James Burney
Encyclopedia
James Burney was an English rear-admiral, who accompanied Captain Cook on his last two voyages.
and his wife Esther Sleepe (c. 1725-1762). He was the brother of Charles Burney
and the novelist and diarist Fanny Burney, and half-brother to the novelist Sarah Burney
, who kept house for him from 1798 to 1803.
in 1779. He was belatedly promoted, but in June 1782 commissioned captain of the 50-gun Bristol on a 12-ship convoy to Madras. he was action as part of Sir Edward Hughes's squadron in the final engagement with the French fleet off Cuddalore
on 20 June 1783.
and other literary figures.
Burney married Sarah Payne (1759–1832) on 6 September 1785, by whom he had three children, Catherine (1786-1793), Martin Charles (1788-1852), later a solicitor
, and Sarah (1796-post 1868). However, he was separated from his wife and living with his half-sister from 1798 to 1803. He was elected a member of the Royal Society
in 1809. A great whist player, he left a pamphlet on the subject. When he died, Lamb remarked to William Wordsworth
, "Charles Lamb wrote to William Wordsworth: ‘There's Captain Burney gone!—What fun has whist now?’"
Only in July 1821, aged 71, was Burney promoted to rear-admiral on the retired list after a personal intervention by the duke of Clarence (later William IV
), admiral of the fleet. He died on 17 November 1821 and was buried at St. Margaret's, Westminster
.
Family
Burney was born in London, the son of the composer and music scholar Charles BurneyCharles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
and his wife Esther Sleepe (c. 1725-1762). He was the brother of Charles Burney
Charles Burney (scholar)
Charles Burney, Junior FRS, DD was an English classical scholar, schoolmaster and clergyman.-Family and education:...
and the novelist and diarist Fanny Burney, and half-brother to the novelist Sarah Burney
Sarah Burney
Sarah Harriet Burney was an English novelist, the daughter of musicologist and composer Charles Burney, and half-sister of the novelist and diarist Frances Burney .- Life :Sarah Burney's mother, Elizabeth Allen, was the second wife of...
, who kept house for him from 1798 to 1803.
Voyages
Burney's father obtained him a berth as a midshipman on Cook's Resolution, which sailed for the South Seas in June 1772. Back in England in 1774, he acted as interpreter for Omai, the first Tahitian to visit Britain. He witnessed Cook's killing in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1779. He was belatedly promoted, but in June 1782 commissioned captain of the 50-gun Bristol on a 12-ship convoy to Madras. he was action as part of Sir Edward Hughes's squadron in the final engagement with the French fleet off Cuddalore
Cuddalore
Cuddalore is a fast growing industrial city and headquarter of Cuddalore district in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. Located south of Pondicherry on the coast of Bay of Bengal, Cuddalore has a large number of industries which employ a great deal of the city's population.Cuddalore is known...
on 20 June 1783.
Retired
At the end of 1784 Burney fell seriously ill and departed for England. This was the end of his active naval career. Repeated petitions for a new command were rebuffed, in part because of his openly republican political views. However, he became a prolific naval author, who enjoyed the friendship of Charles Lamb, Henry Crabb RobinsonHenry Crabb Robinson
Henry Crabb Robinson , diarist, was born in Bury St. Edmunds, England.He was articled to an attorney in Colchester. Between 1800 and 1805 he studied at various places in Germany, and became acquainted with nearly all the great men of letters there, including Goethe, Schiller, Johann Gottfried...
and other literary figures.
Burney married Sarah Payne (1759–1832) on 6 September 1785, by whom he had three children, Catherine (1786-1793), Martin Charles (1788-1852), later a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
, and Sarah (1796-post 1868). However, he was separated from his wife and living with his half-sister from 1798 to 1803. He was elected a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1809. A great whist player, he left a pamphlet on the subject. When he died, Lamb remarked to William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
, "Charles Lamb wrote to William Wordsworth: ‘There's Captain Burney gone!—What fun has whist now?’"
Only in July 1821, aged 71, was Burney promoted to rear-admiral on the retired list after a personal intervention by the duke of Clarence (later William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
), admiral of the fleet. He died on 17 November 1821 and was buried at St. Margaret's, Westminster
St. Margaret's, Westminster
The Anglican church of St. Margaret, Westminster Abbey is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, and is the parish church of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London...
.