William Venus
| William Venus | |
|---|---|
| Person | William Venus |
| Title | |
| First name | William |
| Middle name(s) | |
| Last name | Venus |
| Suffix | |
| Spouse of | |
| Widow of | |
| Occupation | Shipwright |
| Secondary shorebased occupation | |
| Mariner occupation | Ship carpenter |
| Associated with ship(s) | |
| Training | Not apprentice |
| Is apprentice of | |
| Was apprentice of | |
| Had apprentice(s) | |
| Citizen | Not citizen |
| Literacy | Marke |
| Has opening text | |
| Has signoff text | Interlocking "V" and "W" |
| Signoff image | (Invalid transcription image) |
| Language skills | English language |
| Has interpreter | |
| Birth street | |
| Birth parish | |
| Birth town | |
| Birth county | |
| Birth province | |
| Birth country | |
| Res street | |
| Res parish | Saint Mary Magdalen |
| Res town | Bermondsey |
| Res county | Surrey |
| Res province | |
| Res country | England |
| Birth year | 1611 |
| Marriage year | |
| Death year | |
| Probate date | |
| First deposition age | 41 |
| Primary sources | |
| Act book start page(s) | |
| Personal answer start page(s) | |
| Allegation start page(s) | |
| Interrogatories page(s) | |
| Deposition start page(s) | HCA 13/72 f.88v Annotate, HCA 13/72 f.115r Annotate |
| Chancery start page(s) | |
| Letter start page(s) | |
| Miscellaneous start page(s) | |
| Act book date(s) | |
| Personal answer date(s) | |
| Allegation date(s) | |
| Interrogatories date(s) | |
| Deposition date(s) | Mar 12 1652, Aug 27 1657, Sep 15 1657 |
| How complete is this biography? | |
| Has infobox completed | Yes |
| Has synthesis completed | No |
| Has HCA evidence completed | Yes |
| Has source comment completed | No |
| Ship classification | |
| Type of ship | Merchant ship |
| Silver Ship litigation in 1650s | |
| Role in Silver Ship litigation | None |
Biographical synthesis
William Venus (b. ca. 1611-1615; d. ?). Shipwright.
Carpenter on the Sara and John in 1650, and similarly carpenter on the Six Brothers on her last four voyages. All voyages were made with William Greene as master.
Resident in 1652 and 1657 in the parish of Saint Mary Magdalen in Bermondsey, Surrey.
Evidence from High Court of Admiralty
Forty-one year old William Venus was deposed on March 12th 1652 in the High Court of Admiralty.[1] He was examined on an allegation on behalf of William Greene in "A business of examination of witnesses for the perpetual remembrance of the matter concerneing the shooting att and chaseing and endeavouring to seize and take the shipp the John and Sara of London (whereof William Greene was master and partowner etcetera promoted by the said Greene and Company against the King of Portugall et cetera".[2]
William Venus stated that he was carpenter on the John and Sara (Master: William Greene) on the disputed voyage to the Islands of Terera, Saint Michaells and ffiall. He signed off the deposition with his marke, which was an interlocking V and W.[3]
Forty-two year (sic) old William Venus was deposed a second time on August 27th 1657 in the High Court of Admiralty.[4] The case was that of "William Greene master of the shipp the Sixe Brothers against William ffisher merchant".[5]
Venus stated in his evidence that he had gone on four voyages on the ship the Six Brothers as carpenter of her. The last such voyage had been from Porto in Portugal to London. He confirmed that on her last voyage her master had been William Greene, who had been put in command of her by her owners. In all he had known the ship for about three years, and as a result knew most of her owners.
Venus stated that he had heard William Greene say after the ship had been laded at Porto that he would have refused to take on board William ffisher's goods, if he had known that they were ffisher's. The reason being that he had had trouble with ffisher in the past over the carriage of goods.[6] Venus moreover stated that the goods of all the merchants, which were carried on the ship, arrived in good order and condition in London, and that there was no damage or embezzlement.
He signed off the deposition with his marke, which was an interlocking V and W.[7]
William Venus was deposed in the High Court of Admiralty a third time two and a half weeks later on September 15th 1657.[8] His deposition was related to the same ship, the Six Brothers', but in the case of "Low and company against Townsend and others." Specifically, he was examined upon an allegation given in on behalf of Lowe and company touching the Six Brothers, dated September 14th 1657.[9]
Comment on sources
- ↑ HCA 13/69: IMG_101_06_3643
- ↑ HCA 13/69: IMG_101_06_3641
- ↑ HCA 13/69: IMG_101_06_3645
- ↑ HCA 13/72 f.88v
- ↑ HCA 13/72 f.88r
- ↑ HCA 13/72 f.89r
- ↑ HCA 13/72 f.89r
- ↑ HCA 13/72 f.115r
- ↑ HCA 13/72 f.114v
