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Capt Charles Moore R.N.

Moores Close, Hall End, Maulden is, presumably, named after Capt. Moore or his daughter Louisa.


When the young Charles Moore read about Nelson's victory at Trafalgar in 1805 he must have seen life at sea as an exciting prospect for the following year, at the age of 14, he joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman on the HMS Eagle. She was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line and saw plenty of action during the Napoleonic wars including an expedition to the Netherlands, the defence of Cadiz, and attacking and capturing French shipping.

Life in the Royal Navy must have suited him as he was promoted to Lieutenant at the age of 21.

In the spring of 1817 he was lent to the Royal Sovereign yacht for the purpose of escorting the King of the French from England to Calais after Napoleon's final defeat. While he was at Calais the Eleanor, sailing from Nantz to Dunkirk, with a cargo of corn and a crew of seven men, was driven on shore eastward of the harbour, during a strong north-west gale. Three survivors could be seen aboard the stricken vessel.

A boat was sent from the Royal Sovereign yacht manned by Lieutenant Charles Moore and eight British seamen.

Two of the crew were rescued and brought ashore. Whilst trying to rescue the third survivor Lieutenant Moore was washed overboard only to resurface on the other side of his boat. He continued in the rescue attempt but failed to save the last crew member. As a result of his efforts he was promoted to Commander at the age of 25.


Commander Moore married, Elizabeth Anne, second daughter of the late Rich. Palmer in 1819, at Grantham. In 1824 he purchased Maulden Cottage which stood opposite Moores Close in Hall End.

They had four daughters, Emily, Eliza, Marria and Louisa.

Moore
Charles and Louisa Moore

In 1834 he was attached to the Coast guard which was probably the prelude to his retirement from the Royal Navy.

During his retirement he was a Magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire. He was obviously intent on maintaining law and order as he had the the lockup (on Clophill Green) rebuilt at the cost of £4.

He died in 1870 and his grave is in the churchyard of St. Mary's Church, Maulden.

His daughters, Eliza and Louisa, lived at Maulden Cottage until their deaths, Eliza in 1919 Louisa in 1933, the oldest inhabitant in Maulden.

Louisa had taken a keen interest in the poorer inhabitants of Maulden during her lifetime and left legacies in her will to care for them. She left £150 to be added to the Bryan Charity to provide gowns for poor widows in Maulden. Money for gowns is still distributed yearly. She also donated £100 to be used to purchase large print Bibles for the aged.

And so, behind the road name Moores Close lies the story of a brave and adventurous sailor and his children.


Time line of events for Capt Charles Moore and his family

Click heading to expand an item.

Sunbury, Middlesex.
The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement fought by the Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies, during the War of the Third Coalition (August-December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). The battle was the most decisive naval victory of the war. Twenty-seven British ships of the line led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard HMS Victory defeated thirty-three French and Spanish ships of the line under French Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve in the Atlantic off the south-west coast of Spain, just west of Cape Trafalgar, in Caños de Meca. The Franco-Spanish fleet lost twenty-two ships, without a single British vessel being lost.
HMS Eagle was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 27 February 1804 at Northfleet. In 1830 she was reduced to a 50-gun ship, and became a training ship in 1860. She was renamed HMS Eaglet in 1919, when she was the Royal Naval Reserve training centre for North West England. A fire destroyed Eagle in 1926.
The Walcheren Campaign was an unsuccessful British expedition to the Netherlands in 1809 intended to open another front in the Austrian Empire's struggle with France during the War of the Fifth Coalition. Around 40,000 soldiers, 15,000 horses together with field artillery and two siege trains crossed the North Sea and landed at Walcheren on 30 July. This was the largest British expedition of that year, larger than the army serving in the Peninsular War in Portugal. The Walcheren Campaign involved little fighting, but heavy losses from the sickness popularly dubbed "Walcheren Fever". Over 4,000 British troops died (only 106 in combat) and the rest withdrew on 9 December 1809.
The Siege of Cádiz was a siege of the large Spanish naval base of Cádiz by a French army from 5 February 1810 to 24 August 1812 during the Peninsular War. Following the occupation of Seville, Cádiz became the Spanish seat of power, and was targeted by 70,000 French troops under the command of the Marshals Claude Victor and Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult for one of the most important sieges of the war. Defending the city were 2,000 Spanish troops who, as the siege progressed, received aid from 10,000 Spanish reinforcements as well as British and Portuguese troops.
The Action of 29 November 1811 was a minor naval engagement fought between two frigate squadrons in the Adriatic Sea during the Adriatic campaign of the Napoleonic Wars. The action was one of a series of operations conducted by the British Royal Navy and the French Navy to contest dominance over the Adriatic between 1807 and 1814. During this period the Adriatic was surrounded by French territory or French client states and as a result British interference was highly disruptive to the movement of French troops and supplies.
Captain James Brisbane in command in the Adriatic delegated command to various commanders of small squadrons and independent cruisers. These dispersed forces continued to have success against French convoys; on 27 November 1811, the independently sailing HMS Eagle foiled an attempt to send supplies to Corfu and captured the unarmed frigate Corceyre.
Napoleon lead his Grande Armée across the Niemen River into Russia. Although it never lost a pitched battle there, the Grande Armée was almost completely wiped out within six months by freezing temperatures, food shortages, disease and Russian assaults. This proved to be the beginning of the end for Napoleon.
On the 16th of September, in the evening, the British 74-gun ship Eagle, Captain Charles Rowley, having authored off Cape Maestro near Ancona, the latter despatched Lieutenant Augustus Cannon, with the three barges, to intercept the enemy's coasting trade. On the morning of the 17th Lieutenant Cannon perceived a convoy of 23 sail, protected by two gun-boats, standing towards Goro. As the barges intrepidly advanced, the convoy, each vessel of which was armed with a 6 or an 8 pounder, drew up in line of battle, under cover of a 4-gun battery and the beach lined with armed people, having also the two gun-boats advanced in front.
The British in the most gallant manner, and notwithstanding that their boats, owing to the shallowness of the channel, grounded frequently in their advance, attacked and carried the largest gunboat ; and then, turning her guns upon the second gun-boat, captured her and all the convoy but two, which effected their escape. Not being able to man all his prizes, Lieutenant Thomas Colson Festing, who had succeeded to the command in consequence of Lieutenant Cannon having been mortally wounded, burnt six.
(Charles Moore was Master's Mate.)
Charles Moore was made a lieutenant on the 26th Jan. l8l3; and served on shore, under the command of Captain (now Sir Charles) Rowley, at the reduction of Trieste, by the Austrian and British forces under General Count Nugent and Rear-Admiral Fremantle, in the month of October following.
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815, near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armies of the Seventh Coalition: an Anglo-allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington, and a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher.

