Difference between revisions of "William Laurence"
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| − | {{People|name=William Laurence|dob=|service=[[Aerial Corps]], formerly Navy|rank=Captain|nationality=British|billets=[[HMS Shorewise]], Lieutenant<br>[[HMS Goliath]]<br>[[HMS Reliant]], Captain<br>[[Loch Laggan covert]], captain to [[Temeraire]]}} | + | {{People|name=William Laurence|dob=|service=[[Aerial Corps]], formerly Navy|rank=Captain|nationality=British|billets=[[HMS Shorewise]], Lieutenant<br>[[HMS Goliath]], Lieutenant<br>[[HMS Reliant]], Captain<br>[[Loch Laggan covert]], captain to [[Temeraire]]}} |
== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
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Laurence served on first or second rate [[ship of the line|ships of the line]] for most of his naval career, and considered himself fortunate in his postings. As a young lieutenant at the age of 17, however, he served on the [[HMS Shorewise]] under Captain [[Barstowe]], a coarse man who had risen through the ranks to become captain. He was conscious of his own lack of social graces and took his resentment out on those who made him feel that lack, such as young Laurence, whom he punished mercilessly. | Laurence served on first or second rate [[ship of the line|ships of the line]] for most of his naval career, and considered himself fortunate in his postings. As a young lieutenant at the age of 17, however, he served on the [[HMS Shorewise]] under Captain [[Barstowe]], a coarse man who had risen through the ranks to become captain. He was conscious of his own lack of social graces and took his resentment out on those who made him feel that lack, such as young Laurence, whom he punished mercilessly. | ||
| − | Among other billets, he served on the [[HMS Goliath]] during the [[Battle of the Nile]]. | + | Among other billets, he served on the [[HMS Goliath]] as a lieutenant during the [[Battle of the Nile]] and received a decoration for his service there. |
Prior to becoming an aviator, Laurence had the prospect of marriage to [[Edith Galman]], whom he had known since childhood, but they were not formally engaged. He was four years her senior. | Prior to becoming an aviator, Laurence had the prospect of marriage to [[Edith Galman]], whom he had known since childhood, but they were not formally engaged. He was four years her senior. | ||
Revision as of 19:48, 25 September 2006
Character Profile
| Name: | William Laurence |
| Date of Birth: | |
| Service: | Aerial Corps, formerly Navy |
| Rank: | Captain |
| Nationality: | British |
| Billets: | HMS Shorewise, Lieutenant HMS Goliath, Lieutenant HMS Reliant, Captain Loch Laggan covert, captain to Temeraire |
Biography
William Laurence was the third son of Lord Allendale, who held the family seat at Wollaton Hall in Nottighamshire. He was raised a gentleman's son with all the privileges of the time, including an education and travel, such as a boyhood trip to Rome.
Laurence's oldest brother, George Laurence, stood to inherit his father's title, and by 1805 he had three sons and a daughter.
Laurence's father would have preferred him to follow a career in the church, as his second son did, but Laurence found the prospect unappealing. He ran away before his father let him join the Royal Navy at age 12.
Laurence served on first or second rate ships of the line for most of his naval career, and considered himself fortunate in his postings. As a young lieutenant at the age of 17, however, he served on the HMS Shorewise under Captain Barstowe, a coarse man who had risen through the ranks to become captain. He was conscious of his own lack of social graces and took his resentment out on those who made him feel that lack, such as young Laurence, whom he punished mercilessly.
Among other billets, he served on the HMS Goliath as a lieutenant during the Battle of the Nile and received a decoration for his service there.
Prior to becoming an aviator, Laurence had the prospect of marriage to Edith Galman, whom he had known since childhood, but they were not formally engaged. He was four years her senior.
At the time of Temeraire's hatching in 1805, Laurence had been away from England for most of the past four years.
