John Charnock facts for kids
John Charnock (born November 28, 1756 – died May 16, 1807) was a writer and a volunteer in the Royal Navy. He loved learning about ships and naval history.
Charnock wrote several important books. These included a history of how ships were built, a book about the famous Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, and a series called Biographia Navalis. This last series was about important leaders and heroes in Britain's Royal Navy.
He studied at Trinity College, Oxford. Later, he joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer. This allowed him to learn a lot about naval history. He even got to hear stories and read letters from his friends in the navy, especially Captain William Locker.
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John Charnock's Life Story
John Charnock was the son of a lawyer named John Charnock. He grew up in Stanford-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire. He went to Winchester College and then to Trinity College, Oxford in 1774.
When he was a student, Charnock enjoyed writing articles for newspapers and magazines. Later, he had some disagreements with his father about his life choices.
John Charnock became very interested in the navy. He joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer. During this time, he became good friends with Captain Locker. Captain Locker was a friend of Admiral Nelson and worked at Greenwich Hospital.
Captain Locker shared his memories and letters with Charnock. This information was very helpful for Charnock's research. After a while, Charnock received some money from an inheritance. He left the navy, but he spent all his money quickly. To earn a living, he decided to become a writer.
Charnock's Famous Books
From 1794 to 1798, Charnock published his six-volume series called Biographia Navalis. This huge work told the stories of many important people in the Royal Navy.
After this, he wrote a three-volume set called History of Marine Architecture. This book, published from 1801 to 1802, was all about the history of how ships were designed and built. In 1806, he published another book, Life of Lord Nelson, about the famous admiral.
Some of the letters Charnock used for his books were later published in their original form by Sir Harris Nicolas. It turned out that Charnock had made Nelson's language sound more polite in his versions.
Later Years and Legacy
Sadly, John Charnock faced financial difficulties. He passed away on May 16, 1807. He is buried in the old churchyard at Lee.
He left behind his wife, Mary, who was from Philadelphia. They did not have any children. People said that Mary showed great strength and kindness during her husband's difficult times. She passed away on May 26, 1836, and is buried with John.
