HOUGHTON, George 1778-1863


Son of Charles Houghton.
Born in 1778 he died in Kentish Town on 1 10 1863, aged 85.

On 21 7 1804 when George was 26, he married Mary Ann WARRAND, daughter of Alexander WARRAND & Mary WEBB, in St. Clement Danes, Westminster. Born in 1784 she died in 1869, aged 85.
They had the following children:


Helen (1822- )
Julia. Born in 1825.
Zilla Rosalia (1820-1851)

He certainly had an eventful life. Born in Ashbourne, Derbyshire he went to London as a young man and, in 1804, married Mary Ann Warrand. In 1806, the London Gazette reported the dissolution of his partnership with John Farmer at 324 Wapping as wine and brandy merchants. An ambitious trading venture in 1808, bringing a cargo back from the Canary Islands, failed when a French frigate captured the ship. The cargo was lost and he suffered bankruptcy on return to London in 1809. By 1815 he appears to have resumed trading to the Canary Islands, perhaps after the end of the war with France (Georgiana was born in the Canaries in 1815). His son, Houghton, lived in Las Palmas at least from 1837 until 1873 when he resigned as Acting Vice Consul and Lloyds Agent.
He also appears to have lived in the Canary Islands for a time but in 1858 gave his address as Jeffery's Square, London, and Craven Place, Kentish Town. At that time he was again short of money as his will shows: -
"Alas! that a man should make a will when he has nothing to leave but I may acquire some property and I make this disposition to dispose of it. I leave everything that I possess under whatever form or shape to my dear wife Mary Ann and if I survive her then in that case to my dear daughter Georgiana who has remained with us, assisted us and been in every respect kind, honourable and loving but I may as well mention that in February '54 Georgiana lent me sixty pounds to buy plate with from Sambert and Rawlins, which plate is still in our house and is used by us though appertaining and belonging solely to her. What plate we have of our own with little exception being sold and the money used. I have only to add that if my watch be left me I give it to my son George Clarence. I also appoint Georgiana my sole executrix."
He died five years later, in 1863.

