Difference between revisions of "William Laurence"

Revision as of 09:50, 10 September 2009

A sketch of Will Laurence. (c) Anke Eissmann

Character Profile

Biography

William Laurence was the third son of Lord Allendale, who held the family seat at Wollaton Hall in Nottinghamshire. He was raised a gentleman's son with all the privileges of the nobility, including an education and travel, such as a boyhood trip to Rome. Lord Allendale was also a staunch believer in the abolition of slavery and the slave trade, and Will was also sympathetic to the abolitionist cause.

Laurence's oldest brother, George Laurence, stood to inherit his father's title, and by 1805, he had three sons (the oldest of whom would inherit from George) 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 from home before his father let him join the Royal Navy at age 12. His first billet as a midshipman was under the command of Captain Mountjoy, a family friend.

As a young midshipman, he was once taken prisoner by the French, and treated with perfect courtesy, which left a deep impression as to how prisoners should be treated.

He was promoted to lieutenant in 1791 at the age of 17. His first posting as lieutenant was to the HMS Shorewise under Captain Barstowe, a coarse man who had risen through the ranks to become captain. Barstowe 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.

Fortunately, subsequent postings gave Laurence the chance to prove his abilities. While he served as second lieutenant aboard the HMS Normandy under Captain Yarrow, the ship ran onto a reef and left them wrecked on an island 700 miles from Rio. Laurence, along with Tom Riley and 10 other men, were sent in the ship's cutter for rescue. The captain and premier, not willing to go themselves, supplied them only with hard tack and coconuts. Laurence and his men caught fish and ate it raw.

First Flight, depicting Laurence's first flight with Temeraire. (c) Anke Eissmann

Lawrence reunited with Temeraire. (c) Anke Eissmann

Laurence credited his successful rescue mission as the reason Captain Thomas Foley chose him as first lieutenant on the HMS Goliath. During that posting, he served at the Battle of the Nile and received a decoration for his service. He served on first or second rate ships of the line for most of his naval career, and considered himself fortunate in his postings. He also visited India prior to 1805, presumably during his naval service.

Laurence's career in the Navy was abruptly derailed in January 1805, though through no fault of his own. While patrolling in the north Atlantic as part of Admiral Croft's squadron, Laurence's HMS Reliant captured the Amitie, a ship with a most precious cargo - a Celestial egg ready to hatch. Upon emerging from the shell, the dragonet chose Laurence to be his rider.

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 previous four years.

As Temeraire's captain he was stationed at Loch Laggan covert. He served in the Battle of Dover and the Battle of Shoeburyness. He was sent on two long journeys. In 1805 he had to travel to China because the Chinese did not consider Laurence as a worthy companion for Temeraire and decided to take the dragon back. The conflict was resolved when Laurence was formally adopted by the Emperor. During the return journey his crew retrieved the Kazilik and Akhal-Teke eggs from the Ottomans (for which the British paid half a million pounds). Almost immediately after he came back, he received the orders to find the cure for the dragon plague, which was decimating the Corps. After he had returned he committed a treason by delivering the cure to the French. He was sentenced to travel to a penal colony in Australia, along with Temeraire.

Laurence's personal habits were formed by his upbringing and his time in the Navy, which included observing the formalities of dress and personal interaction. He preferred his clothing to be well-kept and was distressed by the haphazard way in which aviators tended to pack. He was also unaccustomed to their casual social behavior.

Accustomed to the all-male Navy and only formal social interaction with women (except servants), he was initially deeply uncomfortable in dealing with women in the Aerial Corps. He adjusted, however, and formed a relationship with Jane Roland during September 1805 while both were at the Dover covert.