Folios 295-296: Commander Benjamin Crispin, HMS Leveret, Harwich. In answer to the...

Folios 295-296: Commander Benjamin Crispin, HMS Leveret, Harwich. In answer to the letter about William Brand, reports he was impressed by Lieutenant John Duval of HMS Leveret from the Britannia of South Shields on 7 February because his description did not match that on the protection he produced. He forwarded the protection to the Admiralty on 9 February and is confident Brand is not the man described in it. Brand appears to have been at sea for several years. Returns the enclosures.

Folios 297-298: enclosed with folios 295-296. Petition from James Thirton, owner of the Britannia of South Shields, to the Admiralty, not dated. William Brand, aged 18, bound himself as apprentice to Mr Thirton on 8 January 1808 and had not served at sea before. He was then issued with an Admiralty protection. Brand was serving on the ship on 7 February 1809 when she ran aground on sand near Lowestoft and was forced into Harwich. The vessel was then boarded by a boat from HMS Leveret, Benjamin Crispin Commander, but when Brand's protection was produced Commander Crispin refused to accept it saying the description did not match his appearance. He later applied unsuccessfully to Commander Crispin for Brand's release. Asks for his discharge.

Folios 299-300: enclosed with folios 295-296. Affidavit sworn by Arthur Dixon, Master of the Britannia of South Shields, at Harwich dated 9 February 1809 before Anthony Cox, Mayor, and witnessed by B Whittingham. Swears that William Brand, recently impressed on board HMS Leveret, is really an apprentice to James Kirton of South Shields, ship owner, and was never at sea before. He was issued with an Admiralty protection. The ship had the misfortune to go aground on a sanbar and was obliged to go into Harwich. When they arrived they were boarded by a boat from HMS Leveret and Brand was impressed even though the protection was produced. The officer said the description did not match Brand. Mr Dixon later applied to Commander Crispin for Brand's release, which was refused.