Could he have served in the Royal Navy?

Question

I’ve come across lots of unverified stories that William Lethbridge was in the Royal Navy. It is certain that his father was, but I’ve not found any records, or news articles, mentioning William’s service.

One book claimed that “He was Nelson's Flag-Lieutenant on H.M.S. Fondroyent [sic], and later lost a leg during an action while serving on the H.M.S. Temeraire.“

Another said he was a midshipman at the Battle of Trafalgar.

True or not, I’ll be leaving his claims in his bio, but would like to address them appropriately. I’m uncertain what resources there are for verifying or refuting these claims.

Answer 1

Nothing comes up for Lethbridge in the Trafalgar Ancestors database from the National Archives of England so he doesn't appear to have been in that battle.

According to Wikipedia HMS Foudroyant was Nelson's flagship from June 1799 to June 1800 when William Lethbridge would have only been 12-13 years, seemingly too young to be a Flag-Lieutenant and Wikipedia also has HMS Temeraire as only seeing action at the Battle of Trafalgar

Comments

Oh, thank you. This is exactly the sort of thing I was wondering. 

Knowing that his father actually was a RN captain, perhaps he served as a midshipman on one of the two ships and then decided that the sea was not "to his taste."

I can imagine that becoming embroidered as it was retold to his friends and children, so far away from England. Until finally, everyone "just knew" it was so.

This is going to be an interesting biography to write. 

Answer 2

There are a lot of secondary sources that name John Pasco (1774-1853) as the Flag Lieutenant to Admiral Horatio Nelson at Trafalgar.  See e.g. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-the-temeraire-and-a-group-surrounding-the-wounded-lieutenant-pasco-d05460 and https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Naval_Biographical_Dictionary/Pasco,_John

Interestingly, I found an article that said the official appointment of flag lieutenants did not start until 1814, several years after Trafalgar.

http://www.godfreydykes.info/SIGNAL%20OFFICER%20-%20FLAG%20LIEUTENANT.pdf

Comments

Thank you, Roger

Those are excellent links. I see that there were two other Lethbridges in the Biographical Dictionary. I get the impression that it was a seafaring family (being from Devon, and all). I haven't yet placed the other two but--based on their ages, I wouldn't be surprised to find they were cousins.

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John Lethbridge, who invented a diving machine in 1715 was apparently William's great grandfather.  See his Wikipedia page and this article (opens as a pdf) that has a quote at the top from Thomas Lethbridge, RN, William's father.

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Ooh, interesting!

You tempt me, John, to continue up William's tree. I had intended to continue working through his in-laws this weekend. I may have to make a note on my scratch pad to come back to him.