Britain has a long tradition of according nautical names to its public houses, especially those situated near the coast. The Ship Inn, The Blue Anchor, The Hope and Anchor; these remain among the most common examples, in spite of many recent pub closures. The Trafalgar and The Lord Nelson are other commonplace names derived from Britain’s maritime heritage. Although by far the most popular subject, Admiral Nelson is not the only naval hero to grace the signboard of a public house. For example, The Admiral Duncan, which celebrates the victorious commander at the Battle of Camperdown in 1797, has stood in the centre of Soho since 1832. In Ilfracombe, North Devon, a more contemporary establishment of the JD Wetherspoon chain is named after Nelson’s deputy at Trafalgar, Admiral Collingwood. And a public house in honour of Admiral John Jellicoe, the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland, sprang up on Canvey Island, Essex, shortly after his death in 1935.
When Robert Louis Stevenson came to choose a name for the pub in which to begin his famous tale of Treasure Island, he too chose a naval hero. As Jim Hawkins narrates: ‘I take up my pen in the year of grace 17__ and go back to the time when my father kept the Admiral Benbow Inn and the brown old seaman with the sabre cut first took up his lodging under our roof.’
Stevenson gives no description of the establishment other than that it is ‘a pleasant sittyated grog-shop’; these the words of the scarred pirate refugee Billy Bones; above Black Hill Cove somewhere ‘along the coast road to Bristol’. The Admiral Benbow is the scene of the story’s early action, including the death of Bones, and Hawkin’s discovery of his treasure map. The pub, which would feature again in Stevenson’s less-admired play Admiral Guinea., was partly shown in a scene for the 1911 illustrated edition of the novel, drawn by the celebrated American artist N. C. Wyeth.
Legend has it the author selected the name for his story after a real pub he’d come across on a visit to Penzance. It is known that Stevenson had visited this town in August 1877, so there is possibly some truth in the legend, even if Penzance is many miles to the southwest of where he located his fictional inn. Said to date back to the late 17th century, this Cornish Admiral Benbow was associated in the 19th century with a group of smugglers known as the Benbow Brandy Men. The pub still stands in its original location along Chapel Street, its thick stone walls attesting to its great age, although the treasure trove of nauticalia within is a more recent touristic embellishment.
Whatever the truth of this legend, it is certain that during the pre-Napoleonic era when Treasure Island is set, the name Admiral Benbow would have graced a good number of the nation’s inns and public houses, for he was arguably the most famous naval hero of the 18th century. Although his exploits are forgotten today, Robert Louis Stevenson would surely have read about the Admiral’s life and death. Indeed, could it be that the author was consciously making a connection when he included Admiral John Benbow in a tale about a one-legged pirate named Long-John Silver?
The details about John Benbow’s early life are not entirely clear. He was likely born in 1653 in Coton Hill, which is now a suburb of Shrewsbury. John’s father William, the owner of a leather tannery, appears to have died while John was still relatively young, leaving the boy and his mother, Martha, in straitened circumstances. The Benbow family’s socio-economic position had evidently been further eroded by their affiliations with King Charles I before his execution in 1649. The family’s financial hardships may well have been the spur for John to join the English Navy at the relatively late age of 25, having completed an apprenticeship in the merchant service.
At the time of John’s entry into service in 1678, the English Navy was engaged in ongoing operations against the so-called Barbary Pirates, whose attacks on European and US shipping and capture and imprisonment of thousands of their citizens would continue into the 19th century. The activities of these North African corsairs included direct raids on European coastal settlements such as the one that took place on Penzance in 1640, resulting in the abduction of dozens of inhabitants.
John’s first berth was as master’s mate aboard the HMS Rupert, a 66-gun man o’ war built at Harwich by Anthony Deane, a naval architect favoured by Samuel Pepys and a contemporary of Peter Pett. (This 3rd rate warship was evidently well-constructed for she would serve for over one hundred years.) A master’s mate was a superior petty officer who assisted the ship’s master in navigation and in maintaining seaworthiness. Like senior ‘tarpaulin’ ranks (boatswain, carpenters, gunners etc.) this position was attained through technical merit and competence. This contrasted with commissioned ‘gentlemen’ officers such as midshipmen whose placement depended primarily on family connections.
It was aboard the Rupert that John got his first taste of action against the Barbary Pirates, and the capture of an Algerine warship. Benbow’s competence and courage was noticed by his captain Arthur Herbert, who promoted him to the rank of master aboard HMS Nonsuch. This small 5th rate frigate was also despatched to North Africa, being based at Tangier. Commanding this warship during John’s period of service were future flag officers George Rooke, Cloudesley Shovell, and Francis Wheeler, all of whom would help advance the impressive young sailor’s career.
