‘Children of the service’: paternalism, patronage and friendship in the Georgian navy

Abstract

There are thousands of neglected letters between fathers and sons in the Georgian navy. Exploring these relationships is important due to the key role that the navy played in building and protecting the nation in the eighteenth century, along with the growing interest in the history of the family. This article considers the careers of several young sea officers, including George Perceval, William Waldegrave and Everard Home. It examines the role correspondence played in these young men's lives and how it allowed their families, and in particular their fathers, to maintain their paternal role, even when they were at sea. The patronage and friendship networks of the Georgian navy will be explored along with the importance of paternalism. The nature of a young officer's duty, patriotism and naval identity, as conceived by themselves, their parents and their patrons, will also be examined.

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