He was appointed flag-lieutenant to Sir Charles Rowley, on that officer assuming the chief command in the river Medway, Aug. 1816; and we subsequently find him lent to the Royal Sovereign yacht, Captain Sir Edward W. C. R. Owen, employed in conveying Louis Philippe, Due d'Orleans, now King of the French, from England to Calais.

The following is translated from the Moniteur :
Calais, April 17th, 1817.
"Yesterday, about 9 A.M., the Eleanor, from Nantz: to Dunkirk, with corn, burthen 72 tons, with a crew of seven men, was driven on shore eastward of our harbour, during a strong north-west gale. Certain death seemed to await the unfortunate crew, who uttered the most piercing cries. At the instant when all seemed to be over with them, for one or two had been washed away, a boat sent from the Royal Sovereign yacht was seen darting through the surf, manned by Lieutenant Charles Moore and eight British seamen.

Commodore Owen placed himself at the extremity of the jetty, and, although repeatedly almost washed away by the sea, by his voice and gestures animated and directed the boat's crew. The danger of those remaining on board increased every instant, and in a few minutes four were successively forced into the deep. The three survivors were seen imploring succour in the most agonizing manner: the generous and intrepid Moore neglected no efforts, and finally succeeded in saving, by menus of a rope thrown from the boat, two of the crew, with whom he returned to the jetty, not being able to keep his boat longer above water.

Captain Wilkinson of the Dart Packet, belonging to Dover, then threw himself into the boat, to lend his assistance, and she put of for the wreck once more. The last of the Eleanor's crew still remained alive, and had lashed himself to the mast. The boat had again reached the wreck, when Lieutenant Moore, who stood up to give directions to his men, and to encourage the half-drowned Frenchman, was suddenly struck by a tremendous wave, and thrown into the sea. Consternation seized on all his companions, and they were struck motionless, when their brave officer again made his appearance, swimming alongside. He had passed under the bottom of the boat.

Notwithstanding his accident, he, with the utmost coolness, ordered her again to be rowed to the wreck. By this manoeuvre, the spirits of the unfortunate Frenchman were revived; and he rather hastily loosened himself from the mast, then precipitated himself into the sea. He was seen on the surface for an instant, and every exertion was made to save him; but he sunk to rise no more.

The boat then returned to the jetty, and the gallant officer and crew received the thanks and congratulations of a thousand spectators."
For his conduct on this occasion, Mr. Moore was promoted to the rank of commander, June 24th, 1817.

Royal Naval Biography Vol, IV. Part I. 1833

Commander Moore married Elizabeth Anne, second daughter of the late Rich. Palmer, Grantham.
The cottage at Hall End bordered the Ampthill to Clophill road on the north side, the Flying Horse on the east side and the River Flitt on the south side. It was a large cottage. The morning room and dining room were on the ground floor but the drawing room on the first floor, as were 6 bedrooms, a dressing room and an inside toilet. There were 2 further bedrooms in the attic. It was set in 4 acres+ of land with shrubberies, plantation and pleasure gardens surrounded by a high wall, part of which still stands at the Flying Horse.
Maulden Cottage was sold to Bedfordshire County Council in 1933, the house was demolished and a Police House built, since extended to make a private residence. The A6 road was diverted over part of the land to take out the bend.
Calculating back from the 1841 census.
Calculating back from the 1841 census.
1834 - 1837 Coast Guard
Name Age Profession
Emily Moore
14
Eliza Moore
11
Marria Moore
10
Louisa Moore
5
Sarah Wright
22 Governess
William Parish
19 M.S.
Jane Young
31 F.S.
Mary Smith
21 F.S.