In 1681 Benbow left the Royal Navy in order to pursue a potentially more lucrative career in the merchant service. However, he returned in 1688 following the Glorious Revolution and his country’s embroilment in what would become known as the Nine Years’ War between various European powers. As a third lieutenant and later a captain and ‘master of the fleet’, he took part in the now largely forgotten Battles of Beachy Head (1690) and of Barfleur and La Hougue (1692), and he played a leading role in the assaults on the French ports of Saint-Malo and Dunkirk using bomb vessels and fire-ships.
Benbow’s conduct and bravery during these battles received praise from the Admiralty and his eventual promotion to rear-admiral rank. His high standing is evinced in a pair of contemporary paintings that show him in the company of other celebrated navy officers; Edward Russell, Thomas Phillips and Sir Ralph Delaval. However, it was also during this period that Benbow gained a reputation for conflict with those he served alongside. One target was Captain Henry Tourville, against whom he initiated court martial proceedings for cowardice, although the charge was not proved.
After the end of the Nine Years’ War, Benbow was made commander-in-chief of His Majesty’s naval forces in the West Indies, initially tasked with suppressing piracy in the region. However, after the outbreak of The War of the Spanish Succession in 1701, he was given orders to intercept a Spanish treasure fleet; one laden with silver from Potosi and other mines in New Spain; to prevent it falling into the hands of the French. It was his subsequent encounter with an enemy squadron led by Admiral Jean du Casse that was to ensure Benbow’s enduring renown, a battle marked by controversy and tragedy.
In July 1702, Benbow set sail from Port Royal in Jamaica for Cartagena, where he hoped to intercept du Casse’s squadron. The French ships – three transports and four warships – were sighted on 19th August close to Cape Santa Marta, on the north coast of what is today Colombia. Benbow had seven warships nominally at his disposal; these were the 64-gun HMS Defence, commanded by Richard Kirkby; HMS Windsor, of 60-guns, under the command of John Constable; the 54-gun Greenwich, captained by Cooper Wade; three smaller 50-gun fourth raters; the Ruby, Falmouth, and Pendennis; led respectively by George Walton, Samuel Vincent, and Thomas Hudson; and Benbow’s flagship, the 50-gun Breda, which was captained by Cristopher Fogg.
The ensuing battle, which took place intermittently over the next six days, was hampered by unfavourable wind conditions and a fateful breakdown in discipline between Benbow and several of his captains. As the largest ship, the Defence was ordered to lead the line, but Captain Kirkby would not maintain his station, and Wade, Constable and Constable also refused to actively pursue the enemy. As a result, it was the Breda, Ruby and Falmouth that bore the brunt of the French cannon. After the Ruby was forced to retire, du Casse concentrated his guns on the Breda. It was during this late period in the battle that Benbow had his right leg shattered by French chain-shot. Despite his grievous injury, Benbow was determined to continue the fight. However, at a subsequent council of war, the other commanders led by Kirkby successfully petitioned for the engagement to be broken off due, they argued, to a combination of battle damage, crew fatigue, shortage of ammunition and the variable wind conditions. Under the circumstances, the Admiral had no choice but to return to Jamaica.
Once back in port, Benbow immediately instigated court martial proceedings against his captains for what he regarded as cowardice. This was evidently noted by the enemy for in a letter du Grasse wrote to his English counterpart he recommended that the ‘cowardly captains who deserted you’ be hung up ‘for by God they deserve it.’ The court martial was begun aboard the Breda on 19th October. Benbow was by this time too ill to preside over the court, Rear-Admiral Whetstone stepping into his shoes, although the Benbow was able to attend.
To the Admiral’s satisfaction, Kirkby and Wade were found guilty of breach of orders and neglect of duty, and ordered to be shot. John Constable, who was found guilty of breach of orders and drunkenness was cashiered and given a prison sentence. These were also the punishments meted out to Samuel Vincent and Christopher Fogg until the intervention of Benbow, who declared that both men had in fact fought bravely. All sentences were deferred until they had been authorised by Her Majesty Queen Anne. After their removal to England, Kirkby and Wade were duly executed at Plymouth on 16th April 1703.
Sadly, Benbow had died of his wounds on 4th November 1702, less than two weeks after the end of the trial. His leg, according to Whetstone’s report, was ‘never set to perfection, which malady being aggravated by the discontent of his mind, threw him into a sort of melancholy.’ John Benbow was buried in Port Royal, his marble tombstone inscribed him as ‘a true pattern of English courage’. He left behind a large brood of children and a widow, Martha, whom he’d married in 1681.
Bow Creek to Anatahan 