Beschreibung:

A late George III two-draw naval telescope, 20 ins (51cm) extending to 33 ins (84cm), signed Watkins/Charing Cross/London, brass banding inscribe ... "G Blackman 1811 midshipman HMS Defiance 74 guns" and "Now Sir G Harnage Barto of Belswardyne 1845" Francis Watkins (1723-1791) founded his firm in 1747 and moved to Charing Cross in 1774, retiring a decade later in favour of his nephews Walter and Jeremiah Watkins who ran the firm until 1810 when it became Watkins & Hill, continuing until 1858. The firm was noted for its quality. George Blackman (1792-1866) was the son of George Blackman (1767-1836) a London merchant who was also proprietor of the Boarded Hall estate at St. George, Barbados, acquired by his father John Lucie Blackman in 1785. His mother Mary Harnage was the daughter and heiress of Henry Harnage of Belswardyne in Shropshire (d. 1821). Young George was appointed Midshipman in HMS Defiance at 18 in 1810, and rose to be Commander RN, latterly of the sloop HMS Raleigh in 1820. The following year, his father was created a baronet and took the surname and arms of Harnage in lieu of Blackman. The title became extinct with the death of the third baronet in 1888. HMS Defiance, the 10th of the name was a Third Rater launched in 1783 and was known as the fastest 74 gunner in the fleet. She served at the Battles of Cape Finisterre and Trafalgar before being relegated to a prison ship in 1813 and broken up in 1817. When Blackman joined her she was under the command of Capt. Richard Raggett. HMS Raleigh was an 18 gun brig sloop of the Cruiser class launched in 1806 and in commission until 1839. . Condition Report: lens appears loose Read more