John Putland RN (aft. 1780 - 1808)

Born after 1780 in England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Bligh) O'Connell — married 28 Jan 1804 in Lambeth, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Died 4 Jan 1808 before age 28 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: John Falvey [send private message]

Biography

John was the son of William Putland and Anne Evans.^[1]

He became a midshipman in the Royal Navy. As a Lieutenant, John served under the command of Admiral (later Lord) Horatio Nelson in the victory of the Battle of the Nile.

In 1804, John married Mary Bligh, second daughter of Captain William Bligh RN.^[2][3]

Bligh was appointed governor of the Colony New South Wales. As his wife's health was such that she could not accompany him on such a long voyage, an arrangement was put in place where Mary would fulfill the role of 'mistress of Government House' and John that of her father's aide de camp. In August 1806, the vice-regal party arrived in Sydney, New South Wales. Little did they then know that the politics of the fast-expanding penal settlement with the incredibly-corrupt New South Wales Corps controlling a monopoly on trade would lead to a military coup in just seventeen months' time that would oust the king's representative.

John died of tuberculosis on the 4th January 1808 – three weeks before the mutiny – and was buried on the grounds of Government House, Sydney.^[4] He was aged 27.^[5]

His will of 4th October 1805 was proved on 4th April 1811. The main beneficiaries were his mother Anne Putland and his "dear wife Mary formerly Mary Bligh", John Roberts and Robert Gatty (sp) were the Executors.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Dublin Historical Record Vol. 54, No. 2 (Autumn, 2001), pp. 183-209
2. ↑ "England, Surrey Parish Registers, 1536-1992," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGZY-VDG5 : 16 March 2018), John Putland and Mary Bligh, 28 Jan 1804; citing Marriage, , London Metropolitan Archives, England; FHL microfilm 1,041,639.
3. ↑ Register of Deeds Book 563 Page 189 Memorial 375209 Registered 25th April 1804
4. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #2264/1808 V18082264 2A
5. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #188012996
6. ↑ Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers PROB 11/1522/2