"Adventures of Prisoners of War in France" by P.H. Warren, 1927)
"Somewhere in the eighteen -seventies the following incidents were related to me by my Aunt, Georgiana Houghton, who then lived at 20, Delamere Crescent, London; she was born in 1815 and they were told her by her father, George Houghton. It will be seen that through the lapse of time much of the detail has been lost. I am not aware that any of it has been written down, and many of the family have never heard of it, so although it is 50 years since my Aunt told me the story, I will do my best to relate the chief events.
My Grandfather was interested, as a merchant, in the Canary Islands, and it appears that business took him there about the year 1808; at any rate, it was during the Napoleonic Wars that he and a party of four friends set sail to return to England, bringing with them a full cargo of merchandise - rather a hazardous undertaking, as they must have been fully aware. They had not been long at sea, before they were hailed by a French Frigate. Not having any means of defense, they were captured and taken into Bordeaux, the ship and Cargo being doubtless a valuable prize, and the passengers who were well-to-do men being looked upon as good assets. They were well treated, but were confined in the castle for some months when they were offered their parole which was accepted, and for a good time they had the run of the town.
I can only remember one incident that occurred during that period of which my Aunt was particularly proud and gave her much amusement. These five friends sauntered into a teashop or the equivalent as kept in Bordeaux at that time, and were enjoying the good things that were to be had there when a party of French officers came in. A dispute shortly arose in which my Grandfather could not have taken part as he did not know any French, but this verbal controversy, it appears, soon lead to blows, in which he was able to take his full share. The end of it was that the five friends cleared the shop and turned the other party into the street.
The consequences of such an affray were likely to be of a serious nature to the prisoners of war. They were duly hauled before the magistrate as it was a civil case and the court was fairly crowded for the trial. The Englishmen were content to defend themselves but the public prosecutor conducted the case for the Frenchmen.
It had not proceeded very far when the good looking man who spoke no French was accused of presenting the Frenchmen with the black eyes which adorned some of their faces; in fact, several pointed to him as the attacker probably as they had found that he could not defend himself. This seems to have had an unexpected effect on the magistrate as he promptly dismissed the case against the accused saying that the complainants should be ashamed to admit that so many of them had succumbed to the attack of one man.
We must now proceed with the next step of the adventure and in doing so assume that the party of Englishmen had been able to make arrangements to carry out the scheme that they had hatched, which as you will see required ample funds to put through with any hope of success, and that all of them had been able to obtain money from England for the purpose.
When all was arranged they withdrew their parole and were promptly consigned again to their old quarters in the castle. When the agreed time arrived their gaolers were either bribed or otherwise accounted for and the prisoners affected their escape. I regret that I am unable to give any account of how this was done -- (note by May Vickers nee Houghton; my father and my uncle Houghton both related these adventures to me when I was a child: we lived in Canary, some seventy years ago. They said it was through the compassion of the gaoler's wife that my Grandfather was able to escape - she made all the arrangements for him) -- then at a certain place they met their accomplices, who had provided costumes appropriate to the different roles to be played by each. One was disguised as a coachman, one as a footman, two as aides, and last but not least - one, my grandfather - as a haughty duke who would not vouchsafe to speak to anyone - for the very good reason, as I have already explained, that he knew nothing of the language. A magnificent coach had been provided with four superb horses; all was ready for their instant departure, and a start was made on their long journey through France to the coast of the English Channel.
Having settled down in their respective roles, with a change of clothes and some provisions for the journey carefully packed away so as to avoid suspicion, and having settled up with their accomplices, they started up. For some time they had to proceed warily, as outside the town there was a large camp of soldiers, and any great hurry might have caused awkward enquiries. We must assume they had the requisite passwords, as they drove through the camp unmolested; but when quite clear of danger, the team was stretched to its fullest capacity, and kept going as long as possible with short spells of rest till the exhaustion of the horses compelled them to abandon the whole equipage in a secluded spot and our party proceeded on foot after having changed into their ordinary clothes.
Tramping for many days off the main routes, obtaining provisions at various farmhouses and estaminets and sleeping at nights under haystacks and in barns, and on one occasion even hearing a search party pass their place of concealment; they eventually arrived at a small town on the coast, and went into a place of public entertainment. Here they were enjoying some well earned refreshment and 'the Duke' was showing the fair maid who was attending to their wants the miniature of his wife (which he carried in a locket) when the tramp of soldiers was heard coming down the street, and the 'aides' promptly took the risk of confessing who they were and asked the maiden to hide them.
They were bundled into secret places, and the "Duke" was put into a large wardrobe in an adjoining room. To his consternation, the pickets came into that very room and sat down for drinks. This was indeed a trying time, the "Duke "being hard put to it to prevent sneezing and coughing, but the ordeal came to an end in time and the soldiers proceeded on their way. It was found afterwards that they were actually searching for the escaping Englishmen.
Our party kept in concealment until night fell, and then succeeded in securing a boat in which they started to row across the Channel, not knowing how long it would take them to reach the English coast or where they would eventually arrive. Fortunately, when about half-way across, they were met by an English lugger, the crew of which cheerfully took them aboard and took them into Southampton, and their troubles were at an end. I have no details as to what official investigation or enquiries they had to undergo, but suffice it to say that all our friends were safely restored to their family circles.
I was much struck during my Aunt's recital of this story by the fact that the refugees received so much help from the country people, who willingly put them up in lofts and sold them provisions. Was this all for mercenary motive? I think not altogether, but each reader must form his or her own opinion. I have put down all the details as far as I can recollect them, as recounted to me."
I had only just completed writing out the above when a friend lent me a copy of "Blackwood" for January 1927, which curiously contains "The perilous adventures and vicissitudes of a Naval Officer, One hundred years ago." The remarkable similarity in the closing phases of the two narratives is very striking.
PD Warren
April 1927
From the London Gazette April? 1810. "Whereas the acting Commissioners in the Commission of Bankrupt awarded and issued forth against George Houghton, late a prisoner of war in France, Merchant, have certified to the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain that the said G.H. hath in all things conformed himself according to the Directions of the several Acts of Parliament made concerning bankrupts: This is to give notice that, by virtue of an Act passed in the Fifth Year of His Majesty's Reign, his certificate will be allowed to be confirmed as the said Act directs, unless cause be shown to the contrary, on or before the 17th. April next."

