Francis Marsh – aged 54/55 – elder brother of Milbourne, Mary and George
Milbourne Marsh – aged 53/54- Gibraltar
Elizabeth Marsh (ne Evans)
James Crisp Esq – sometime merchant
Eliza Crisp (ne Marsh) – aged 27/28
Burrish Crisp – aged 0/1
Francis Milbourne Marsh – aged 24/25 – son of Milbourne and Elizabeth
John Marsh – aged 15/16 – son of Milbourne and Elizabeth
Mary Duval (ne Marsh) – aged 50/51 – Sister of George and Milbourne
John Duval – husband of Mary Duval
Elizabeth Duval – age 10/11
George Marsh – aged 40/41
Ann Marsh (ne Long) – aged 42/43
George Marsh – aged 13/14
William Marsh – aged 7/8
Anne Marsh – aged 2/3
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Statement of the Services and principal Events in the life of the late George Marsh Esq.
A Commissioner of His Majesty’s Navy.
On the 18th December 1763 the Earl of Egmont was appointed first Lord of the Admiralty. Mr.Marsh had been fortunate as to render some essential Service to this Nobleman about the year 1755, having been introduced to his Lordship by Commissioner Scott, to whom Mr.Marsh became known during his Service at Chatham Dock Yard in the years 1751, 2 + 3 and who was warmly attached to and interested for Mr.Marsh from the knowledge he acquired of his character and ability on that occasion.
Lord Egmont recollecting the Services that Mr.Marsh had formerly rendered sent for him and offered him the post of his Private Secretary which honorable and confidential situation he enjoyed so long as his Lordship continued First Lord of the Admiralty.
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10th October 1763
Upon reading in the newspaper this evening at my Lodgings in Peckham that the Earl of Egmont [John Perceval, 2nd Earl of Egmont, 1711-1770] was appointed first Lord of the Admiralty, who I had not seen or waited upon since Jan 1755 (see page 82) I wrote to an acquaintance of his the following morning as soon as I entered into my house in Savage Gardens which was about 6 o’clock, and sent a Porter with the letter, in which I signified what had passed between his Lordship and myself at that time, and if his Lordship thought I could be of any service to him, I would do myself the honor to of waiting upon him.
Upon his reading my letter sent an Admiralty messenger to me, and requested I would go to him as soon as I could, upon which I waited upon him this 18 Oct 1763, who expressed concern for my not having accepted his general invitation or even called upon him since the aforementioned time, for which I made the best apology I could, he declared he had not only great gratitude but a very particular for me, and asked what was my present income, desiring I would be quite open with him in all my affairs, as he intended to be so with me in all his; he having entertained the highest and best opinion of me.
I replied I had from the Crown as a pay Clerk about £160 per annum, but that I had cleared by my private business as an agent the year before this £1500, whereupon he remarked he had nothing in his gift that would amount to any thing near that sum, of which I observed I was very sensible thereof, but at the same time signified to his Lordship, I should be glad to obtain rank, and wished to be appointed a Commissioner of the Navy or Victualling, which he assured me I should be, the second vacancy that might happen, he having promised the first to his relation Mr Fortry, who by misfortune had lost a great estate, and desired to know if I would accept of being his private secretary, as he should stand in great need of my assistance in Naval affairs, adding that I could not be allowed any salary for it, but I should be permitted to have leave from the Navy Office for that purpose where my salary etc should be continued to me, which I most readily agreed to.
But he observed he would not advise me to drop my private advantageous business as an agent, which I had acquired with great labour and industry, but take a partner therein. For which purpose he would not wish me to attend him ’till I had settled my private affairs.
This advice coincided with my own opinion and intention. As soon as it was known that I was appointed his Lordship’s private secretary two young gentlemen’s fathers of rank and fortune proposed [to] lay down half the sum I was in advance to the Officers to whom I was agent, and one of them offered me a premium of £1,000 in addition thereto if I would take his son as my partner, and the other offered £300.
