This 2-volume manuscript (301 pages) consists of William West Medwin's memoirs about his experiences in the Royal Navy and his later travels, as well as poetry that he composed in the early 19th century.
Medwin began composing his account in 1830, and dedicated the manuscript to his surviving son. Later pages contain references to dates as late as 1833. The memoir, written on pages 1-214 and 250a-299, chronicles Medwin's experiences from 1799, when he joined the crew of the Mercury, until around 1833, when he was living in his family in London, England. He began with a brief history of his ancestors and an account of his childhood up to his enlistment in the navy. Medwin was a crewman on multiple ships and traveled to North America, the Caribbean, South America, and Europe. During the American Revolution, he was stationed in Canada and elsewhere, and after the war helped evacuate Loyalists and African-American soldiers from the newly independent United States.
Medwin's memoirs also reflect his later life, including his residence in North America, where he described the tobacco industry and plantation farming, and his years in France, where he frequently attended theatrical performances. He sometimes commented on local customs, such as the practice of "bundling" in North America (p. 63). Pages 214-248 contain poetry by Medwin; some poems are laid and pinned into the volume. Medwin then resumed his memoir with an account of his life after his return to London and the death of his eldest son. The final pages (pp. 266-299) are comprised of Medwin's philosophical and religious musings.
William West Medwin was born in England around 1769, and attended schools in High Wycombe until the age of 10, when he joined the crew of the Mercury. He served in the Royal Navy throughout much of the rest of his life, and traveled to North America, the Caribbean, South America, and Europe. He lived for extended periods in the United States; in High Wycombe and London, England; and in Paris, France. In May 1802, Medwin married Susannah Elizabeth Taylor. They had at least three children; their eldest son died at sea. William West Medwin died in London on May 3, 1835.
