ColinGreenstreet at 10:10, November 5, 2016

2016-11-05T10:10:17Z

ColinGreenstreet: Created page with "{{Banner}} {{SemBioLongInfoBoxThree |Person=Christopher Downs |First name=Christopher |Last name=Downs |Occupation=Mariner |Mariner occupation=Boatswain, Purser |Training=Not..."

2016-10-29T09:17:14Z

Created page with "{{Banner}} {{SemBioLongInfoBoxThree |Person=Christopher Downs |First name=Christopher |Last name=Downs |Occupation=Mariner |Mariner occupation=Boatswain, Purser |Training=Not..."

New page

{{Banner}}
{{SemBioLongInfoBoxThree
|Person=Christopher Downs
|First name=Christopher
|Last name=Downs
|Occupation=Mariner
|Mariner occupation=Boatswain, Purser
|Training=Not apprentice
|Citizen=Unknown
|Literacy=Signature
|Has opening text=Christopher Downs
|Has signoff text=Christopher Downes
|Transcription image={{#transcription-image: }}
|Language skills=English language,
|Res parish=Stepney
|Res county=Middlesex
|Res country=England
|Birth year=1618
|First deposition age=36
|Deposition start page(s)=HCA 13/70 f.400v Annotate,
|Deposition date(s)=July 12th 1654
|Has infobox completed=Yes
|Has synthesis completed=No
|Has HCA evidence completed=No
|Has source comment completed=No
|Type of ship=Merchant ship
|Role in Silver Ship litigation=None
}}
==Biographical synthesis==
Christopher Downs (alt. Downes) (b. ca. 1618; d. ?).

"Went Boatswaine of the arlate shipp the ''Guifte'' of Topsham and the arlate William Mayer Master of her during the voyage in question".<ref>[[HCA 13/70 f.400v Annotate|HCA 13/70 f.400v]]</ref>

Resident in 1654 in the parish of Stepney.

==Evidence from High Court of Admiralty==
Thirty-four year old Christopher Downs deposed on July 12th 1654 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined on an allegation dated July 11th 1654 on behalf of William Mayer in the cause of "Pitt and others against Mayer".<ref>[[HCA 13/70 f.400v Annotate|HCA 13/70 f.400v]]</ref>

Christopher Downs stated that he went boatswain of the ship the ''Guife'' of Topsham on the voyage in question. Moreover, he served as purser, requiring him to use his writing skills. He stated that he "this deponent being purser did enter all the sayd ladeing in his booke as belonging to them the sayd Pitt and Marshall and the same was all marked with their markes as belonging to them."<ref>[[HCA 13/70 f.400v Annotate|HCA 13/70 f.400v]]</ref>

The ''Guife'' sailed from Topsham to the Barbados to load sugar and tobaccoes to be transported to Bilbao. Downs makes reference to the concern of him and his fellow crew memberrs that the ship needed a Spanish licence to impport such goods to Spain. "well knowing that such goods were in Spaine Contrabanda goods if brought thither without speciall licence first obteyned from the King of Spaine or his officers and would be there seized and hazard the losse of them and what other private adventure of the same quality any of the sayd shipps company should have on board her at her arrivall at Bilbao, did in behalfe of himselfe and the rest of the sayd shipps company signifie unto the arlate Thomas Pitt then on shipp board that hee this deponent and the rest of the sayd company for the reason aforesayd were unwilling to proceede on the sayd voyage and lade sugar and tobaccoe at the Barbadoes and deliver the same at Bilboa unlesse a speciall license were procured soe to doe".<ref>[[HCA 13/70 f.400v Annotate|HCA 13/70 f.400v]]</ref>

==Comment on sources==

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 |Occupation=Mariner
 |Mariner occupation=Boatswain, Purser
 |Training=Not apprentice
 |Citizen=Unknown
@@ Line 11: / Line 12: @@
 |Has opening text=Christopher Downs
 |Has signoff text=Christopher Downes
-|Transcription image={{#transcription-image: }}
+|Transcription image={{#transcription-image:  }}
 |Language skills=English language,
 |Res parish=Stepney

Christopher Downs - Revision history

ColinGreenstreet at 10:10, November 5, 2016

ColinGreenstreet: Created page with "{{Banner}} {{SemBioLongInfoBoxThree |Person=Christopher Downs |First name=Christopher |Last name=Downs |Occupation=Mariner |Mariner occupation=Boatswain, Purser |Training=Not..."