Though both the young men were very capable, sober and very fit for it in all respects but from their age, I did not think it advisable to trust so great a concern with such young men; but thought of proposing it to Mr Edward Ommaney who was a Clerk in the Clerk of the Survey’s office in Portsmouth yard, and who had transacted business for me therein for near two years, and who was very careful, diligent and capable, and was too of a proper age, being about 20 years old.
I wrote to him and proposed the same to him, whereupon he came up to my house in Savage (Garden) and saw my books and accounts and was astonished to see what I got in the business, he imagining I did not get above one third of the sum, and added that he and his family should be bound to pray for me.
I therefore engaged with him, without any premium, and signified that the rent of the house, the Clerk’s salary and every other expense should be abated from the sum annually gained by the business, and the neat sum equally divided between him and myself, and on his part he was to execute and have the whole charge of the business with the assistance of Mr Creed my clerk, and tho’ he was not well acquainted with it, Mr Creed was and would instruct him in it, and he had also me to apply to for any information he could not give him.
We therefore had writings drawn up, and agreed the partnership accordingly for eleven years, and at the expiration of that time, to continue it as much longer as we should think proper. I therefore took him from a clerkship of £35 a year only, and placed him in a situation in which he gained for his part in the first year upwards of £700, and the business from my connections dayly increasing.
But I too soon found he was a person who could not bear prosperity for he became unbearably insolent to the various Offices or rather to the clerks in them in which we had any business, and would therefore have been kicked out of many of them, but out of regard to me they did put up with therewith. Tho’ not without great expense and in one instance, in which he accused a person of forgery in a public office before all the clerks, who immediately prosecuted him for it, and for two months before the Tryal was to come on, he could not rest night or day, and was dayly applying to me to use my interest to get the matter made up, which I did with great difficulty accomplish by paying all the expenses, and giving £50 to the injured person, and desired him to charge me with half of the whole, and be very cautious, and conduct himself with more propriety in future.
20 Oct 1763
Lord Egmont (turn back to page 99) observed to me soon after he had appointed me his private secretary that he had put me to great expense in attending him, and therefore he anxiously wished to show his gratitude in getting me some good appointment the first opportunity that might offer, for tho’ he had promised Mr Fortry the first vacancy he should certainly give it to me, at the same time hinting that he might not long preside at the Admiralty, indeed it was then strongly reported he would soon be First Lord of the Treasury.
From this hint and knowing Mr Rule one of the Commissioners of the Victualling had been long ill, I wrote him an anonymous letter signifying that I would give him £1000 and insure him superannuation too if he was inclined thereto.
As soon as he received the letter had answered it and wished to see me. Whereupon I took a hackney coach and went to his house the same night, who on seeing me, and being quite satisfied of my interest, applied the next day for superannuation viz 21 October 1763.
2 November 1763
Mr Rule was superannuated and I was appointed one of the Commissioners for the Victualling of His Majesty’s Navy in the branch of the Cutting house which is to see the oxen and hogs killed there for the use of the Navy were good and agreeable to contract, and cut up and cured agreeable to the rules of the Navy which was the duty of the Officer under me to see who is called the Storekeeper of the Cutting House.
And I was by Lord Egmont’s desire continued to attend him at the Admiralty.
Mr Rule from a worne out constitution, did not live long after this transaction.
7 November 1763
Took my seat at the Victualling Board.
1 December 1763
Executed the agreement for Partnership with Mr Ommaney for eleven year’s certain, but to continue it afterwards as much longer as we should agree to do so.
4 December 1763
I hired a Chariot by the month as I was obliged to go every day to the Admiralty.
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One the 5th of December 1763, Mr Marsh took Mr Ommaney into his House, to have the Sole Super-intendency of his Agency business, with the assitance of such Clerk, or Clerks as he should require, and agreed for Eleven Years certain to share with him the Nett Profits arising from it, and in case of Mr Ommanney’s death before that Term expired his Executors were to have nothing more to do with the Business, but in case of Mr Marsh’s his Executors were to have the same power therein as himself would have had.