STORM AND COMPANY
HISTORICAL EVENTS 1600s
To give further background to family history of the 1600s the State Papers give brief accounts of interesting events.
One of these is dated 1653 and is a letter from a (Captain) Hugh Powell to the Navy Commissioners. It includes references to his attempt to 'press' men into naval service. An extract reads :
"Then to Whitby, but some ill-affected
person having warned them, they got away, and I only impressed
nine by aid of Capt. Axtell............Thence I came to Newcastle
but the Mayor would not mention impressing, lest the seamen on
208 sail for which a convoy was to be sent should run away.
......A frigate or two would be very useful on these coasts as
many ships are lost. Two Dutch men-of-war chased two English
vessels into Robin Hood's Bay, and would have taken them but for
the country and Capt Axtell's company from Whitby....."
In 1660 a Capt Richard Hodges in a letter to the Admiralty Commissioners writes:
" Sailing to the northward last Sunday, and descrying a sail, I gave chase, and after doing so for six hours and firing several shots, I fetched her up, and enetered 40 men on board her, which caused them to yield. I brought her into Whitby, and while riding at anchor, a boat arrived and certified there was another small roque in Robin Hood's Bay. Having weighed anchor and sailed there, in a short time I had possession of him; only one of the enemy was killed and 2 of our men wounded, but they are likely to do well........"