumstances of the Memorialists are [sic] left in by his Death (as their support depended very materially upon the Assistance which his sense of Duty, and natural goodness afforded) That Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to bestow on them such Mark of Your Royal Bounty as to your Majesty shall seem meet.

And Your Majesty's Memorialists will ever [be?]

Susannah Westcott
Margaret Lott
Mary Westcott
Elizabeth Ford


At the Court of St. James's
the 23rd of January 1799
Present,
The King's Most Excellent Majesty
in Council

Whereas there was this day read at the Board, a Report from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated the 22nd. Instant, in the Words following __ Viz.

"Your Majesty having been pleased by Your Order in Council of the 9th. Instant to refer unto us, for Our Consideration and Opinion, the humble Memorial of Susannah Westcott, Mother, and Margaret, Mary, and Elizabeth, three Sisters of the late Captain George Blagdon Westcott, setting forth his Services, and that on the 1st of August last he was unfortunately killed, whilst he commanded Your Majesty's Ship Majestic, in the Action off the Mouth of the Nile, between a Squadron of Your Majesty's Ships, commanded by Rear Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson K:B: and the French Fleet, And humbly praying that Your Majesty would be graciously pleased, [in] Consideration of the straitened Circumstances which the Memorialists are left in by his Death (their support depending very materially upon the Assistance they received from him) to bestow on them such mark of Your Royal Bounty as to Your Majesty sho[uld] seem meet; We have, in Obedience to Your Majesty's Commands, taken their Memorial into Our Consideration, and most humbly report that Captain Westcott was slain, whilst gallantly engaging Your Majesty's Enemies, on the 1st. of A[ugust] last; and that what the Memorialists represented, in respect to their Circumstances, appears to be true; A[nd] do therefore most humbly propose th[at] Your Majesty will be graciously plea[sed] to Allow to Susannah Westcott, the M[other] of the said Captain Westcott, a Pension [of] One Hundred Pounds a Year, on the Ordinary Estimate of Your Majesty's N[avy]. But as no Instances appear of Pensio[ns] being granted to the Sisters of Officers under similar circumstances, and as the Sisters will be benefited by any Assistance to be bestowed on their Mother; We do not conceive Ourselves justified in recommending it to be done, in the present instance."

His Majesty, having taken the said Report into Consideration, is pleased with the Advice of His Privy Council, to Approve thereof, and to order, as it is hereby Ordered, That a Pension of One Hundred Pounds a year, be settled upon the said Susannah Westcott, and that the same be placed on the Ordinary Estimate of the Navy. And the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, are to give the necessary directions herein accordingly.

W Fawkener


Source: Public Record Office, Kew