His wife was alive in 1851, living with Charles and the four daughters, in Leamington Priors- at 36 Church street.

Name Relation Condition Age Occupation Where born
Charles Moore
Head Married 58 Capt of the Royal ????
Sunbury, Middlesex
Elizabeth Ann Moore
Wife Married 50 ??
Emily Eliza Moore
Daughter Unmarried 24 Maulden, Beds
Eliza ? Moore
Daughter Unmarried 21 Maulden, Beds
Maria A Moore
Daughter Unmarried 19 Maulden, Beds
Louisa A Moore
Daughter Unmarried 15
Mary Ann ?
Servant 30 Housemaid
Charity ?
Servant Unmarried 45 Cook
William ?
Servant Unmarried 24 Footman
"Charles Moore, Esq, to be Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire." London Gazette.
"The Cage, standing in the grounds of the Flying Horse, was rebuilt in 1857 at the cost of £4 by order of Captain Moore, a magistrate, who lived at Maulden Cottage, a house which was pulled down when the new portion of the road was made. The trees around the bus stops are part of what was his garden."
Mary Phillips - The Clophill Story

Daughter Emily married John Stone in 1859, he was a curate in 1861 in Barton Le Clay.
What happened to Elizabeth Ann Moore, Charles' wife?

Name Relation Condition Age Occupation
Charles Moore
Head Married 69 Capt Royal Navy and magistrate of the county
Middlesex, Sunbury
Elizabeth Moore
Daughter Unmarried 31 (Is this Eliza? The eldest?)
Marria Moore
Daughter Unmarried 32 Maulden, Beds.
Louisa Moore
Daughter Unmarried 25 Maulden, Beds.
Lucy ?
Servant Unmarried 27 Domestic Servant
Sarah Hill
Servant Unmarried 25 Domestic Servant
Eliza ?
Servant Unmarried 26 Domestic Servant
John ?
Gardener 40 Gardener and Groom
"Acting Magistrates for the County
Ampthill Division.
Charles Moore, R.N. Maulden Silsoe."
The Post Office Directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire. 1869.

Table tomb over vault in graveyard at St Mary's Church, Maulden, Bedfordshire, England.
'To the memory of / Elizabeth Anne / second daughter of the late / Rev/ RICHARD PALMER / and Grand Daughter of the late / Sir GILLIES PAYNE Baronet / of Tompsford Hall in this County / and wife of / Capt. CHARLES MOORE Royal Navy / of Maulden Cottage. Born November 9th 1797 / Died March 20 1857 / Aged 59 Years / I will raise them up from the power of the grave' Hosea XIII, 4 / Also of / Capt. CHARLES MOORE Royal Navy / Husband of the above and youngest son of / The Revd. ROBERT MOORE D.D. / Late Vicar of Thurley in this County / Born June 20th 1792 / Died November 10th 1870 / Aged 78 Years / Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus / Christ unto eternal life' Jude 21'

Head Relation
Condition Age Occupation Where born
Eliza Moore
Head Unmarried 41 Maulden, Beds.
Maria Moore
Sister Unmarried 39 Maulden, Beds.
Louisa Moore
Sister Unmarried 34 Suffolk, Alborough
Maryanne Adams
Servant Widow 30 Cook
Charlotte Peacock
Servant Unmarried 28 Parlour Maid
Elizabeth Olney
Servant Unmarried 23 House Maid
Name Relation Condition Age Occupation Where born
Eliza Moore
Head Unmarried 57
Maulden
Maria Moore
Sister Unmarried 49 Maulden
Louisa Moore
Sister Unmarried 45
Martha Fisher
Servant Unmarried 24 Housemaid Maulden
Name Relation Condition Age Occupation Where born
Eliza Frances Moore
Head Single 61 Living on means
Maulden
Louisa Moore
Sister Single 55 Ditto Addleborough, Suffolk
Robert B Long
Visitor Single 17 Undergraduate, Cambridge
Silsoe
Eustace Long
Visitor Single 16 Scholar Harrow
Silsoe
Ester Paine
Servant Single 37 Cook
Elizabeth Dust
Servant Single 22 Housemaid
Name Relation Condition Age Occupation Where born
Eliza Moore
Head Spinster 71 Living on own means
Maulden, Beds
Louisa Moore
Sister Spinster 65 Living on own means Maulden, Beds
Louisa Williamson
Servant Servant 42 Cook, Domestic
Clophill, Beds
Charlotte Webb
Servant Servant 19 Housemaid, Domestic
Clophill, Beds
Name Relation Age Marriage Occupation Where born
Eliza Moore
Head 81 Single Private Means
Maulden
Louisa Moore
Sister 74 Single Private Means Aldborough
Sarah Bottoms
Servant 68 Single Charwoman Clophill
Edith Hare
Servant 18 Single Cook Clophill
Martha Peat
Servant 34 Widower Parlourmaid Maulden
Eliza died in 1919 leaving £5370 to Louisa.

Unless stated otherwise, © Colin Watt 2024. 
Last Updated: July 06 2021