James Martin's Uncle William Witt died on 19 Aug 1902, aged 88.  If James wrote the above account 'a few years hence', then it was probably written around 1905 to 1910, by which time James would have been nearly 80 himself.

Much of James Martin's account corresponds exactly with previous research findings (i.e. before the bible surfaced), and surely provides confirmation of such previous research, and vice versa.  It is also obvious that some of James Martin's account is nonsense!  This is hardly surprising, as James was only 7 when his family departed England for a new life in Australia (1838).  Most, if not all, of his knowledge of his grandfather's life would have been second-hand, and such stories have a habit of getting mixed up along the way.  My observations are -

• "My Great Grandfather, a DeWitt, came over from Holland with William III..."  This is impossible.  William III arrived from Holland in 1689, whereas James Martin's great-grandfather William Witt was not born until 1749.  If any Witt ancestor arrived with William III, it may have been James Martin's great-great-great-grandfather John Witt, who married Sarah Neighbour on 3 May 1693 at Freshwater, Isle of Wight.  John Witt may have originally been John DeWitt  -  if he really did arrive from Holland with William of Orange!
   
• "... and settled in the Isle of Wight where my grandfather William Witt was born."  James Martin's grandfather William Witt was born 7 Oct 1776 at Newport, Isle of Wight, so this bit rings true.
   
• "He fought under Lord Howe off Cape St Vincent..."  This is nonsense, as Lord Howe was NOT at the Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797), though some sort of naval career did seem a possibility.  And, despite my initial scepticism, it turns out that William Witt DID serve in the Royal Navy before settling in London.  See David Witt's account of William Witt's time in The Royal Navy.
   
• "...and was presented with the Freedom of the City of London..."  Unlikely, but true!  See final section of  David Witt's account of William Witt's time in The Royal Navy.
   
• "... where he commenced business as a Wine Merchant in Skinner Street, Bishopsgate Within."  This is undoubtedly true.  William Witt was a wine cooper/merchant at Skinner Street from 1814 (possibly earlier) to 1840.
   
• "The De was dropped when going into business."  Not by James Martin's grandfather William Witt, it wasn't.  If we were ever DeWitts, the De had been dropped over a hundred years before.
   
• "Lord Howe was created an Earl after the battle which was fought in June."  Rubbish.  Lord Howe was already an Earl, and the Battle of Cape St Vincent was on 14th FEBRUARY (1797).  However, Lord Howe had led an important victory over the French on the 'Glorious' 1st JUNE 1794, capturing (among others) the French ship 'La Juste'.  This was one of the ships upon which William Witt later served, although there is no evidence (yet) that he was involved in it's capture.  Maybe James Martin got his wires a bit crossed here?
   
• "My father married Mary, I believe the eldest daughter of William Witt."  Mary was actually the 4th eldest daughter of William Witt.
   
• "He [James Martin senior] was educated at a Military College, I think Addiscombe, at the expense of his uncle, Lieut.Colonel Francis Pitney Martin, his uncle dying, he left the College and went into business after selling out a reversionary interest on a large estate in Wiltshire."  There must be some truth here, although Verity Baylis wrote - "It was in fact Francis Pitney Martin's brother George who was a Colonel in the Hon. East India Army, Madras, and Francis was a merchant in Frederick's Place, Old Jewry [London]."
   
• "My Uncle William [Witt] died in Tasmania a few years hence aged 91."  Uncle William Witt died 19 Aug 1902, actually aged 88.
   
• "A sister of his, a clergyman's Widow died there aged 84."  This must be James Martin's aunt Hannah WITT (wife of John SMITHIES, a Wesleyan Missionary), who died at Emu Bay, Tasmania, on 9 Jun 1889, aged 81 .
   
• "My grandfather died at Winchmore Hill near London at about 85 or 86 after three days illness."  Accurate, apart from the age.  His grandfather actually died at Winchmore Hill aged 79, after (according to The Times newspaper) "... a short but painful illness".
   

Other miscellaneous transcripts

Page last updated: 15th February 2004, e-mail: martin@hagger.org