John Galt and the story of Bryce Gilliland

I have written about John Galt (1779-1839) a few times on this blog.  Not only do I admire him as someone who has Greenock connections, but I enjoy reading his work for enjoyment, and also for the little snippets of local information that abound in his work.  Recently I re-read Galt's autobiography and came across a story that got me interested and I decided to do some further research.  It is the story of Bryce Gilliland.

In his Autobiography John Galt writes about his unhealthy childhood -

"This infirm state led me not only to avoid the hearty exercises of other boys, but to seek indoor amusement that was, had it been observed, remarkable in one so young.  I remember that there were a number of old women who lived in the closs behind my grandmother's house, and in their society to hear their tales and legends I was a frequent visitor.  One of them was the mother of Lieutenant Gueliland, who was flag-officer to Lord Nelson, and killed at the battle of Trafalgar.  He was older than me, and I do not recollect him very well, but he was a brave and intelligent officer; his townsmen have erected a monument to his memory in the church, and I have the gratification to record that I obtained for his only sister a munificent donation from the Patriotic Fund formed during the war at Lloyd's."

Sure enough there is a monument to Lieutenant Guilland in Irvine Old Parish Church -

  

It is likely that he went to sea of his own accord, as many Irvine men did and was later press-ganged into service with the Royal Navy.  His naval career seemed to have started as an Able Seaman on HMS Diana in 1794 and proceeded with service on many navy ships such as HMS Standard.  He was Quartermaster on HMS Northumberland and rose to the rank of Midshipman and Master's Mate.  In 1801 he served aboard Nelson's flagship HMS Foudroyant.  He saw service in the Egyptian Campaign becoming a Lieutenant and serving on HMS Druid. (Information from a fabulous site "Trafalgar Ancestors" at the National Archive.)

Ironically, Between 1801 and 1802 Guilliland was part of the impress service based at the Strong Man pub in Lower East Smithfield recruiting for the Royal Navy ship HMS Determinee.  Thereafter he was transferred to HMS Dreadnaught where he came to the attention of Admiral Collingwood.

Collingwood

He must have made a good impression on the Admiral because on 9 October Collingwood wrote to Nelson that he wished to take his Signal Lieutenant, Brice Gilliland with him from the Dreadnaught to the Royal Sovereign.

On 21 October 1805 Bryce Gilliland, aged 36 was killed on board the Royal Sovereign during her heroic struggles in the Battle of Trafalgar.

As John Galt points out, Lloyds did, on 28 July 1803, set up a Patriotic Fund "to assist the many casualties of the Napoleonic Wars".  It is still in existence, working with armed forces charities providing help to those in need.

Perhaps John Galt was remembering the old stories he heard told by Bryce Gilliland's mother when he wrote this passage  in his 1821 novel Annals of the Parish.  The passage refers to a young man from the locality, Charles Malcolm and is told by the narrator of the book, the Rev Micah Balwhidder -

Extract from Annals of the Parish by John Galt 1821

Sound familiar?