The following is an extract from a book written by his daughter Georgiana:-

“He was intending to sail for England, from Canary, with a cargo of island produce and had only waited until after the birth of my brother Clarence. It was in April, 1816, while the world was still in an unsettled state, consequent upon the terrible warfare that had so long been going on. When they had been out at sea about three days, they were boarded by pirates, or at least by a vessel hoisting the Portugese flag, and bearing letters of marque (They who are learned in such matters will understand my meaning better than I do myself) Of course the Spanish captain and crew made no kind of resistance; indeed, they were not in any way armed and Papa’s English pluck was of no avail, but only caused him to be fettered and bound while all his property was being carried off before his very eyes.
But they were no Portugese, they were literally American pirates, and the ruthless captain knew that Papa as an Englishman would understand all that was said, and that retribution might follow so he ordered two of his men to stab him to the heart while he himself went down below to collect all the money that could be found. Papa lay there, helplessly bound, while two fierce young fellows came up to him brandishing their drawn daggers. To his surprise, as they neared him (all the time in violent attitudes of wrath) he heard them gently whisper "Do you not know us? Do you not remember us?” "No," was his wondering reply. "Why, do you not recollect that about a couple of years ago two poor American lads were left on shore in Canary by the unexpected departure of the vessel to which they belonged left destitute, starving and forlorn do you not remember how you clothed and fed them, and finally got them berths in another vessel, giving them a little cash in their pockets until they should have earned something? We are those forlorn lads, and we will defend you with our hearts' blood, so that no harm shall happen to you; in some way we will provide for your safety." Can you imagine what that moment must have been to him! The loving husband and father reprieved at the very instant that death seemed close at hand and in consequence of an action that had passed utterly from his mind, so natural were such deeds to him. He may have given us all minor details, but I do not remember how it was that the captain let him escape with his life, but he cleared the vessel of every atom of cargo; taking away their nautical instruments, so that they should have no means of tracing their right path on the boundless ocean, threatening them with deadly vengeance if they attempted to find their way homeward within a given time. However no sooner was the vessel out of sight then Papa's captain (as I must term him) made a fair guess and they were soon within the island currants, which as native sailors they understood, so that within another three days they were nearing the City of Palms. In those quiet islands the sight of a vessel in the offing is an event, and the information was soon carried by the servants to Mamma but the next piece of news was indeed startling, for they told her that it was the “Master's own signal" that was hoisted. And the additional intelligence of the plundering of the vessel was soon bruited, seeming to fly like the wind. Then came another trouble, for, having been boarded by an unknown gang, the vessel was put into quarantine, and Papa, instead of being allowed to return home, and be soothed by his wife's loving sympathy under the heavy pecuniary loss that had befallen him, was shut up for a certain length of time in a disused church outside of the town. Mamma however, was not to be baffled that way, and every evening at nightfall she wended her steps thither, and the compassionate guards admitted her very willingly, so they used to dine and spend the evenings together. But that unfortunately got wind among the timid townsmen, whose dread of contagion is always enormous, and the said guards were summoned before the authorities to account for their breach of discipline orders, and they each took their oath that Dona Mariana had never been near the place!

He owned a schooner, the ‘Romp’ for a short time
Schooner ‘Romp’

Description Two masted schooner, standing bowsprit, square stern, carvel built, female figurehead
Built at Douglas, Isle of Man, in 1844 by John Wineam ?
Certificate of British Registry dated 29 July 1844
Registered Liverpool
Tonnage` 91 1447 Tons
3500
Length 75 ft
Beam 17ft
Draught 9.5 ft
Date Owner
1844 James Aikin (Master, William Smeedon)
6.8.1844 George Houghton purchased half the vessel for £150
15.9.1847 George Houghton purchased the remaining half of the vessel for £150
1.7.1848 George Houghton sold the ‘Romp’ to Henry Hyland (Captain in the Merchant Service) for £750

By May Houghton.
"On another occasion he was on his way to join my grandmother at Las Palmas, but on arrival the ship was put into quarantine for forty days, and had to drop anchor far from land. My grandfather contrived to send a note to his wife to look out for him at a beach some e little way from the town on a night on which there would be no moon, and to bring clothes. Accordingly when the night was dark enough he slipped over the side of the ship and swam for shore. But the distance was great, and the sea not very smooth, so though a powerful swimmer he had difficulty in reaching the land. My grandmother met him there and after a short rest he was able to dress and go home with her. I don't remember much else about my grandfather, except that he was good tempered and kindly and that all his grandchildren were very fond of him. He died as the result of an accident when he was 96 years old. (This would put it in 1874, whereas he died in 1863.) He was getting into his pony chaise to go for a little drive, when the pony moved and he slipped and broke his leg. He never recovered the use of it, and died a short time afterwards."
According to Georgiana, his daughter, the family had been out for a drive in the ‘fly’ and he was holding the carriage door when the pony moved and he fell breaking his hip. He died six months later of ‘mortification’
[image courtesy James CRICK]

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