Difference between revisions of "Anthony Deane"

Latest revision as of 15:27, November 10, 2016

Biographical synthesis

Sir Anthony Deane by Sir Godfrey Keller, oil on canvas, 1690. 290 1/4in. x 24 3/4 in., National Portrait Gallery, NPG 2134

Anthony Deane (b. ca. 1632; d. 1721). Shipwright.

"Hee hath lived above twenty yeeres at Greenwich aforesaid, and hath for 13 yeeres of that space used his trade of a shipwright in the way of getting his livelihood".^[1]

Resident in 1657 in Greenwich.

B.M Crook in Henning (1983)^[2] states that the later Sir Anthony Deane was born ca. 1633, which is consistent with the deponent Anthony Deane of Greenwich being 25 "or thereabouts" in May 1657. Henning states that he was the second son of Anthony Deane of London and of ?Elizabeth, daughter of William Wright,a barber surgeon of London. Educated at Merchant Taylors, he married twice. Firstly to Anne (d. 1677), and secondly to the widow of Sir John Dawes in 1678. He was knighted in 1675. By 1660 he was assistant shipwright at Woolwich, which is consistent with the record of Mr Antho[ny] Deane 7 hearths in Woolwich, near to Christopher Pett's residence. According to the Wikipedia entry on Sir Anthony Deane, drawing probably (but without clear reference) to the ODNB entry on the same, Deane had been apprenticed to Christopher Pett.^[3]

An oil portrait exists of Anthony Deane by Godfrey Keller (1690), which is held at the National Portrait Gallery, London.

A further oil portrait exists of Sir Anthony Deane, attributed to the artist John Greenhill, undated. It is held at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.^[4]

Author of Deane's Doctrine of Naval Architecture, 1670.

Evidence from High Court of Admiralty

Twenty-five year old Anthony Deane deposed on May 11th 1657. He was examined on a libel in the case of "Ewen against Prior".^[5]

The case concerned alleged damage to a ballast wharf owned by Mrs Ewen, and earlier by her now deceased husband, at Greenwich. The damage was allegedly caused by the excavation of gravel by men under orders from Richard Prior.

Anthony Deane stated that Richard Prior was a "low waterman by common repute". Deane had lived near Mrs Ewen's wharf in Greenwich and had seen lighters near the wharf and banks belonging to Mrs Ewens taking up ballast. The people excavating the ballast had made "diverse and sundrie greate pits or holes, neere the shore and wharfe and bancks aforesaid, some of which pits or holes were and are foure foote deep at the least, which hee knoweth because hee this deponent hath measured severall of them, and found them soe deep, and that within eight rodds of the said wharfe and bancks. And saith there are diverse and sundry hills raised betweene the said pitts or holes by reason of such digging and taking up gravell or ballast, for that by meanes of the said hills, it is dangerous for shipps, boates and other vessells to passe, and come neere the said wharfe".^[6]

Three months back a lighter belonging to Mr Prior had been arrested. Prior subsequently bailed the vessel. The lighter which was arrested had in the full view of Anthony Deane been taking up gravel in and around the holes near the wharf and banks.

The damage was considerable. "By reason of the said digging or taking of gravell or ballast and making holes as aforesaid, the bancks of the said Mris Ewen her wharfe have broken and fallen or calved in". In consequence, Mrs Ewens had been put to the expense of continual repairs to the wharf. Anthony Deane claimed "hee hath bin and is, having daily (saving Sabbath and feaste dayes) three a foure men at worke in the said repaire of this deponents sight for two monethes together last, and frequently before; and much boarding, timber and other materialls have bin spent and imployed thereabout, and as the common report goeth, shee the said Mary hath spent and laid out foure hundred pounds therein within theise seaven yeares last, and of this deponents knowledge shee spent and hundred pounds thereabouts this last yeere".^[7]

Anthony Deane stated that "it hath bin and is commonly accounted lawfull for lighter men to worke and take up balast with shovells and spades upon shelves in the River of Thames, but not with nets and poles or such instruments as others commonly use, and make even places uneven to the greate dammage of bancks and wharfes and particularly of the foresaid bancks and wharfes of the said Mris Ewen". Deane added that "Marie her husband in his life time within his owne ground namely within five or six rodds of his wharfe imployed a lighter to digg ballast in gravell, which was laid upon his wharfe, but being advised that the same might be preiudiciall to his wharfe, had left off digging, and soe the hole filled up againe".^[8]

Comment on sources

1664

"Woolwich (chargeable)

Mr Christopher Pett 10 hearths
...
Mr Jeymy Blackman 15 hearths
Mr Antho[ny] Deane 7 hearths

1. ↑ HCA 13/72 f.28v
2. ↑ 'DEANE, Sir Anthony (1633-1721), of Crutched Friars, London,' in B.D. Henning (ed.), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690
3. ↑ Wikpedia entry: 'Anthony Deane (mayor)'
4. ↑ National Maritime Museum, portrait of Sir Anthony Deane, by John Greenhill, undated, Ref code: BHC2645
5. ↑ HCA 13/72 f.28r
6. ↑ HCA 13/72 f.28r
7. ↑ HCA 13/72 f.28r
8. ↑ HCA 13/72 f.28v
9. ↑ Kent Hearth Tax Assessment Lady Day 1664: CKS: Q/RTh Transcribed and computerised by Duncan Harrington, p.11